Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Botswana Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Botswana

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,717 in Italy versus $295 in Botswana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,624 in Italy versus $466 in Botswana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,530 in Italy versus $636 in Botswana.

Living in Italy is roughly 482% more expensive than Botswana on average.

Italy (28% above) and Botswana (78% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Botswana
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.44 €15.00
$7.58 P 99.0
130.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5 €68.4
$29.97 P 392
165.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 €10.11
$6.04 P 78.9
94.70%
Cappuccino
$2.00 €1.72
$2.17 P 28.39
-7.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.58
$0.90 P 11.77
233.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 €1.16
$0.51 P 6.63
164.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.94 €5.11
$2.17 P 28.40
173.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.36 €4.61
$3.00 P 39.14
78.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Botswana
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 €1.41
$1.41 P 18.46
16.31%
White Bread (500g)
$2.41 €2.07
$0.79 P 10.37
205.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.99 €2.58
$1.75 P 22.83
70.86%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.41
$2.17 P 28.29
82.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.84 €14.49
$7.40 P 96.8
127.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.43 €10.69
$5.33 P 69.7
133.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.29 €17.46
$5.39 P 70.4
276.44%
Apples (1kg)
$2.47 €2.13
$1.66 P 21.71
48.80%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.85
$1.34 P 17.57
60.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.28
$1.79 P 23.40
48.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.40 €2.92
$1.52 P 19.89
123.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 €1.65
$1.34 P 17.49
43.28%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 €1.56
$1.30 P 17.04
39.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 €1.33
$1.12 P 14.59
38.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.46
$0.85 P 11.05
-36.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.79 €5.84
$3.60 P 47.00
88.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.18 €6.18
$4.36 P 56.9
64.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.55
$1.62 P 21.15
11.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 €2.08
$1.98 P 25.88
22.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Botswana
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.00 €1.72
$0.50 P 6.57
300.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.35 €36.43
$28.32 P 370
49.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.94 €5.11
$0.57 P 7.45
942.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.51 €1.30
$2.63 P 34.32
-42.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.04 €29.28
$2.90 P 37.96
1073.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.05 €1.76
$1.11 P 14.49
84.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K €28.2K
$22.5K P 293.4K
46.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7K €29.0K
$16.6K P 216.7K
103.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Botswana
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 €194
$64.2 P 838
251.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.25 €11.40
$26.02 P 340
-49.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.95 €26.62
$76.3 P 997
-59.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Botswana
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.7 €47.95
$32.94 P 430
69.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.15 €21.63
$10.56 P 138
138.16%
Cinema Ticket
$10.25 €8.82
$6.89 P 90.0
48.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Botswana
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$576 €495
$165 P 2,156
249.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K €8,998
$3,551 P 46.4K
194.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Botswana
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.8 €79.0
$43.69 P 571
110.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.72 €35.03
$21.78 P 285
86.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.0 €84.3
$74.9 P 979
30.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 €112
$87.0 P 1,137
50.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Botswana
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$860 €740
$244 P 3,186
252.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 €573
$147 P 1,925
352.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,475 €1,269
$523 P 6,831
182.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,087 €935
$346 P 4,523
213.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,850 €3,312
$2,067 P 27.0K
86.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,359 €2,029
$1,270 P 16.6K
85.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Botswana
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,933 €1,663
$870 P 11.4K
122.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
9.12
-51.64%

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

Last update for Italy: May 31, 2026

Last update for Botswana: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $743 in Italy, $39.00 in Botswana. Capital cities: $1,325 in Rome vs $244 in Gaborone.

National salary averages: $1,949 in Italy, $968 in Botswana. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1805% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 517% more in Italy.

Public transport is 1367% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 101% higher in Italy, giving Botswana stronger purchasing power.

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
Italy vs Botswana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Botswana or Italy?
At $418 per month in Botswana and $1,839 in Italy, there's a 340% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Botswana or Italy?
Botswana is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Botswana and Italy?
Rent in Italy beats Botswana across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $1,200 go in Botswana vs Italy?
In Botswana, $1,200 covers most cities easily. In Italy, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Botswana and Italy?
It depends on what you're after. Botswana wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Italy vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries