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Average salary in Botswana

Gross and take-home pay, by industry and against other countries

#9 best-paid in Africa

Average salary

Take-home / mo

BWP 6,540

Gross / yr

BWP 89,200

GrossBWP 7,430/mo
NetBWP 6,54088%
Tax & contributionsBWP 89012%

Botswana built its prosperity on diamonds and has managed it more steadily than most resource economies, with a solid public sector alongside. Pay lands in the world's middle and the upper band for Africa, and with tax kept light, almost all of it is yours to keep.

Salaries in Botswana by industry

The field you're in is the deciding factor here. Mining, finance, and real estate pay at the top, while the smaller service trades, staffing, and farming trail far behind — the distance between them is striking. If you already have a profession, that's where your real answer lies.

take-home/mo · % vs national average
Mining & quarrying
BWP 22,200+240%
Finance & insurance
BWP 19,100+192%
Real estate
BWP 18,300+180%
Energy & utilities
BWP 13,700+109%
Staffing & facilities
BWP 2,850-56%
Agriculture & fishing
BWP 1,730-74%

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What you could earn in Botswana

Tell us what you do and what you earn today — we'll estimate what someone with your background could earn in Botswana, what your living costs might be, and what you could save

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Take-home in Botswana

BWP 3,880/mo

vs BWP 16,700 in your country

Cost of living

BWP 835

vs BWP 11,100 in your country

Potential savings

BWP 3,050

more than in your country

Standard of living

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How salaries in Botswana compare

Botswana sits in the upper tier of African pay and around the world's middle, the payoff of turning mineral wealth into something durable. The standing is well earned; just know the good money clusters in a few fields rather than running across the whole economy.

take-home/mo · % vs Botswana
1South Africa
BWP 21,500+229%
2Namibia
BWP 6,780+4%
3Botswana
BWP 6,540
4Eswatini
BWP 4,980-24%
5Zambia
BWP 2,850-56%
6Lesotho
BWP 1,840-72%

Data source: Mean monthly earnings 2024 (ILOSTAT), adjusted to 2026 using IMF GDP-per-capita growth

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Frequently asked questions

What is the average salary in Botswana?

The average salary in Botswana is BWP 7,430 a month before tax, or BWP 6,540 take-home after tax and social contributions. Over a year that's BWP 89,200 before tax and BWP 78,500 after.

What is the average salary in Botswana in US dollars?

The average salary in Botswana in US dollars is about $6,408 a year before tax, or $470 a month after tax.

What salary do you need to live comfortably in Botswana?

A typical person in Botswana spends about BWP 2,530 a month, while the average take-home pay is BWP 6,540. How much you need to live comfortably depends on the city, your family situation, and how you usually spend. See the cost of living in Botswana for the full picture.

What are the highest-paying jobs in Botswana?

The highest-paying jobs in Botswana are in mining, finance, and real estate. Take-home pay in these industries averages around BWP 22,200 a month (about BWP 303,000 gross a year), roughly 240% above the national average.

What are the lowest-paying jobs in Botswana?

Agriculture is the lowest-paying industry in Botswana. Pay there averages around BWP 1,730 a month take-home (about BWP 23,400 gross a year). For comparison, the highest-paying industries pay about 12.9 times more.

What is a good salary in Botswana?

A good salary in Botswana is generally one above the national average — more than BWP 6,540 take-home a month, or BWP 89,200 gross a year. But a lot depends on your spending, where you live, and your financial goals.

Is Botswana a high-salary country?

Moderately. By average after-tax pay, Botswana is ahead of 36% of countries worldwide and ranks 9th out of 42 countries in Africa.

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Living in Botswana

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