Cost of Living Comparison Between Francistown and Pilikwe Cost of Living Comparison Between Francistown and Pilikwe

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $369 per month in Francistown vs $629 in Pilikwe, rent included.

A couple spends around $614 per month in Francistown vs $972 in Pilikwe, rent included.

A family of three spends $860 per month in Francistown vs $1,315 in Pilikwe, rent included.

Francistown is about 41% cheaper than Pilikwe, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Francistown and Pilikwe are more affordable than the global median – Francistown 72% lower, Pilikwe 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.47 P 98.9

$7.38 P 97.8

1.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.25 P 401

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.82 P 77.1

Cappuccino

$2.16 P 28.64

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

$0.89 P 11.80

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 P 6.64

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 P 19.57

$2.25 P 29.85

-34.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 P 38.29

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 P 17.68

$1.42 P 18.77

-5.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 P 7.45

$0.80 P 10.60

-30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 P 23.53

Eggs

$1.83 P 24.18

$2.40 P 31.73

-23.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.36 P 97.5

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 P 84.4

$5.22 P 69.1

22.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.44 P 85.2

$5.62 P 74.5

14.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.11 P 14.68

$1.83 P 24.21

-39.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 P 19.45

$1.44 P 19.07

2.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 P 19.98

$1.92 P 25.40

-21.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 P 18.37

$1.60 P 21.21

-13.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 P 22.35

$1.42 P 18.78

19.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 P 19.56

$1.25 P 16.49

18.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 P 12.15

$1.18 P 15.60

-22.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 P 10.53

$0.85 P 11.25

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.61 P 74.3

$3.52 P 46.57

59.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.28 P 56.7

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 P 19.54

$1.60 P 21.13

-7.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 P 28.65

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 P 7.73

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 P 7.59

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 P 35.92

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 P 40.39

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 P 15.17

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

$22.3K P 295.8K

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

$16.6K P 220.3K

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

$70.6 P 935

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

$25.85 P 342

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.4 P 1,051

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.65 P 393

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 P 91.0

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

$113 P 1,495

$180 P 2,386

-37.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,813 P 24.0K

$3,863 P 51.1K

-53.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 P 791

$43.18 P 572

38.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.92 P 449

$24.20 P 320

40.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 P 1,487

$75.7 P 1,002

48.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 P 1,468

$99.2 P 1,313

11.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 P 5,591

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.12

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

Last update for Francistown: July 26, 2026

Last update for Pilikwe: July 27, 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 Pilikwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $369 in Francistown, $629 in Pilikwe – roughly 70% apart. Pilikwe costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $553 per month in Francistown and $943 in Pilikwe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $113 per month in Francistown and $180 in Pilikwe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $369 in Francistown and $629 in Pilikwe. 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 $369 in Francistown and $629 in Pilikwe, 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, Pilikwe makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.