🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $295 in Botswana versus $2,363 in United Kingdom.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $466 in Botswana versus $3,474 in United Kingdom.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $636 in Botswana versus $4,585 in United Kingdom.
🙂Living in Botswana costs about 88% less than in United Kingdom on average.
📊Botswana (78% below) and United Kingdom (76% above) straddle the global median.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Botswana
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.58P 99.0
$20.41£15.17
-62.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.97P 392
$87.0£64.7
-65.56%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.04P 78.9
$10.13£7.53
-40.38%
Cappuccino
$2.17P 28.39
$4.70£3.49
-53.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90P 11.77
$2.36£1.75
-61.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.51P 6.63
$1.76£1.30
-71.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.17P 28.40
$6.66£4.95
-67.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00P 39.14
$6.43£4.78
-53.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Botswana
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.41P 18.46
$1.70£1.27
-17.06%
White Bread(500g)
$0.79P 10.37
$1.63£1.21
-51.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.75P 22.83
$2.29£1.70
-23.58%
Eggs
$2.17P 28.29
$4.03£2.99
-46.15%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.40P 96.8
$9.77£7.26
-24.26%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.33P 69.7
$8.92£6.63
-40.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$5.39P 70.4
$14.31£10.64
-62.33%
Apples(1kg)
$1.66P 21.71
$3.05£2.26
-45.57%
Banana(1kg)
$1.34P 17.57
$1.61£1.19
-16.77%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.79P 23.40
$2.84£2.11
-36.97%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.52P 19.89
$3.53£2.62
-56.94%
Potato(1kg)
$1.34P 17.49
$1.61£1.19
-16.77%
Onion(1kg)
$1.30P 17.04
$1.57£1.17
-17.20%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.12P 14.59
$1.17£0.87
-4.27%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85P 11.05
$1.56£1.16
-45.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.60P 47.00
$20.03£14.89
-82.03%
Wine(Bottle)
$4.36P 56.9
$10.90£8.10
-60.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62P 21.15
$2.90£2.16
-44.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98P 25.88
$3.38£2.51
-41.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Botswana
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.50P 6.57
$3.17£2.35
-84.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.32P 370
$95.2£70.8
-70.26%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.57P 7.45
$5.45£4.05
-89.54%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.63P 34.32
$1.59£1.18
65.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.90P 37.96
$27.31£20.30
-89.38%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.11P 14.49
$1.99£1.48
-44.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5KP 293.4K
$37.8K£28.1K
-40.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.6KP 216.7K
$40.2K£29.9K
-58.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Botswana
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$64.2P 838
$323£240
-80.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.02P 340
$17.22£12.80
51.10%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$76.3P 997
$42.23£31.39
80.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Botswana
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$32.94P 430
$46.03£34.21
-28.44%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.56P 138
$15.67£11.65
-32.61%
Cinema Ticket
$6.89P 90.0
$13.48£10.02
-48.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Botswana
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$165P 2,156
$1,713£1,274
-90.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,551P 46.4K
$20.8K£15.5K
-82.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Botswana
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.69P 571
$91.3£67.8
-52.12%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.78P 285
$44.88£33.36
-51.47%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$74.9P 979
$102£75.9
-26.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.0P 1,137
$104£77.3
-16.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Botswana
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$244P 3,186
$1,417£1,053
-82.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$147P 1,925
$1,132£841
-86.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$523P 6,831
$2,308£1,715
-77.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$346P 4,523
$1,839£1,367
-81.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,067P 27.0K
$5,727£4,257
-63.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,270P 16.6K
$4,523£3,362
-71.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Botswana
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$870P 11.4K
$3,333£2,477
-73.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.12
5.75
58.61%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Botswana: June 2, 2026
Last update for United Kingdom: May 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $39.00 in Botswana, $1,265 in United Kingdom. Capital cities: $244 in Gaborone vs $3,019 in London.
💰National salary averages: $968 in Botswana, $3,219 in United Kingdom. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 3144% higher in United Kingdom.
⭐Dining out costs 600% more in United Kingdom.
⭐Public transport is 3000% more expensive in United Kingdom.
⭐Salaries are 233% higher in United Kingdom, giving Botswana stronger purchasing power.
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 United Kingdom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Botswana or United Kingdom?
At $418 per month in Botswana and $2,785 in United Kingdom, there's a 566% 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 United Kingdom?
Botswana is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. 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 United Kingdom?
Rent in United Kingdom beats Botswana across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $1,200 go in Botswana vs United Kingdom?
In Botswana, $1,200 covers most cities easily. In United Kingdom, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Botswana and United Kingdom?
It depends on what you're after. Botswana wins on affordability; United Kingdom may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.