Cost of Living Comparison Between Francistown and Gaborone Cost of Living Comparison Between Francistown and Gaborone

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $314 per month in Francistown vs $861 in Gaborone, rent included.

A couple spends around $512 per month in Francistown vs $1,303 in Gaborone, rent included.

A family of three spends $709 per month in Francistown vs $1,745 in Gaborone, rent included.

Francistown is about 63% cheaper than Gaborone, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Francistown and Gaborone are more affordable than the global median – Francistown 77% lower, Gaborone 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.38 P 149

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.78 P 391

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 P 80.4

Cappuccino

$2.33 P 30.64

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

$0.78 P 10.27

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 P 5.86

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 P 19.84

$2.06 P 27.11

-26.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 P 33.51

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 P 16.76

$1.53 P 20.12

-16.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 P 8.57

$0.91 P 11.99

-28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 P 24.28

Eggs

$1.84 P 24.10

$2.54 P 33.36

-27.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.89 P 77.4

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 P 81.2

$4.75 P 62.4

30.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.50 P 85.3

$5.12 P 67.2

26.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 P 14.88

$1.65 P 21.65

-31.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 P 19.01

$1.40 P 18.37

3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 P 19.23

$2.09 P 27.40

-30.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 P 19.07

$1.72 P 22.53

-15.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 P 21.19

$1.43 P 18.78

12.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 P 19.14

$1.22 P 16.05

19.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 P 12.48

$1.46 P 19.18

-34.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 P 11.00

$0.92 P 12.08

-8.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 P 74.8

$3.67 P 48.19

55.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.38 P 57.5

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 P 19.24

$1.45 P 19.02

0.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 P 23.16

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 P 7.92

$0.61 P 8.07

-1.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.13 P 396

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 P 8.63

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 P 34.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 P 39.76

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 P 19.02

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

$20.6K P 270.4K

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

$20.9K P 274.3K

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

$61.7 P 810

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

$19.96 P 262

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.97 P 551

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.00 P 394

$36.10 P 474

-16.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 P 223

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 P 85.4

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

$111 P 1,461

$129 P 1,696

-13.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,782 P 23.4K

$2,565 P 33.7K

-30.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 P 788

$46.58 P 612

28.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.14 P 435

$17.63 P 232

87.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 P 1,467

$69.1 P 908

61.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 P 1,451

$74.0 P 972

49.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 P 4,067

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 P 2,807

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 P 5,518

$483 P 6,349

-13.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 P 4,276

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,079 P 27.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,269 P 16.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$455 P 5,980

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.67

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

Last update for Francistown: September 5, 2026

Last update for Gaborone: September 7, 2026

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

Francistown vs Gaborone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $314 in Francistown, $861 in Gaborone – roughly 174% apart. Gaborone costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $472 per month in Francistown and $1,291 in Gaborone. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $111 per month in Francistown and $129 in Gaborone. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $314 in Francistown and $861 in Gaborone. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $314 in Francistown and $861 in Gaborone, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Francistown – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Francistown. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gaborone makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.