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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,029 in Nis versus $826 in Gaborone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,531 in Nis versus $1,328 in Gaborone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,033 in Nis versus $1,830 in Gaborone.

Living in Nis is roughly 24% more expensive than in Gaborone, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nis 23% lower, Gaborone 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.52 RSD 765

$7.27 P 96.3

3.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.69 RSD 3,020

$29.63 P 392

0.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 RSD 991

$6.03 P 79.8

61.53%

Cappuccino

$1.98 RSD 201

$2.20 P 29.08

-10.00%

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

$1.83 RSD 186

$0.84 P 11.10

117.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 RSD 126

$0.51 P 6.69

143.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 RSD 257

$2.25 P 29.81

12.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 RSD 306

$2.93 P 38.82

2.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 RSD 130

$1.42 P 18.78

-10.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 RSD 76.3

$0.88 P 11.62

-14.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 RSD 183

$1.78 P 23.52

1.12%

Eggs

$2.38 RSD 242

$2.36 P 31.30

0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.87 RSD 801

$7.34 P 97.2

7.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.88 RSD 700

$5.03 P 66.7

36.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 RSD 1,170

$5.60 P 74.2

105.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RSD 120

$1.82 P 24.15

-35.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 RSD 183

$1.44 P 19.04

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 RSD 153

$1.92 P 25.43

-21.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 RSD 182

$1.61 P 21.35

11.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 RSD 108

$1.46 P 19.32

-26.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 RSD 110

$1.21 P 15.96

-10.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 RSD 60.8

$1.14 P 15.14

-47.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 RSD 58.8

$0.91 P 12.04

-36.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 RSD 427

$3.60 P 47.62

16.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.69 RSD 579

$4.10 P 54.3

38.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 RSD 76.6

$1.65 P 21.88

-54.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 RSD 210

$2.18 P 28.89

-5.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 RSD 79.3

$0.50 P 6.56

56.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.17 RSD 2,661

$30.13 P 399

-13.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 RSD 148

$0.57 P 7.55

154.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 RSD 43.30

$2.68 P 35.52

-83.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 RSD 714

$3.03 P 40.08

131.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 RSD 180

$1.14 P 15.09

55.26%

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

$31.2K RSD 3.2M

$22.7K P 301.1K

37.09%

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

$26.9K RSD 2.7M

$17.1K P 226.2K

57.56%

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

$141 RSD 14.3K

$70.5 P 934

99.48%

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

$16.79 RSD 1,708

$26.17 P 346

-35.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.17 RSD 2,255

$78.6 P 1,041

-71.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.18 RSD 2,968

$32.61 P 432

-10.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 RSD 1,898

$14.67 P 194

27.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 RSD 501

$6.80 P 90.1

-27.50%

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

$233 RSD 23.7K

$181 P 2,400

28.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,098 RSD 518.5K

$3,912 P 51.8K

30.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.5 RSD 9,208

$42.18 P 558

114.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.09 RSD 4,687

$24.24 P 321

90.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 RSD 9,720

$75.1 P 994

27.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RSD 10.3K

$97.5 P 1,291

3.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 RSD 41.4K

$245 P 3,244

66.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 RSD 29.7K

$143 P 1,893

104.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$558 RSD 56.7K

$536 P 7,101

3.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 RSD 42.1K

$339 P 4,492

22.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,550 RSD 259.4K

$2,021 P 26.8K

26.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,885 RSD 191.7K

$1,273 P 16.9K

48.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$903 RSD 91.9K

$442 P 5,848

104.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.45

9.12

-18.31%

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

Last update for Nis: July 27, 2026

Last update for Gaborone: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Nis and $245 in Gaborone. 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 Nis vs $30.00 in Gaborone. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $180, with Gaborone cheaper for home cooking.

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

Nis vs Gaborone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gaborone is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 104% higher in Nis, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $407 in Nis versus $245 in Gaborone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% 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, Nis and Gaborone 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 24% less than in Nis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.