Cost of Living Comparison Between Pilikwe and Gaborone Cost of Living Comparison Between Pilikwe and Gaborone

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $578 in Pilikwe versus $861 in Gaborone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $911 in Pilikwe versus $1,303 in Gaborone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,245 in Pilikwe versus $1,745 in Gaborone.

Living in Pilikwe costs roughly 33% less than in Gaborone, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pilikwe 58% lower, Gaborone 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.26 P 148

$11.38 P 149

-1.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.59 P 389

$29.78 P 391

-0.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.82 P 76.5

$6.12 P 80.4

-4.90%

Cappuccino

$2.43 P 31.98

$2.33 P 30.64

4.29%

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

$0.78 P 10.18

$0.78 P 10.27

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 P 5.85

$0.45 P 5.86

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 P 27.38

$2.06 P 27.11

0.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 P 33.50

$2.55 P 33.51

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 P 20.05

$1.53 P 20.12

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 P 11.01

$0.91 P 11.99

-7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 P 23.96

$1.85 P 24.28

-1.62%

Eggs

$2.43 P 31.98

$2.54 P 33.36

-4.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.04 P 79.4

$5.89 P 77.4

2.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 P 61.4

$4.75 P 62.4

-1.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.88 P 64.1

$5.12 P 67.2

-4.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 P 20.61

$1.65 P 21.65

-4.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 P 19.20

$1.40 P 18.37

4.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 P 26.00

$2.09 P 27.40

-5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 P 21.46

$1.72 P 22.53

-5.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 P 18.47

$1.43 P 18.78

-1.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 P 16.01

$1.22 P 16.05

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 P 19.13

$1.46 P 19.18

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 P 11.21

$0.92 P 12.08

-7.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.77 P 49.52

$3.67 P 48.19

2.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.47 P 58.8

$4.38 P 57.5

2.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 P 18.61

$1.45 P 19.02

-2.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 P 22.23

$1.76 P 23.16

-3.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 P 8.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.13 P 396

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 P 7.93

$0.66 P 8.63

-9.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 P 33.23

$2.59 P 34.02

-2.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 P 38.87

$3.03 P 39.76

-2.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 P 18.00

$1.45 P 19.02

-5.52%

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

$20.1K P 264.7K

$20.6K P 270.4K

-2.13%

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

$21.0K P 276.4K

$20.9K P 274.3K

0.79%

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

$61.6 P 810

$61.7 P 810

-0.08%

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

$20.05 P 263

$19.96 P 262

0.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.86 P 550

$41.97 P 551

-0.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.10 P 474

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 P 223

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 P 84.8

$6.50 P 85.4

-0.77%

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

$130 P 1,708

$129 P 1,696

0.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,531 P 33.2K

$2,565 P 33.7K

-1.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.39 P 623

$46.58 P 612

1.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.10 P 225

$17.63 P 232

-3.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 P 882

$69.1 P 908

-2.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.8 P 970

$74.0 P 972

-0.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 P 4,067

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 P 2,807

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 P 6,349

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 P 4,276

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,079 P 27.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,269 P 16.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$455 P 5,980

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 6, 2026

Last update for Gaborone: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $30.00 in Pilikwe vs $30.00 in Gaborone for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $175 per month, with Pilikwe cheaper across the board.

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 Gaborone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pilikwe is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $867 in Pilikwe and $1,291 in Gaborone to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Gaborone. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $578 per month in Pilikwe versus $861 in Gaborone – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Pilikwe 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, Pilikwe 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 Pilikwe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Gaborone. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.