Cost of Living Comparison Between Pilikwe and Francistown Cost of Living Comparison Between Pilikwe and Francistown

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $629 per month in Pilikwe vs $369 in Francistown, rent included.

A couple spends around $972 per month in Pilikwe vs $614 in Francistown, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,315 per month in Pilikwe vs $860 in Francistown, rent included.

Pilikwe costs about 70% more than Francistown, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Pilikwe and Francistown are more affordable than the global median – Pilikwe 53% lower, Francistown 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.38 P 97.8

$7.47 P 98.9

-1.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.25 P 401

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.82 P 77.1

Cappuccino

$2.16 P 28.64

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

$0.89 P 11.80

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 P 6.64

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 P 29.85

$1.48 P 19.57

52.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 P 38.29

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 P 18.77

$1.34 P 17.68

5.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 P 10.60

$0.56 P 7.45

42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 P 23.53

Eggs

$2.40 P 31.73

$1.83 P 24.18

31.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.36 P 97.5

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.22 P 69.1

$6.38 P 84.4

-18.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.62 P 74.5

$6.44 P 85.2

-12.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 P 24.21

$1.11 P 14.68

64.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 P 19.07

$1.47 P 19.45

-2.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 P 25.40

$1.51 P 19.98

27.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 P 21.21

$1.39 P 18.37

15.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 P 18.78

$1.69 P 22.35

-15.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 P 16.49

$1.48 P 19.56

-15.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 P 15.60

$0.92 P 12.15

28.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 P 11.25

$0.80 P 10.53

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.52 P 46.57

$5.61 P 74.3

-37.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.28 P 56.7

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 P 21.13

$1.48 P 19.54

8.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 P 28.65

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 P 7.73

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 P 7.59

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 P 35.92

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 P 40.39

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 P 15.17

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

$22.3K P 295.8K

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

$16.6K P 220.3K

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

$70.6 P 935

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

$25.85 P 342

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.4 P 1,051

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.65 P 393

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 P 91.0

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

$180 P 2,386

$113 P 1,495

59.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,863 P 51.1K

$1,813 P 24.0K

113.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.18 P 572

$59.8 P 791

-27.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.20 P 320

$33.92 P 449

-28.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 P 1,002

$112 P 1,487

-32.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.2 P 1,313

$111 P 1,468

-10.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 P 5,591

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.12

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

Last update for Pilikwe: July 27, 2026

Last update for Francistown: July 26, 2026

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

Pilikwe vs Francistown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $629 in Pilikwe, $369 in Francistown – roughly 70% apart. Pilikwe costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $943 per month in Pilikwe and $553 in Francistown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $180 per month in Pilikwe and $113 in Francistown. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $629 in Pilikwe and $369 in Francistown. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $629 in Pilikwe and $369 in Francistown, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Francistown – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Francistown. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pilikwe makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.