Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gabon and the United States

For one person, living is cheaper in Gabon: $1,489 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gabon
United States
🇬🇦 Gabon
$1,489
/mo nomad
🇺🇸 United States
$2,734
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gabon and in the United States

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Gabon and in the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,489 in Gabon versus $2,734 in the United States.

  • Gabon $1,489
  • United States $2,734

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,449 in Gabon versus $3,985 in the United States.

  • Gabon $2,449
  • United States $3,985

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,409 in Gabon versus $5,235 in the United States.

  • Gabon $3,409
  • United States $5,235

Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $979 to $5,160, compared to $1,500–$1,500 in Gabon. City choice carries more weight in the United States.

Living in Gabon costs about 46% less than in the United States on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Gabon 9% above, the United States 101% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gabon
United States
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.70 FCFA 9,839
$20.03 $20.03
-16.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.3 FCFA 40.8K
$80.0 $80.0
-13.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.52 FCFA 9,139
$11.80 $11.80
31.53%
Cappuccino
$6.01 FCFA 3,541
$5.55 $5.55
8.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71 FCFA 1,010
$2.66 $2.66
-35.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 FCFA 812
$2.17 $2.17
-36.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.04 FCFA 610
$6.12 $6.12
-83.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 FCFA 1,112
$7.94 $7.94
-76.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gabon
United States
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.44 FCFA 2,027
$1.04 $1.04
230.77%
White Bread (500g)
$1.20 FCFA 708
$3.59 $3.59
-66.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.82 FCFA 1,664
$4.52 $4.52
-37.61%
Eggs
$4.37 FCFA 2,576
$4.28 $4.28
2.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.17 FCFA 5,991
$13.22 $13.22
-23.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.66 FCFA 5,102
$12.60 $12.60
-31.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.74 FCFA 15.2K
$17.60 $17.60
46.25%
Apples (1kg)
$3.06 FCFA 1,801
$5.30 $5.30
-42.26%
Banana (1kg)
$3.79 FCFA 2,233
$1.69 $1.69
124.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.72 FCFA 2,188
$4.44 $4.44
-16.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.46 FCFA 2,037
$4.77 $4.77
-27.46%
Potato (1kg)
$2.99 FCFA 1,763
$2.97 $2.97
0.67%
Onion (1kg)
$4.30 FCFA 2,532
$3.15 $3.15
36.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.18 FCFA 1,286
$2.20 $2.20
-0.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 FCFA 980
$2.35 $2.35
-29.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.50 FCFA 1,472
$10.98 $10.98
-77.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.61 FCFA 6,837
$15.05 $15.05
-22.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 FCFA 565
$2.06 $2.06
-53.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 FCFA 747
$3.79 $3.79
-66.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Gabon
United States
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.36 FCFA 210
$1.94 $1.94
-81.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.41 FCFA 20.3K
$59.4 $59.4
-42.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 FCFA 748
$3.58 $3.58
-64.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.73 FCFA 429
$1.88 $1.88
-61.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.18 FCFA 10.1K
$29.84 $29.84
-42.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.04 FCFA 613
$1.02 $1.02
1.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.2K FCFA 17.2M
$28.8K $28.8K
1.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.2K FCFA 13.1M
$26.2K $26.2K
-15.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gabon
United States
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.7 FCFA 50.5K
$218 $218
-60.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.87 FCFA 19.9K
$62.5 $62.5
-45.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.6 FCFA 38.1K
$74.5 $74.5
-13.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gabon
United States
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$63.4 FCFA 37.3K
$41.86 $41.86
51.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.97 FCFA 15.3K
$22.81 $22.81
13.85%
Cinema Ticket
$4.59 FCFA 2,702
$14.70 $14.70
-68.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gabon
United States
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$171 FCFA 101.0K
$1,489 $1,489
-88.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,599 FCFA 3.3M
$25.3K $25.3K
-77.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gabon
United States
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.8 FCFA 50.0K
$54.3 $54.3
56.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.50 FCFA 25.0K
$42.71 $42.71
-0.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$51.5 FCFA 30.4K
$94.1 $94.1
-45.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 FCFA 59.9K
$114 $114
-10.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gabon
United States
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,007 FCFA 593.1K
$1,659 $1,659
-39.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$418 FCFA 246.2K
$1,348 $1,348
-68.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,105 FCFA 1.2M
$2,682 $2,682
-21.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$861 FCFA 506.9K
$2,169 $2,169
-60.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,621 FCFA 2.1M
$3,283 $3,283
10.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,758 FCFA 1.6M
$2,482 $2,482
11.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gabon
United States
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$431 FCFA 253.7K
$4,296 $4,296
-89.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.5
6.55
75.57%

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

Last update for Gabon: October 25, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Gabon
$418
United States
$1.3K 222% $930
Groceries & Markets
Gabon
$373
United States
$415 11.3% $42
Eating Out
Gabon
$274
United States
$328 19.9% $54
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gabon
$184
United States
$355 92.6% $171
Clothing & Footwear
Gabon
$126
United States
$137 8.6% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Gabon
$73
United States
$71 1.7% $1.3
Getting Around
Gabon
$41
United States
$80 96.7% $39

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,028 in Gabon, $1,620 in the United States. Capital cities: $1,028 in Libreville vs $2,768 in Washington, DC.

National salary averages: $417 in Gabon, $4,549 in the United States. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 58% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 10% more in the United States.

Public transport is 85% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are about 11 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know
🇬🇦 Gabon
🇺🇸 United States
🕒 Local time
10:27 10:27 AM
05:27 5:27 AM
5 h behind Gabon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,025,137
340,110,988
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to XAF – Central African CFA Franc Converter

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 589 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.7 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gabon United States 10,570 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Gabon
  • United States

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
Gabon vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Gabon compare to the cost in the United States?
At $1,489 per month in Gabon and $2,734 in the United States, there’s a 84% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do daily expenses compare in Gabon vs the United States?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in Gabon: 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.
Is rent more expensive in Gabon or in the United States?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 in the United States and $1,028 in Gabon. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Which country is better for expats: Gabon or the United States?
It depends on what you’re after: Gabon wins on affordability; the United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Gabon vs other spots: cost of living compared

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