Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Banjul and Bakau

For one person, living is cheaper in Bakau: $323 a month against $677 in Banjul, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Banjul
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Banjul Living Index

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Banjul

🇬🇲 Gambia

$677

/mo nomad

Bakau

🇬🇲 Gambia

$323

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Banjul and in Bakau

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

A single person spends $677 per month in Banjul vs $323 in Bakau, rent included.

Banjul $677
Bakau $323

A couple spends around $1,191 per month in Banjul vs $725 in Bakau, rent included.

Banjul $1,191
Bakau $725

A family of three spends $1,706 per month in Banjul vs $1,127 in Bakau, rent included.

Banjul $1,706
Bakau $1,127

Banjul costs about 109% more than Bakau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Banjul and Bakau are more affordable than the global median – Banjul 50% lower, Bakau 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.47 GMD 554

$5.36 GMD 397

39.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.6 GMD 5,603

$75.9 GMD 5,620

-0.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 GMD 596

$7.81 GMD 578

2.94%

Cappuccino

$3.72 GMD 276

$3.97 GMD 294

-6.30%

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

$2.66 GMD 197

$2.25 GMD 166

18.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 GMD 114

$1.13 GMD 83.4

35.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 GMD 427

$3.76 GMD 279

53.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 GMD 331

$3.67 GMD 272

21.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 GMD 104

$2.39 GMD 177

-41.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 GMD 44.98

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 GMD 97.6

Eggs

$1.90 GMD 141

$5.14 GMD 381

-63.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 GMD 462

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.77 GMD 206

$16.56 GMD 1,227

-83.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.77 GMD 427

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 GMD 154

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 GMD 93.9

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 GMD 132

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 GMD 104

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 GMD 69.0

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 GMD 74.0

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.23 GMD 17.04

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 GMD 46.05

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.69 GMD 125

Wine (Bottle)

$6.55 GMD 486

$13.45 GMD 997

-51.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 GMD 112

$2.01 GMD 149

-24.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 GMD 123

$2.78 GMD 206

-40.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 GMD 13.08

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.66 GMD 493

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 GMD 52.5

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 GMD 303

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 GMD 77.8

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

$2,648 GMD 196.2K

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

$3,346 GMD 248.0K

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

$30.46 GMD 2,257

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

$14.52 GMD 1,076

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.51 GMD 3,298

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.02 GMD 1,780

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.42 GMD 994

Cinema Ticket

$3.33 GMD 247

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

$6.92 GMD 513

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$139 GMD 10.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 GMD 4,170

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.27 GMD 3,280

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 GMD 7,262

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 GMD 6,439

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$105 GMD 7,744

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.1 GMD 6,082

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$220 GMD 16.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 GMD 10.2K

$68.4 GMD 5,068

102.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,443 GMD 107.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,165 GMD 86.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$62.4 GMD 4,622

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Banjul: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bakau: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Eating Out

Banjul

$183 27.1%

Bakau

–

Groceries & Markets

Banjul

$152 22.5%

Bakau

–

Clothing & Footwear

Banjul

$128 19%

Bakau

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Banjul

$89 13.2%

Bakau

–

Accommodation & Living

Banjul

$82 12.1%

Bakau

–

Sport & Entertainment

Banjul

$31 4.5%

Bakau

–

Getting Around

Banjul

$11 * 1.6%

Bakau

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Banjul versus $76 in Bakau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $152 vs $170 – making Banjul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇲 Banjul

🇬🇲 Bakau

🕒 Local time

20:28 8:28 PM

Same time as Banjul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

31,356 Capital

43,098

💱 Currency

Gambian Dalasi GMD D

📈 Exchange rate

100 GMD = 1.35 USD

100 GMD = 1.21 EUR

100 GMD = 1.35 USD

100 GMD = 1.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Banjul Bakau 11 km

From you

Banjul
Bakau

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

Banjul vs Bakau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Banjul costs about 109% more than Bakau, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,015 per month in Banjul and $485 in Bakau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $677 in Banjul and $323 in Bakau. That makes Bakau about 52% cheaper.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Banjul – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $677 in Banjul and $323 in Bakau, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.