Cost of Living Comparison Between Gaborone and Bonwapitse Cost of Living Comparison Between Gaborone and Bonwapitse

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Gaborone vs $573 in Bonwapitse, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,303 per month in Gaborone vs $933 in Bonwapitse, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,745 per month in Gaborone vs $1,293 in Bonwapitse, rent included.

Gaborone costs about 50% more than Bonwapitse, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Gaborone and Bonwapitse are more affordable than the global median – Gaborone 38% lower, Bonwapitse 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.38 P 149

$10.99 P 144

3.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.78 P 391

$29.25 P 384

1.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 P 80.4

$5.83 P 76.6

4.97%

Cappuccino

$2.33 P 30.64

$2.33 P 30.61

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

$0.78 P 10.27

$0.76 P 9.96

2.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 P 5.86

$0.45 P 5.87

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 P 27.11

$2.08 P 27.37

-0.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 P 33.51

$2.65 P 34.77

-3.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 P 20.12

$1.48 P 19.47

3.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 P 11.99

$0.88 P 11.60

3.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 P 24.28

$1.90 P 24.93

-2.63%

Eggs

$2.54 P 33.36

$2.54 P 33.37

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.89 P 77.4

$6.07 P 79.8

-2.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 P 62.4

$4.57 P 60.1

3.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 P 67.2

$4.99 P 65.6

2.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.65 P 21.65

$1.65 P 21.71

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 P 18.37

$1.41 P 18.52

-0.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 P 27.40

$1.98 P 26.02

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 P 22.53

$1.68 P 22.12

2.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 P 18.78

$1.41 P 18.58

1.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 P 16.05

$1.18 P 15.48

3.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 P 19.18

$1.47 P 19.35

-0.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 P 12.08

$0.92 P 12.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.67 P 48.19

$3.81 P 50.1

-3.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.38 P 57.5

$4.49 P 59.0

-2.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 P 19.02

$1.47 P 19.37

-1.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 P 23.16

$1.78 P 23.38

-1.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 P 8.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.13 P 396

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 P 8.63

$0.60 P 7.94

10.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 P 34.02

$2.59 P 33.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 P 39.76

$3.06 P 40.14

-0.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 P 19.02

$1.37 P 18.04

5.84%

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

$20.6K P 270.4K

$20.2K P 264.8K

2.10%

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

$20.9K P 274.3K

$21.1K P 277.4K

-1.15%

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

$61.7 P 810

$61.8 P 812

-0.24%

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

$19.96 P 262

$19.56 P 257

2.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.97 P 551

$41.92 P 551

0.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.10 P 474

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 P 223

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 P 85.4

$6.24 P 81.9

4.17%

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

$129 P 1,696

$129 P 1,693

0.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,565 P 33.7K

$2,613 P 34.3K

-1.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.58 P 612

$47.69 P 626

-2.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.63 P 232

$17.08 P 224

3.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 P 908

$68.0 P 893

1.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 P 972

$73.0 P 959

1.41%

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)

$483 P 6,349

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 Gaborone: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bonwapitse: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Gaborone versus $29.00 in Bonwapitse. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $174 – making Bonwapitse the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bonwapitse: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gaborone costs about 50% more than Bonwapitse, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,291 per month in Gaborone and $860 in Bonwapitse. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Gaborone and $29.00 in Bonwapitse. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Gaborone, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Gaborone and $573 in Bonwapitse, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Bonwapitse – 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 Bonwapitse. 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.