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: $1,024 in Nis versus $820 in Gaborone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,524 in Nis versus $1,295 in Gaborone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,024 in Nis versus $1,770 in Gaborone.

Living in Nis is roughly 25% more expensive than Gaborone, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nis 24% lower, Gaborone 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.62 RSD 771

$7.44 P 97.6

2.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.33 RSD 2,966

$29.33 P 385

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 RSD 983

$6.01 P 78.8

61.73%

Cappuccino

$2.00 RSD 202

$2.19 P 28.74

-8.68%

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

$1.89 RSD 192

$0.84 P 10.96

125.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 RSD 129

$0.48 P 6.26

164.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 RSD 253

$2.20 P 28.86

13.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 RSD 300

$3.04 P 39.84

-2.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 RSD 136

$1.47 P 19.30

-8.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 RSD 71.5

$0.85 P 11.16

-16.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 RSD 187

$1.82 P 23.91

1.65%

Eggs

$2.48 RSD 251

$2.41 P 31.57

2.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 RSD 791

$7.75 P 102

0.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 RSD 682

$5.03 P 65.9

34.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 RSD 1,196

$5.70 P 74.8

107.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 RSD 116

$1.76 P 23.05

-34.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 RSD 175

$1.37 P 18.03

26.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 RSD 152

$1.91 P 25.08

-21.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 RSD 180

$1.56 P 20.49

14.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 RSD 109

$1.47 P 19.29

-26.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 RSD 111

$1.25 P 16.41

-12.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 RSD 55.8

$1.15 P 15.07

-52.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 RSD 61.8

$0.93 P 12.19

-34.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 RSD 424

$3.65 P 47.83

14.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.53 RSD 660

$4.13 P 54.2

58.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 RSD 71.7

$1.65 P 21.69

-56.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 RSD 206

$2.18 P 28.60

-6.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 RSD 75.9

$0.50 P 6.58

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.24 RSD 2,654

$30.78 P 404

-14.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 RSD 148

$0.63 P 8.25

131.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 RSD 42.88

$2.62 P 34.33

-83.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 RSD 696

$2.91 P 38.12

136.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 RSD 178

$1.13 P 14.83

55.75%

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

$31.0K RSD 3.1M

$22.1K P 290.0K

40.34%

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

$27.4K RSD 2.8M

$16.6K P 218.3K

64.42%

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

$142 RSD 14.3K

$69.6 P 913

103.45%

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

$16.69 RSD 1,688

$26.66 P 350

-37.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.77 RSD 2,303

$77.6 P 1,019

-70.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.32 RSD 2,966

$32.42 P 425

-9.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 RSD 1,955

$15.12 P 198

27.84%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 RSD 513

$6.60 P 86.5

-23.18%

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

$234 RSD 23.7K

$181 P 2,379

29.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 RSD 520.3K

$3,802 P 49.9K

35.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 RSD 8,978

$42.63 P 559

108.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.06 RSD 4,759

$24.66 P 324

90.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 RSD 9,422

$73.6 P 966

26.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 RSD 10.4K

$98.8 P 1,296

4.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 RSD 41.4K

$238 P 3,123

71.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 RSD 28.7K

$144 P 1,882

98.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 RSD 56.0K

$530 P 6,953

4.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$406 RSD 41.1K

$340 P 4,455

19.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,597 RSD 262.7K

$2,041 P 26.8K

27.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 RSD 193.2K

$1,254 P 16.4K

52.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$890 RSD 90.0K

$444 P 5,831

100.28%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Gaborone: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Nis and $238 in Gaborone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nis pays 100% 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: $29.00 in Nis vs $29.00 in Gaborone. Groceries flip the comparison at $197 vs $182, 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 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Nis pays 100% more on average, 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: $409 in Nis versus $238 in Gaborone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% 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 $29.00 versus $29.00 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 25% less than in Nis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.