Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Gaborone

For one person, living is cheaper in Gaborone: $866 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $22,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
42

Cost of Living Index in Gaborone
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Gaborone Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Gaborone

🇧🇼 Botswana

$866

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Gaborone

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Gaborone actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $866 in Gaborone.

Austin, TX $2,704
Gaborone $866

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,301 in Gaborone.

Austin, TX $4,133
Gaborone $1,301

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $1,737 in Gaborone.

Austin, TX $5,562
Gaborone $1,737

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 212% more expensive than in Gaborone, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 102% above, Gaborone is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$11.04 P 148

83.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$29.11 P 390

192.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$5.87 P 78.6

110.39%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$2.37 P 31.70

130.80%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 $3.82

$0.71 P 9.45

438.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.44 P 5.87

468.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$1.98 P 26.47

307.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$2.56 P 34.24

251.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.47 P 19.66

-23.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$0.87 P 11.59

334.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.98 P 26.48

64.14%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$2.54 P 34.06

62.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$6.45 P 86.4

102.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$4.77 P 63.9

200.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$4.88 P 65.4

227.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.64 P 22.01

167.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.40 P 18.73

3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$1.95 P 26.07

132.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.65 P 22.13

153.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.31 P 17.53

100.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.15 P 15.40

105.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.28 P 17.20

37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.93 P 12.50

132.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$3.71 P 49.75

164.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$4.39 P 58.8

235.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.43 P 19.23

94.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.74 P 23.26

100.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.67 P 9.00

122.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$30.16 P 404

34.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$0.64 P 8.60

317.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.61 P 35.04

-39.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$2.86 P 38.37

1133.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.32 P 17.74

-25.00%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.8K $35.8K

$19.6K P 263.0K

82.41%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.2K $27.2K

$19.9K P 266.4K

36.70%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$219 $219

$60.2 P 807

264.30%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$58.0 $58.0

$19.85 P 266

192.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$42.94 P 575

59.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$34.16 P 458

69.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$16.03 P 215

-7.55%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$5.98 P 80.1

136.29%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,509 $1,509

$130 P 1,740

1062.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$2,526 P 33.8K

749.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$48.16 P 645

7.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$16.58 P 222

165.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$74.0 P 991

15.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$78.3 P 1,049

34.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$363 P 4,860

432.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$219 P 2,941

479.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$542 P 7,263

577.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$354 P 4,741

613.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$2,021 P 27.1K

276.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$1,252 P 16.8K

155.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$450 P 6,033

1033.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

11.33

-40.07%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Gaborone: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Gaborone

$219 25.5% 82.8% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Gaborone

$174 20.2% 56.8% $229

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Gaborone

$154 17.9% 55.8% $194

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Gaborone

$123 14.3% 64.4% $223

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Gaborone

$98 11.4% 24.2% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Gaborone

$46 5.4% 46.5% $40

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Gaborone

$47 5.4% 18.3% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $363 in Gaborone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1034% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $29.00 in Gaborone for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $174 per month, with Gaborone cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇧🇼 Gaborone

🕒 Local time

00:45 12:45 AM

07:45 7:45 AM

7 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

231,626 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Botswana Pula BWP P

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

100 BWP = 7.46 USD

100 BWP = 6.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BWP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇧🇼 Botswana Pula (P)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Botswana Pula exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 13.4 BWP (100 BWP = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 15.03 BWP (100 BWP = 6.65 EUR).

BWP to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Gaborone 14,480 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Gaborone

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Austin, TX vs Gaborone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gaborone wins on cost – living expenses run 212% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gaborone the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1034% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $363 in Gaborone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $866 in Gaborone – a 212% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gaborone runs roughly 34% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $866 in Gaborone versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gaborone but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Gaborone the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Gaborone are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Gaborone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 212% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.