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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Gaborone vs $314 in Francistown, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,303 per month in Gaborone vs $512 in Francistown, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,745 per month in Gaborone vs $709 in Francistown, rent included.

Gaborone costs about 174% more than Francistown, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Gaborone and Francistown are more affordable than the global median – Gaborone 38% lower, Francistown 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.38 P 149

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.78 P 391

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 P 80.4

Cappuccino

$2.33 P 30.64

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

$0.78 P 10.27

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 P 5.86

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 P 27.11

$1.51 P 19.84

36.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 P 33.51

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 P 20.12

$1.28 P 16.76

19.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 P 11.99

$0.65 P 8.57

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 P 24.28

Eggs

$2.54 P 33.36

$1.84 P 24.10

38.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.89 P 77.4

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 P 62.4

$6.18 P 81.2

-23.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 P 67.2

$6.50 P 85.3

-21.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.65 P 21.65

$1.13 P 14.88

46.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 P 18.37

$1.45 P 19.01

-3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 P 27.40

$1.46 P 19.23

43.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 P 22.53

$1.45 P 19.07

18.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 P 18.78

$1.61 P 21.19

-11.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 P 16.05

$1.46 P 19.14

-16.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 P 19.18

$0.95 P 12.48

53.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 P 12.08

$0.84 P 11.00

9.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.67 P 48.19

$5.69 P 74.8

-35.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.38 P 57.5

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 P 19.02

$1.46 P 19.24

-0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 P 23.16

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 P 8.07

$0.60 P 7.92

1.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.13 P 396

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 P 8.63

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 P 34.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 P 39.76

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 P 19.02

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

$20.6K P 270.4K

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

$20.9K P 274.3K

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

$61.7 P 810

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

$19.96 P 262

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.97 P 551

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.10 P 474

$30.00 P 394

20.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 P 223

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 P 85.4

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

$129 P 1,696

$111 P 1,461

16.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,565 P 33.7K

$1,782 P 23.4K

43.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.58 P 612

$60.0 P 788

-22.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.63 P 232

$33.14 P 435

-46.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 P 908

$112 P 1,467

-38.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 P 972

$110 P 1,451

-32.98%

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

$420 P 5,518

15.06%

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 Francistown: September 5, 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: $861 in Gaborone, $314 in Francistown – roughly 174% apart. Gaborone costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,291 per month in Gaborone and $472 in Francistown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $129 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 $861 in Gaborone and $314 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 $861 in Gaborone and $314 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.