Cost of Living Comparison Between Botswana and United Kingdom Cost of Living Comparison Between Botswana and United Kingdom

Monthly Cost of Living

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
$7.58 P 99.0
$20.41 £15.17
-62.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.97 P 392
$87.0 £64.7
-65.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.04 P 78.9
$10.13 £7.53
-40.38%
Cappuccino
$2.17 P 28.39
$4.70 £3.49
-53.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 P 11.77
$2.36 £1.75
-61.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.51 P 6.63
$1.76 £1.30
-71.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.17 P 28.40
$6.66 £4.95
-67.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 P 39.14
$6.43 £4.78
-53.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Botswana
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 P 18.46
$1.70 £1.27
-17.06%
White Bread (500g)
$0.79 P 10.37
$1.63 £1.21
-51.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 P 22.83
$2.29 £1.70
-23.58%
Eggs
$2.17 P 28.29
$4.03 £2.99
-46.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.40 P 96.8
$9.77 £7.26
-24.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.33 P 69.7
$8.92 £6.63
-40.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.39 P 70.4
$14.31 £10.64
-62.33%
Apples (1kg)
$1.66 P 21.71
$3.05 £2.26
-45.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.34 P 17.57
$1.61 £1.19
-16.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.79 P 23.40
$2.84 £2.11
-36.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.52 P 19.89
$3.53 £2.62
-56.94%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 P 17.49
$1.61 £1.19
-16.77%
Onion (1kg)
$1.30 P 17.04
$1.57 £1.17
-17.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 P 14.59
$1.17 £0.87
-4.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 P 11.05
$1.56 £1.16
-45.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.60 P 47.00
$20.03 £14.89
-82.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.36 P 56.9
$10.90 £8.10
-60.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 P 21.15
$2.90 £2.16
-44.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 P 25.88
$3.38 £2.51
-41.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Botswana
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.50 P 6.57
$3.17 £2.35
-84.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.32 P 370
$95.2 £70.8
-70.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.57 P 7.45
$5.45 £4.05
-89.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.63 P 34.32
$1.59 £1.18
65.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.90 P 37.96
$27.31 £20.30
-89.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 P 14.49
$1.99 £1.48
-44.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K P 293.4K
$37.8K £28.1K
-40.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.6K P 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)
$64.2 P 838
$323 £240
-80.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.02 P 340
$17.22 £12.80
51.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$76.3 P 997
$42.23 £31.39
80.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Botswana
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.94 P 430
$46.03 £34.21
-28.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.56 P 138
$15.67 £11.65
-32.61%
Cinema Ticket
$6.89 P 90.0
$13.48 £10.02
-48.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Botswana
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$165 P 2,156
$1,713 £1,274
-90.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,551 P 46.4K
$20.8K £15.5K
-82.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Botswana
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.69 P 571
$91.3 £67.8
-52.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.78 P 285
$44.88 £33.36
-51.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.9 P 979
$102 £75.9
-26.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.0 P 1,137
$104 £77.3
-16.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Botswana
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$244 P 3,186
$1,417 £1,053
-82.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$147 P 1,925
$1,132 £841
-86.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$523 P 6,831
$2,308 £1,715
-77.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$346 P 4,523
$1,839 £1,367
-81.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,067 P 27.0K
$5,727 £4,257
-63.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,270 P 16.6K
$4,523 £3,362
-71.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Botswana
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$870 P 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.

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