For one person, living is cheaper in the Gambia: $703 a month against $2,462 in the United Kingdom, rent and utilities included – about $21,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
How much you'll spend in the Gambia and in the United Kingdom
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the Gambia and in the United Kingdom actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $703 in the Gambia versus $2,462 in the United Kingdom.
Gambia $703
United Kingdom $2,462
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,215 in the Gambia versus $3,600 in the United Kingdom.
Gambia $1,215
United Kingdom $3,600
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,726 in the Gambia versus $4,738 in the United Kingdom.
Gambia $1,726
United Kingdom $4,738
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in the United Kingdom: monthly costs span $1,126 to $4,646, compared to $56–$677 in the Gambia. City choice carries more weight in the United Kingdom.
🌍
Living in the Gambia costs about 71% less than in the United Kingdom on average.
📊
The Gambia (48% below) and the United Kingdom (81% above) straddle the global median.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Gambia
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.81GMD 505
$21.48£16.15
-68.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.8GMD 5,542
$85.7£64.4
-12.77%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.59GMD 562
$10.61£7.98
-28.46%
Cappuccino
$3.51GMD 260
$4.91£3.69
-28.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19GMD 163
$2.66£2.00
-17.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31GMD 96.9
$1.87£1.40
-29.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.73GMD 424
$6.63£4.98
-13.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.52GMD 335
$6.84£5.14
-33.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gambia
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38GMD 102
$1.68£1.26
-17.86%
White Bread(500g)
$0.72GMD 53.4
$1.72£1.29
-58.14%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.19GMD 88.2
$2.17£1.63
-45.16%
Eggs
$2.07GMD 154
$4.00£3.01
-48.25%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.92GMD 439
$9.42£7.08
-37.15%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.57GMD 635
$9.19£6.90
-6.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$5.55GMD 411
$14.77£11.10
-62.42%
Apples(1kg)
$2.01GMD 149
$2.97£2.23
-32.32%
Banana(1kg)
$1.53GMD 114
$1.62£1.22
-5.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08GMD 154
$2.85£2.15
-27.02%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.76GMD 131
$3.52£2.65
-50.00%
Potato(1kg)
$0.98GMD 72.6
$1.83£1.38
-46.45%
Onion(1kg)
$0.91GMD 67.3
$1.61£1.21
-43.48%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.28GMD 20.95
$1.25£0.94
-77.60%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.39GMD 28.75
$1.66£1.25
-76.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.66GMD 123
$23.65£17.77
-92.98%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.83GMD 506
$10.50£7.89
-34.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.51GMD 112
$2.98£2.24
-49.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57GMD 117
$3.51£2.64
-55.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Gambia
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.33GMD 24.09
$3.98£2.99
-91.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$6.63GMD 491
$107£80.7
-93.83%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$5.18£3.89
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.65GMD 48.22
$2.35£1.76
-72.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.03GMD 299
$26.84£20.17
-84.99%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.03GMD 76.6
$1.99£1.49
-48.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$2,672GMD 198.0K
$39.4K£29.6K
-93.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$3,254GMD 241.1K
$40.5K£30.4K
-91.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gambia
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$30.48GMD 2,258
$327£246
-90.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.20GMD 1,052
$18.21£13.69
-22.02%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.7GMD 3,830
$43.60£32.77
18.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gambia
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$23.45GMD 1,738
$42.36£31.83
-44.64%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.63GMD 1,010
$18.22£13.69
-25.19%
Cinema Ticket
$3.33GMD 247
$13.85£10.41
-75.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gambia
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$6.61GMD 490
$1,868£1,404
-99.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$138GMD 10.2K
$22.6K£17.0K
-99.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gambia
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8GMD 4,212
$92.9£69.8
-38.84%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.94GMD 3,330
$45.92£34.51
-2.13%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$97.8GMD 7,247
$102£76.4
-3.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.6GMD 6,490
$102£76.8
-14.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gambia
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$102GMD 7,587
$1,342£1,009
-92.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$82.4GMD 6,107
$1,073£807
-92.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$219GMD 16.2K
$2,231£1,677
-90.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$104GMD 7,684
$1,742£1,309
-94.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,467GMD 108.7K
$5,601£4,210
-73.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,144GMD 84.8K
$4,265£3,205
-73.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gambia
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$60.4GMD 4,477
$3,349£2,517
-98.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
15
5.32
181.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for the Gambia: October 26, 2026
Last update for the United Kingdom: October 26, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Gambia
$183 26%
United Kingdom
$307 12.5% ↑ 68.3%$125
🍽Eating Out
Gambia
$171 24.3%
United Kingdom
$328 13.3% ↑ 91.5%$157
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Gambia
$129 18.4%
United Kingdom
$154 6.3% ↑ 19.4%$25
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gambia
$96 13.7%
United Kingdom
$389 15.8% ↑ 304%$293
🏠Accommodation & Living
Gambia
$82 11.7%
United Kingdom
$1.1K 43.6% ↑ 1202%$991
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Gambia
$30 4.3%
United Kingdom
$70 2.9% ↑ 133%$40
🚌Getting Around
Gambia
$11 * 1.6%
United Kingdom
$140 5.7% ↑ 1155%$129
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Gambia
$424 24.6%
United Kingdom
$705 14.9% ↑ 66.2%$281
🍽Eating Out
Gambia
$704 40.8%
United Kingdom
$1.1K 23.1% ↑ 55.5%$390
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Gambia
$287 16.6%
United Kingdom
$343 7.2% ↑ 19.4%$56
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gambia
$111 6.4%
United Kingdom
$407 8.6% ↑ 268%$297
🏠Accommodation & Living
Gambia
$104 6%
United Kingdom
$1.7K 36.8% ↑ 1580%$1.6K
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Gambia
$74 4.3%
United Kingdom
$158 3.3% ↑ 114%$84
🚌Getting Around
Gambia
$23 * 1.3%
United Kingdom
$288 6.1% ↑ 1153%$265
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $105 in the Gambia, $1,287 in the United Kingdom. Capital cities: $105 in Banjul vs $2,811 in London.
💰National salary averages: $62 in the Gambia, $3,251 in the United Kingdom. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 1126% higher in the United Kingdom.
⭐Dining out costs 28% more in the United Kingdom.
⭐Public transport is 1343% more expensive in the United Kingdom.
⭐Salaries are about 52 times higher in the United Kingdom, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United Kingdom.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Gambia vs United Kingdom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between the Gambia and the United Kingdom?
At $703 per month in the Gambia and $2,462 in the United Kingdom, there’s a 250% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in the Gambia: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,287 in the United Kingdom and $105 in the Gambia. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Should I move to the Gambia or to the United Kingdom?
It depends on what you’re after: the Gambia wins on affordability; the United Kingdom may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.