Africa · Gaborone
Cost of living in Botswana
Botswana is 62% cheaper than the US, ranking #128 of 203 countries we cover for cost of living.
World Bank data through 2024 · last reviewed 2026-06.
What drives the cost here
Price levels by category, where the world average = 100. Above 100 is pricier than the global norm; below it is cheaper.
In Botswana, communication is the priciest category relative to the world (105), while health is the most affordable (48).
Category price levels: World Bank ICP 2021 (world average = 100) · source
What your money is worth here
A $100,000 US lifestyle would cost roughly $38,000 in Botswana.
Quality of life
62/100 · #139 of 198Beyond cost — health, safety, and connectivity. The score is a transparent, equal-weight composite of the verified metrics below (see methodology).
About Botswana
In the early 1800s, multiple political entities in what is now Botswana were destabilized or destroyed by a series of conflicts and population movements in southern Africa. By the end of this period, the Tswana ethnic group, who also live across the border in South Africa, had become the most prominent group in the area. In 1852, Tswana forces halted the expansion of white Afrikaner settlers who were seeking to expand their territory northwards into what is now Botswana.
Read the full background
In 1885, Great Britain claimed territory that roughly corresponds with modern day Botswana as a protectorate called Bechuanaland. Upon independence in 1966, the British protectorate of Bechuanaland adopted the new name of Botswana, which means "land of the Tswana." More than five decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created an enduring democracy and upper-middle-income economy. The ruling Botswana Democratic Party has won every national election since independence; President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe MASISI assumed the presidency in 2018 after the retirement of former President Ian KHAMA due to constitutional term limits. MASISI won his first election as president in 2019, and he is Botswana’s fifth president since independence. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest rates of HIV/AIDS infection but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.
Background from the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived 2026-06-03.
Frequently asked
Is Botswana expensive to live in?
Botswana is 62% cheaper than the US, ranking #128 of the 203 countries we track. Its most expensive category relative to the world is communication; health costs the least.
How much money do you need to live in Botswana?
A lifestyle that costs $100,000 in the United States would cost roughly $38,000 in Botswana, going by overall price levels. The salary translator turns your own figure into a local equivalent.
Is Botswana cheaper than the United States?
Yes. Its overall price level is 38.0, against 100 for the United States.
What is the quality of life in Botswana?
Botswana scores 62 out of 100 on our quality-of-life index (#139 of 198), a composite of life expectancy, safety, health, and connectivity, with life expectancy around 69 years.
Every number, sourced.
We cite the exact source and year for each figure. Derived values are computed at build time, never hand-entered.
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