Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gaborone and Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Gaborone: $845 a month against $1,214 in Bali, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Bali outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Gaborone, Botswana
Bali, Indonesia
Gaborone
🇧🇼 Botswana
$845
/mo nomad
Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,214
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gaborone and in Bali

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

A single person spends $845 per month in Gaborone vs $1,214 in Bali, rent included.

  • Gaborone $845
  • Bali $1,214

A couple spends around $1,307 per month in Gaborone vs $2,047 in Bali, rent included.

  • Gaborone $1,307
  • Bali $2,047

A family of three spends $1,768 per month in Gaborone vs $2,880 in Bali, rent included.

  • Gaborone $1,768
  • Bali $2,880

Gaborone is about 30% cheaper than Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Gaborone and Bali are more affordable than the global median – Gaborone 38% lower, Bali 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gaborone
Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.88 P 147
$2.73 Rp 49.6K
298.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.05 P 392
$28.91 Rp 525.5K
0.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.76 P 77.8
$4.56 Rp 82.9K
26.32%
Cappuccino
$2.35 P 31.67
$2.26 Rp 41.2K
3.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 P 9.24
$1.43 Rp 25.9K
-52.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 P 5.46
$0.68 Rp 12.4K
-41.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.01 P 27.17
$2.23 Rp 40.4K
-9.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 P 33.44
$3.68 Rp 66.9K
-32.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gaborone
Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.48 P 19.94
$1.49 Rp 27.1K
-0.67%
White Bread (500g)
$0.84 P 11.30
$2.18 Rp 39.7K
-61.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.78 P 24.04
$1.14 Rp 20.7K
56.14%
Eggs
$2.44 P 32.90
$2.02 Rp 36.7K
20.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.52 P 88.0
$16.81 Rp 305.5K
-61.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.43 P 59.8
$3.57 Rp 64.9K
24.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.99 P 67.3
$11.31 Rp 205.5K
-55.88%
Apples (1kg)
$1.59 P 21.40
$3.44 Rp 62.6K
-53.78%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 P 19.49
$1.51 Rp 27.5K
-3.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 P 26.74
$2.19 Rp 39.8K
-9.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.67 P 22.47
$1.88 Rp 34.2K
-11.17%
Potato (1kg)
$1.30 P 17.47
$1.71 Rp 31.1K
-23.98%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 P 16.29
$2.32 Rp 42.1K
-47.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 P 17.27
$0.99 Rp 18.1K
29.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.97 P 13.10
$0.50 Rp 9,085
94.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.60 P 48.56
$2.03 Rp 36.9K
77.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.25 P 57.3
$21.49 Rp 390.6K
-80.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.38 P 18.68
$2.14 Rp 38.8K
-35.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 P 24.04
$2.87 Rp 52.1K
-37.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Gaborone
Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.62 P 8.40
$0.25 Rp 4,571
148.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.95 P 404
$8.82 Rp 160.3K
239.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.60 P 8.14
$0.45 Rp 8,169
33.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.46 P 33.24
$0.44 Rp 7,991
459.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.93 P 39.52
$5.48 Rp 99.6K
-46.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 P 17.84
$0.89 Rp 16.1K
48.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.0K P 404.8K
$24.3K Rp 441.6M
23.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.1K P 271.2K
$31.9K Rp 580.5M
-37.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gaborone
Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.0 P 823
$79.9 Rp 1.5M
-23.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.34 P 247
$6.55 Rp 119.0K
180.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.67 P 589
$18.48 Rp 335.9K
136.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gaborone
Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.07 P 460
$40.66 Rp 739.0K
-16.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.29 P 220
$14.93 Rp 271.3K
9.11%
Cinema Ticket
$6.23 P 84.1
$3.67 Rp 66.6K
69.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gaborone
Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$129 P 1,744
$437 Rp 7.9M
-70.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,545 P 34.3K
$5,063 Rp 92.0M
-49.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gaborone
Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.15 P 650
$43.62 Rp 792.8K
10.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$16.72 P 226
$32.69 Rp 594.2K
-48.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.1 P 972
$73.6 Rp 1.3M
-2.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.6 P 1,060
$74.3 Rp 1.4M
5.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gaborone
Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$353 P 4,763
$984 Rp 17.9M
-64.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$209 P 2,824
$583 Rp 10.6M
-64.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$534 P 7,198
$3,121 Rp 56.7M
-82.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$356 P 4,802
$1,475 Rp 26.8M
-75.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,034 P 27.4K
$2,447 Rp 44.5M
-16.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,260 P 17.0K
$1,963 Rp 35.7M
-35.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gaborone
Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$451 P 6,087
$215 Rp 3.9M
109.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.33
13.78
-17.78%

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

Last update for Gaborone: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bali: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Gaborone
$209
Bali
$583 179% $374
Groceries & Markets
Gaborone
$172
Bali
$275 60.3% $104
Eating Out
Gaborone
$152
Bali
$90 41% $62
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gaborone
$123
Bali
$105 14.7% $18
Clothing & Footwear
Gaborone
$97
Bali
$101 4% $3.9
Sport & Entertainment
Gaborone
$47
Bali
$48 3.1% $1.5
Getting Around
Gaborone
$45
Bali
$12 72.5% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $353 in Gaborone versus $984 in Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Gaborone are about 2.1 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29 in Gaborone versus $29 in Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $275 – making Gaborone the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇼 Gaborone
🇮🇩 Bali
🕒 Local time
03:01 3:01 AM
09:01 9:01 AM
6 h ahead of Gaborone
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
231,626 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to BWP – Botswana Pula Converter

Botswana Pula exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 13.49 BWP (100 BWP = 7.41 USD). 1 EUR = 15.02 BWP (100 BWP = 6.66 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18,175 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20,233 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gaborone Bali 9,550 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Gaborone
  • Bali

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
Gaborone vs Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gaborone or Bali?
Bali costs about 44% more than Gaborone, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Gaborone and in Bali?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,267 per month in Gaborone and $1,821 in Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Gaborone or Bali?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Gaborone, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $353 there versus $984 in Bali.
How much does it cost to live in Gaborone compared to Bali?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $845 in Gaborone and $1,214 in Bali. That makes Gaborone about 30% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Gaborone and in Bali?
Kindergarten costs $129 per month in Gaborone and $437 in Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Gaborone or in Bali?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Gaborone, where all-in costs run around $845, than in Bali at $1,214. In Gaborone it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Gaborone – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Gaborone compared to Bali?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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