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Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Botswana and India
For one person, living is cheaper in India: $399 a month against $841 in Botswana, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Botswana and in India actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $841 in Botswana versus $399 in India.
Botswana $841
India $399
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,289 in Botswana versus $639 in India.
Botswana $1,289
India $639
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,737 in Botswana versus $879 in India.
Botswana $1,737
India $879
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in Botswana: monthly costs span $3 to $1,034, compared to $230–$813 in India. City choice carries more weight in Botswana.
🌍
Living in Botswana is roughly 111% more expensive than in India on average.
📊
Both countries sit below the global median: Botswana 38% lower, India 71% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Botswana
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.99P 135
$2.14₹204
366.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.81P 388
$10.46₹995
175.43%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.91P 79.6
$3.80₹361
55.53%
Cappuccino
$2.36P 31.77
$1.68₹160
40.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74P 9.96
$0.38₹36.00
94.74%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44P 5.98
$0.15₹14.61
193.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.91P 25.73
$1.87₹178
2.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41P 32.52
$3.18₹303
-24.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Botswana
India
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.49P 20.03
$0.62₹59.2
140.32%
White Bread(500g)
$0.83P 11.20
$0.50₹47.77
66.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.79P 24.06
$0.63₹60.3
184.13%
Eggs
$2.44P 32.81
$0.96₹91.3
154.17%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.53P 87.9
$4.85₹461
34.64%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.58P 61.7
$2.84₹271
61.27%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$5.00P 67.4
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$1.54P 20.77
$2.00₹190
-23.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.37P 18.44
$0.65₹61.4
110.77%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.00P 26.95
$0.97₹92.3
106.19%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.59P 21.38
$0.47₹44.31
238.30%
Potato(1kg)
$1.38P 18.56
$0.34₹31.88
305.88%
Onion(1kg)
$1.30P 17.56
$0.42₹39.73
209.52%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.30P 17.56
$0.47₹44.40
176.60%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89P 12.01
$0.31₹29.68
187.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.72P 50.1
$5.08₹483
-26.77%
Wine(Bottle)
$4.24P 57.1
$7.31₹695
-42.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.46P 19.67
$1.63₹155
-10.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80P 24.20
$2.76₹262
-34.78%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$5.11₹486
-
🚌 Getting Around
Botswana
India
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.67P 9.04
$0.26₹24.86
157.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$30.26P 408
$8.58₹816
252.68%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.61P 8.20
$1.00₹94.7
-39.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51P 33.86
$0.27₹25.74
829.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.89P 38.88
$1.54₹146
87.66%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.32P 17.78
$1.07₹102
23.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KP 416.3K
$11.2K₹1.1M
175.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.4KP 274.2K
$20.1K₹1.9M
1.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Botswana
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$59.8P 805
$37.08₹3,527
61.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.87P 254
$3.58₹341
427.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.45P 585
$7.15₹680
507.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Botswana
India
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.65P 440
$15.00₹1,427
117.67%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.51P 222
$7.17₹682
130.26%
Cinema Ticket
$6.20P 83.5
$3.20₹304
93.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Botswana
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$141P 1,904
$58.8₹5,593
140.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,233P 30.1K
$1,667₹158.5K
33.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Botswana
India
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.33P 665
$23.03₹2,191
114.20%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$20.76P 280
$24.17₹2,299
-14.11%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.8P 1,035
$41.20₹3,919
86.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.6P 1,179
$29.62₹2,817
195.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Botswana
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$288P 3,885
$146₹13.9K
96.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$206P 2,772
$96.4₹9,166
113.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$505P 6,799
$343₹32.6K
47.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$324P 4,364
$234₹22.2K
38.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,976P 26.6K
$1,177₹111.9K
67.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,242P 16.7K
$633₹60.2K
96.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Botswana
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$851P 11.5K
$409₹38.9K
108.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.33
8.93
26.88%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Botswana: October 26, 2026
Last update for India: October 25, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Botswana
$206 24.5%
India
$96 24.1% ↓ 53.2%$109
🛒Groceries & Markets
Botswana
$171 20.4%
India
$102 25.6% ↓ 40.4%$69
🍽Eating Out
Botswana
$145 17.3%
India
$67 16.7% ↓ 54.2%$79
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Botswana
$122 14.5%
India
$48 12% ↓ 60.8%$74
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Botswana
$106 12.5%
India
$53 13.3% ↓ 49.7%$52
🚌Getting Around
Botswana
$46 5.5%
India
$12 3% ↓ 74%$34
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Botswana
$45 5.4%
India
$21 5.4% ↓ 52.5%$24
🏠Accommodation & Living
Botswana
$324 18.7%
India
$234 26.6% ↓ 27.8%$90
🛒Groceries & Markets
Botswana
$395 22.7%
India
$220 25.1% ↓ 44.2%$175
🍽Eating Out
Botswana
$442 25.5%
India
$181 20.6% ↓ 59.1%$261
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Botswana
$141 8.1%
India
$51 5.9% ↓ 63.5%$90
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Botswana
$234 13.5%
India
$118 13.4% ↓ 49.7%$116
🚌Getting Around
Botswana
$94 5.4%
India
$24 2.8% ↓ 73.9%$69
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Botswana
$107 6.1%
India
$50 5.7% ↓ 53.1%$57
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $259 in Botswana, $120 in India. Capital cities: $353 in Gaborone vs $277 in Delhi.
💰National salary averages: $957 in Botswana, $412 in India. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 116% higher in Botswana.
⭐Dining out costs 164% more in Botswana.
⭐Public transport is 275% more expensive in Botswana.
⭐Salaries are about 2.3 times higher in Botswana, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Botswana.
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
Botswana vs India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Botswana or India?
At $841 per month in Botswana and $399 in India, there’s a 111% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Botswana or India?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in India: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Botswana and India?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $259 in Botswana and $120 in India. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
How do I choose between living in Botswana and in India?
It depends on what you’re after: India wins on affordability; Botswana may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.