How Botswana compares across key indices
Cost of Living
39 vs NYC
100 = NYC
Safety Index
58/100
Healthcare
49/100
Quality of Life
107/200
How far your money goes in Botswana
Cost of Living
39
100 = NYC baseline
Rent Index
29
100 = NYC rent
Groceries
39
100 = NYC groceries
Restaurant Prices
41
100 = NYC dining
How safe residents feel in Botswana - based on surveys of people living there
Safety Index
58/100
Crime Index
45/100
Lower is better
0 point drop from day to night
Botswana has 25 cities with Freedom Abroad estimates. Monthly costs for a single person range from $776 in Mochudi to $944 in Gaborone. Mochudi leads on safety, scoring 63/100. Palapye ranks highest for quality of life at 114/200.
Mochudi
$776/mo
Mochudi
63/100
Palapye
114/200
Gaborone
55/100
| City | Monthly Cost | Safety | Quality of Life | Healthcare | Pollution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaborone | $944 | 57/100 | 112/200 | 55/100 | 39 |
| Francistown | $806 | 61/100 | 113/200 | 47/100 | 33 |
| Mogoditshane | $799 | 61/100 | 113/200 | 46/100 | 32 |
| Maun | $798 | 61/100 | 113/200 | 46/100 | 32 |
| Molepolole | $792 | 62/100 | 114/200 | 46/100 | 31 |
| Serowe | $780 | 62/100 | 114/200 | 45/100 | 30 |
| Tlokweng | $780 | 62/100 | 114/200 | 45/100 | 30 |
| Palapye | $777 | 62/100 | 114/200 | 45/100 | 30 |
| Mochudi | $776 | 63/100 | 114/200 | 45/100 | 30 |
| Mahalapye | $776 | 63/100 | 114/200 | 45/100 | 30 |
| Kanye | $776 | 63/100 | 114/200 | 45/100 | 30 |
| Selebi-Phikwe | $776 | 63/100 | 114/200 | 45/100 | 30 |
| Letlhakane | $776 | 63/100 | 114/200 | 45/100 | 30 |
| Ramotswa | $776 | 63/100 | 114/200 | 45/100 | 30 |
| Lobatse | $776 | 63/100 | 114/200 | 45/100 | 30 |
| Mmopone | $776 | 63/100 | 114/200 | 45/100 | 30 |
| Thamaga | $776 | 63/100 | 114/200 | 45/100 | 30 |
| Mosopa | $776 | 63/100 | 114/200 | 45/100 | 30 |
| Tonota | $776 | 63/100 | 114/200 | 45/100 | 30 |
| Bobonong | $776 | 63/100 | 114/200 | 45/100 | 30 |
| Gabane | $776 | 63/100 | 114/200 | 45/100 | 30 |
| Ghanzi | $776 | 63/100 | 114/200 | 45/100 | 30 |
| Jwaneng | $776 | 63/100 | 114/200 | 45/100 | 30 |
| Tutume | $776 | 63/100 | 114/200 | 45/100 | 30 |
| Janeng | $776 | 63/100 | 114/200 | 45/100 | 30 |
Freedom Abroad estimates are modeled for a single person including rent. Pollution: lower score = cleaner air. Click column headers to sort.
Compare Cities Side by Side
Detailed comparison of cost of living, safety, and quality of life
Verified school profiles for families comparing language model, grade range, credentials, and admissions next steps in Botswana. Tuition appears only when published in verified public sources.
49
Verified records
15
Cities covered
4
Credential signals
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Francistown
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High school
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Sowa
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Francistown
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Selebi-Phikwe
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Ages and grades
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Orapa
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Ages and grades
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Selebi-Phikwe
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Primary
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Gaborone
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Gaborone
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Mochudi
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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Francistown
Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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School records are maintained from direct school pages, public credential directories, public registry claims, and carefully labeled directory/community sources. Admissions, seat availability, and tuition can change quickly, so Freedom Abroad treats unpublished costs as “Contact school” instead of estimating.
Healthcare system overview for Botswana
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A portion of affiliate revenue is donated to UNHCR
Air quality, water, and environmental conditions in Botswana
Pollution Index
38/100
Lower is better
PM2.5
18.9ug/m3
Moderate
Based on 0 survey responses. Perception scores are 0–100 where higher is better unless noted.
Common questions about living in Botswana, answered with data
Botswana has a cost of living index of 39 relative to New York City (100). It is significantly cheaper than the US. Monthly costs for a single person start around $806 in Francistown and reach $944 in Gaborone.
Francistown is the most affordable city in Botswana in Freedom Abroad estimates, with estimated monthly costs of $806 for a single person including rent. Gaborone is the next most affordable at $944/mo.
Botswana has a safety index of 58/100, making it generally safe for expats and travellers. Among cities with data, Francistown scores highest on safety at 61/100.
Francistown ranks highest for quality of life in Botswana, scoring 113/200 in Freedom Abroad's modeled quality-of-life estimate. Monthly costs there run around $806/mo for a single person.
Botswana scores 49/100 in Freedom Abroad's modeled healthcare estimate, making it adequate by global standards. This estimate reflects open public indicators for health outcomes and system capacity.
Yes. Botswana's cost of living is roughly 61% lower than New York City and generally cheaper than most major US cities. Rent specifically is around 71% cheaper. This makes it a popular destination for remote workers looking to stretch their dollar.
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Cost of living, safety, school, and quality-of-life figures on this page are Freedom Abroad estimates or verified public records modeled from open sources. Data sources
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