Botswana · Visit or make it home

Gaborone

Gaborone is a city in Botswana. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.

Gaborone — View from I-Tower SE 20200712

Get to know Gaborone

A sense of the place

Gaborone is the capital and largest city of Botswana. It was formerly spelled as Gaberones during the colonial era, a name occasionally used in older English texts and maps. With a population of 246,325 based on the 2022 census, about 10% of the total population of Botswana. Its metropolitan area is home to 534,842 inhabitants at the 2022 census. Gaborone is situated between Kgale Hill and Oodi Hill, near the confluence of the Notwane River and Segoditshane River in the southeastern corner of Botswana, within 15 kilometres from the South African border. The city is served by the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport. It is an administrative district in its own right, but is the capital of the surrounding South-East District. Locals often refer to the city as GC or Motse-Mshate. The city of Gaborone is named after Chief Gaborone of the Tlokwa people, who once controlled land nearby.

Weather through the year

When to visit Gaborone

Temperature

January has the warmest monthly average (26.2°C); July is coolest (13.0°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.

Rain and outdoor plans

December averages about 90 mm of rain, compared with 2 mm in July. For an outdoor-focused trip, compare the drier months before choosing dates.

Planning time outdoors

April, May, June, July, August, September combine monthly mean temperatures of 12–22°C with less than 100 mm of precipitation. These are useful dates to compare for a walking-focused visit; check daylight, opening times and the forecast for your actual trip.

Monthly mean temperatures reach at least 25°C in January, February, November, December. For sightseeing, plan shade, water breaks and accommodation cooling into your day; daytime temperatures can be higher than these day-and-night averages.

Monthly climate averages — 2001-2020
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average °C26.225.623.820.516.913.413.016.620.924.225.326.0
Rain, mm8678694111122211356790

Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001-2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.

Places around Gaborone

Build your shortlist for a day out. Distances are straight-line from the city centre; check routes and opening times before setting off.

Average rent in Gaborone

What is the average rent in Gaborone?

A verified average rent for Gaborone is not available in the evidence shown here. Do not substitute another city’s price or a national estimate. Compare current properties for the same home size and neighbourhood, then include utilities, deposits and daily transport when building a budget for a visit or move.

Average salary in Gaborone

What is the average salary in Gaborone?

482.6 USD/month is the gross employee-pay reference dated 2024. It describes Botswana, not average salary in Gaborone. Gross pay is before deductions; household earnings depend on the household model. Use a current offer and your own tax circumstances for take-home budgeting.

Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · Reference date: 2024 · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)

How should I compare Gaborone with another city?

Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.

  1. Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
  2. Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
  3. Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.

Data sources, licences & reuse terms

Plan your stay

Budget and everyday decisions

A holiday budget

Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Gaborone, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.

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A relocation budget

Use the planner below to compare housing, daily spending and the cost of your move.

Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.

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Your relocation planning budget

Build a monthly budget for Gaborone in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Enter a housing amount for your chosen home.

Monthly total: Enter all five monthly amounts

First month including move: Enter your moving costs too

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Compare the details

Gaborone at a glance

Botswana: the wider context

These are country-level figures, not measurements of Gaborone. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.

See 10 national indicators
What to check before deciding

Comparable figures are not available here for: Annual sunshine hours; Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre; Seismic hazard (ordinal 0 very-low to 4 high); Distance to nearest sea / coastline; Distance to nearest mountains (>1500 m); Public-transport provision (ordinal proxy). Check the items that affect your plans with local providers. They are not treated as zero or as an advantage in recommendations.

Compare Gaborone with other cities

Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.

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