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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $576 per month in Pilikwe vs $309 in Francistown, rent included.

A couple spends around $925 per month in Pilikwe vs $504 in Francistown, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,273 per month in Pilikwe vs $698 in Francistown, rent included.

Pilikwe costs about 86% more than Francistown, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Pilikwe and Francistown are more affordable than the global median – Pilikwe 58% lower, Francistown 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.94 P 144

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.39 P 387

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 P 79.0

Cappuccino

$2.39 P 31.50

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

$0.73 P 9.57

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 P 5.42

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 P 26.17

$1.51 P 19.91

31.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 P 34.64

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 P 20.34

$1.27 P 16.76

21.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 P 11.09

$0.69 P 9.03

21.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 P 24.22

Eggs

$2.43 P 31.94

$1.87 P 24.56

29.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 P 79.8

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 P 62.5

$6.30 P 83.0

-24.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.87 P 64.1

$6.27 P 82.5

-22.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 P 21.45

$1.08 P 14.20

50.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 P 18.34

$1.45 P 19.03

-4.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 P 27.05

$1.45 P 19.04

41.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 P 21.43

$1.39 P 18.29

17.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 P 18.53

$1.61 P 21.19

-12.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 P 15.83

$1.44 P 18.95

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 P 19.29

$0.88 P 11.58

65.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 P 12.01

$0.84 P 11.02

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.72 P 49.03

$5.66 P 74.6

-34.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.39 P 57.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 P 19.21

$1.50 P 19.78

-2.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 P 23.35

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 P 7.49

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 P 8.68

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 P 35.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 P 37.86

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 P 18.03

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

$20.0K P 263.4K

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

$21.0K P 276.2K

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

$62.2 P 819

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

$19.91 P 262

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.51 P 534

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.28 P 386

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 P 83.5

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

$129 P 1,695

$109 P 1,436

18.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,528 P 33.3K

$1,784 P 23.5K

41.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.84 P 617

$58.7 P 773

-20.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.45 P 230

$33.79 P 445

-48.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 P 911

$110 P 1,450

-37.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.5 P 955

$113 P 1,486

-35.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$410 P 5,403

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.67

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

Last update for Pilikwe: September 14, 2026

Last update for Francistown: September 12, 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: $576 in Pilikwe, $309 in Francistown – roughly 86% apart. Pilikwe costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $864 per month in Pilikwe and $464 in Francistown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $129 per month in Pilikwe and $109 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 $576 in Pilikwe and $309 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 $576 in Pilikwe and $309 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.