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: $861 in Gaborone versus $1,047 in Nis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,303 in Gaborone versus $1,527 in Nis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,745 in Gaborone versus $2,007 in Nis.

Living in Gaborone costs roughly 18% less than in Nis, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.38 P 149

$7.98 RSD 805

42.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.78 P 391

$34.63 RSD 3,490

-14.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 P 80.4

$10.10 RSD 1,018

-39.41%

Cappuccino

$2.33 P 30.64

$2.02 RSD 204

15.35%

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

$0.78 P 10.27

$2.36 RSD 238

-66.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 P 5.86

$1.87 RSD 188

-75.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 P 27.11

$3.77 RSD 380

-45.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 P 33.51

$4.52 RSD 456

-43.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 P 20.12

$1.15 RSD 115

33.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 P 11.99

$0.77 RSD 77.2

18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 P 24.28

$1.74 RSD 176

6.32%

Eggs

$2.54 P 33.36

$2.36 RSD 238

7.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.89 P 77.4

$7.79 RSD 786

-24.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 P 62.4

$6.12 RSD 617

-22.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 P 67.2

$11.07 RSD 1,116

-53.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.65 P 21.65

$1.08 RSD 109

52.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 P 18.37

$1.74 RSD 175

-19.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 P 27.40

$1.53 RSD 154

36.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 P 22.53

$2.18 RSD 219

-21.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 P 18.78

$0.79 RSD 80.1

81.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 P 16.05

$0.80 RSD 81.0

52.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 P 19.18

$0.68 RSD 68.9

114.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 P 12.08

$0.58 RSD 58.0

58.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.67 P 48.19

$4.49 RSD 453

-18.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.38 P 57.5

$5.82 RSD 586

-24.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 P 19.02

$0.67 RSD 67.7

116.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 P 23.16

$1.28 RSD 129

37.50%

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

$1.93 RSD 195

-65.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 P 34.02

$0.67 RSD 67.1

286.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 P 39.76

$8.66 RSD 873

-65.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 P 19.02

$1.92 RSD 193

-24.48%

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

$20.6K P 270.4K

$31.0K RSD 3.1M

-33.70%

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

$20.9K P 274.3K

$25.3K RSD 2.6M

-17.61%

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

$61.7 P 810

$163 RSD 16.4K

-62.06%

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

$19.96 P 262

$20.70 RSD 2,086

-3.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.97 P 551

$23.26 RSD 2,345

80.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.10 P 474

$31.13 RSD 3,138

15.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 P 223

$16.13 RSD 1,626

5.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 P 85.4

$4.93 RSD 496

31.85%

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

$129 P 1,696

$259 RSD 26.1K

-50.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,565 P 33.7K

$5,157 RSD 519.8K

-50.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.58 P 612

$92.6 RSD 9,332

-49.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.63 P 232

$39.61 RSD 3,992

-55.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 P 908

$104 RSD 10.5K

-33.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 P 972

$114 RSD 11.4K

-34.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 P 4,067

$406 RSD 40.9K

-23.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 P 2,807

$292 RSD 29.4K

-26.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 P 6,349

$612 RSD 61.7K

-21.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 P 4,276

$418 RSD 42.1K

-22.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,079 P 27.3K

$2,587 RSD 260.7K

-19.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,269 P 16.7K

$1,897 RSD 191.2K

-33.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$455 P 5,980

$928 RSD 93.5K

-50.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.67

5.11

128.38%

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

Last update for Gaborone: September 7, 2026

Last update for Nis: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $310 in Gaborone and $406 in Nis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nis pays 104% 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 $35.00 in Nis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $175 vs $187 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, salaries run 104% lower in Nis. 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: $310 in Gaborone versus $406 in Nis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Nis. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $861 per month in Gaborone versus $1,047 in Nis – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Gaborone versus $1,047 in Nis, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gaborone but tight or insufficient in Nis. The gap between the two cities makes Gaborone the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.