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: $827 in Gaborone versus $1,048 in Nis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,299 in Gaborone versus $1,519 in Nis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,771 in Gaborone versus $1,991 in Nis.

Living in Gaborone costs roughly 21% less than in Nis, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gaborone 38% lower, Nis 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.45 P 98.6

$7.55 RSD 772

-1.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.07 P 398

$30.06 RSD 3,073

0.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 P 77.4

$9.85 RSD 1,007

-40.61%

Cappuccino

$2.17 P 28.74

$1.90 RSD 195

14.21%

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

$0.83 P 11.03

$1.80 RSD 184

-53.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 P 6.31

$1.28 RSD 131

-62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 P 29.50

$2.41 RSD 247

-7.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 P 39.03

$3.01 RSD 308

-1.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 P 18.44

$1.33 RSD 136

4.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 P 11.56

$0.69 RSD 70.3

26.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 P 23.07

$1.79 RSD 183

-2.79%

Eggs

$2.30 P 30.41

$2.40 RSD 245

-4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.33 P 97.1

$8.19 RSD 837

-10.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 P 66.0

$6.97 RSD 713

-28.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.45 P 72.2

$11.87 RSD 1,214

-54.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 P 24.33

$1.17 RSD 120

57.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 P 18.33

$1.79 RSD 183

-22.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 P 25.37

$1.51 RSD 154

27.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 P 21.52

$1.85 RSD 189

-11.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 P 18.89

$1.08 RSD 110

32.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 P 16.14

$1.13 RSD 116

7.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 P 14.90

$0.59 RSD 60.3

91.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 P 11.33

$0.58 RSD 59.3

48.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.60 P 47.71

$4.21 RSD 430

-14.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.30 P 56.9

$5.79 RSD 592

-25.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 P 22.30

$0.68 RSD 70.0

147.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 P 28.53

$2.13 RSD 217

0.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 P 6.62

$0.81 RSD 82.7

-38.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.61 P 405

$26.01 RSD 2,659

17.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 P 7.63

$1.49 RSD 153

-61.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 P 35.96

$0.45 RSD 46.07

504.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 P 39.28

$6.84 RSD 699

-56.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 P 15.08

$1.75 RSD 179

-34.86%

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

$22.4K P 296.9K

$30.1K RSD 3.1M

-25.46%

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

$16.8K P 222.3K

$26.7K RSD 2.7M

-37.12%

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

$69.9 P 926

$139 RSD 14.2K

-49.81%

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

$26.69 P 353

$16.85 RSD 1,723

58.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.7 P 1,055

$22.12 RSD 2,262

260.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.23 P 440

$28.83 RSD 2,948

15.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.08 P 200

$19.09 RSD 1,952

-21.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 P 89.7

$4.91 RSD 502

37.88%

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

$184 P 2,441

$239 RSD 24.4K

-22.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,829 P 50.7K

$5,102 RSD 521.6K

-24.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.82 P 567

$89.0 RSD 9,104

-51.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.93 P 317

$46.12 RSD 4,716

-48.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 P 973

$95.6 RSD 9,772

-23.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 P 1,296

$102 RSD 10.4K

-3.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 P 3,238

$402 RSD 41.1K

-39.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 P 1,935

$291 RSD 29.8K

-49.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$532 P 7,045

$564 RSD 57.6K

-5.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 P 4,438

$402 RSD 41.1K

-16.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,030 P 26.9K

$2,570 RSD 262.8K

-21.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,258 P 16.7K

$1,889 RSD 193.1K

-33.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$452 P 5,983

$880 RSD 89.9K

-48.63%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nis: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $245 in Gaborone and $402 in Nis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nis pays 95% 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 $178 vs $198 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 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 95% 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: $245 in Gaborone versus $402 in Nis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% 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.

At $827 in Gaborone versus $1,048 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 27% less than in Nis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.