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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $836 per month in Gaborone vs $369 in Francistown, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,311 per month in Gaborone vs $607 in Francistown, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,786 per month in Gaborone vs $845 in Francistown, rent included.

Gaborone costs about 127% more than Francistown, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Gaborone and Francistown are more affordable than the global median – Gaborone 38% lower, Francistown 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 P 96.2

$7.25 P 95.1

1.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.91 P 392

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.92 P 77.7

Cappuccino

$2.25 P 29.45

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

$0.89 P 11.70

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 P 6.65

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 P 28.68

$1.53 P 20.09

43.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 P 39.29

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 P 18.34

$1.29 P 16.90

8.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 P 11.32

$0.60 P 7.84

43.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 P 22.86

Eggs

$2.28 P 29.97

$1.90 P 24.89

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.64 P 100

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 P 65.4

$6.34 P 83.1

-21.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.47 P 71.8

$6.53 P 85.6

-16.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 P 24.02

$1.11 P 14.52

64.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 P 18.01

$1.47 P 19.34

-6.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 P 24.19

$1.45 P 19.03

26.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 P 20.57

$1.44 P 18.84

9.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 P 18.65

$1.62 P 21.19

-12.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 P 15.70

$1.51 P 19.82

-20.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 P 15.37

$0.90 P 11.76

30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 P 12.04

$0.79 P 10.38

16.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.65 P 47.87

$5.55 P 72.8

-34.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.24 P 55.7

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 P 20.94

$1.45 P 19.02

10.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 P 27.39

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 P 6.99

$0.61 P 8.03

-13.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.23 P 397

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 P 7.60

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 P 35.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 P 38.59

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 P 14.94

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

$22.7K P 297.2K

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

$17.1K P 223.8K

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

$70.9 P 931

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

$25.80 P 338

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.3 P 1,027

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.13 P 435

$29.92 P 392

10.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.22 P 200

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 P 86.9

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

$185 P 2,427

$111 P 1,461

66.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,837 P 50.3K

$1,757 P 23.0K

118.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.61 P 546

$59.5 P 780

-30.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.02 P 315

$33.24 P 436

-27.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 P 982

$112 P 1,467

-33.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.5 P 1,292

$110 P 1,444

-10.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 P 3,199

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 P 1,882

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 P 6,955

$416 P 5,456

27.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 P 4,425

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,011 P 26.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,299 P 17.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$452 P 5,928

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 Gaborone: May 31, 2026

Last update for Francistown: June 2, 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

Gaborone vs Francistown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $836 in Gaborone, $369 in Francistown – roughly 127% apart. Gaborone costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,254 per month in Gaborone and $553 in Francistown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $185 per month in Gaborone and $111 in Francistown. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $836 in Gaborone and $369 in Francistown. 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 $836 in Gaborone and $369 in Francistown, 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.