Cost of Living Comparison Between Gaborone and Nis Cost of Living Comparison Between Gaborone and Nis

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $836 in Gaborone versus $1,023 in Nis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,311 in Gaborone versus $1,501 in Nis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,786 in Gaborone versus $1,979 in Nis.

Living in Gaborone costs roughly 18% less than in Nis, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gaborone 38% lower, Nis 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 P 96.2

$7.23 RSD 728

1.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.91 P 392

$29.67 RSD 2,986

0.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.92 P 77.7

$9.99 RSD 1,006

-40.74%

Cappuccino

$2.25 P 29.45

$1.99 RSD 200

13.07%

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

$0.89 P 11.70

$1.82 RSD 183

-51.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 P 6.65

$1.22 RSD 123

-58.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 P 28.68

$2.54 RSD 256

-13.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 P 39.29

$2.91 RSD 293

2.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 P 18.34

$1.33 RSD 134

5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 P 11.32

$0.74 RSD 74.9

16.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 P 22.86

$1.81 RSD 182

-3.87%

Eggs

$2.28 P 29.97

$2.44 RSD 245

-6.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.64 P 100

$7.78 RSD 783

-1.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 P 65.4

$6.65 RSD 670

-25.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.47 P 71.8

$11.70 RSD 1,177

-53.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 P 24.02

$1.19 RSD 119

53.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 P 18.01

$1.72 RSD 174

-20.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 P 24.19

$1.46 RSD 147

26.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 P 20.57

$1.78 RSD 180

-11.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 P 18.65

$1.02 RSD 103

39.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 P 15.70

$1.13 RSD 114

6.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 P 15.37

$0.55 RSD 55.1

112.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 P 12.04

$0.57 RSD 57.0

61.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.65 P 47.87

$4.23 RSD 426

-13.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.24 P 55.7

$6.31 RSD 635

-32.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 P 20.94

$0.73 RSD 73.6

119.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 P 27.39

$2.04 RSD 206

2.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 P 6.99

$0.80 RSD 80.6

-33.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.23 P 397

$25.95 RSD 2,612

16.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 P 7.60

$1.45 RSD 145

-60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 P 35.73

$0.45 RSD 45.72

504.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 P 38.59

$6.82 RSD 686

-56.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 P 14.94

$1.75 RSD 176

-34.86%

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

$22.7K P 297.2K

$30.2K RSD 3.0M

-25.02%

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

$17.1K P 223.8K

$27.4K RSD 2.8M

-37.77%

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

$70.9 P 931

$141 RSD 14.2K

-49.69%

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

$25.80 P 338

$16.68 RSD 1,678

54.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.3 P 1,027

$22.71 RSD 2,286

244.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.13 P 435

$29.35 RSD 2,954

12.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.22 P 200

$18.77 RSD 1,889

-18.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 P 86.9

$4.80 RSD 483

37.92%

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

$185 P 2,427

$239 RSD 24.0K

-22.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,837 P 50.3K

$5,050 RSD 508.3K

-24.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.61 P 546

$90.2 RSD 9,077

-53.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.02 P 315

$46.77 RSD 4,707

-48.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 P 982

$93.6 RSD 9,422

-20.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.5 P 1,292

$104 RSD 10.4K

-5.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 P 3,199

$401 RSD 40.4K

-39.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 P 1,882

$286 RSD 28.8K

-49.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 P 6,955

$567 RSD 57.1K

-6.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 P 4,425

$412 RSD 41.5K

-18.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,011 P 26.4K

$2,613 RSD 263.0K

-23.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,299 P 17.0K

$1,894 RSD 190.7K

-31.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$452 P 5,928

$907 RSD 91.3K

-50.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.12

7.45

22.42%

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

Last update for Gaborone: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nis: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $244 in Gaborone and $401 in Nis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nis pays 101% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $30.00 in Gaborone vs $30.00 in Nis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $195 per month, with Gaborone cheaper across the board.

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 Nis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gaborone is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Nis earns 101% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $244 in Gaborone versus $401 in Nis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Nis. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Gaborone – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $30.00 in Nis. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Gaborone gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Gaborone and Nis are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Gaborone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Nis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.