Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Gambia Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Gambia

Name: Gambia
Address: GM

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,643 in United States versus $212 in Gambia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in United States versus $355 in Gambia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,070 in United States versus $498 in Gambia.

Living in United States is roughly 1147% more expensive than Gambia on average.

United States (97% above) and Gambia (84% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,343 to $5,081, compared to $59.0–$598 in Gambia. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$4.21 GMD 311

376.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$58.8 GMD 4,346

29.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$6.28 GMD 464

81.85%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$2.55 GMD 188

111.37%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$1.74 GMD 128

46.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.19 GMD 87.6

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$3.70 GMD 274

65.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$3.70 GMD 274

94.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.45 GMD 107

-28.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$0.76 GMD 56.1

380.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$1.23 GMD 91.2

284.55%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$2.20 GMD 163

99.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$5.79 GMD 428

120.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$8.05 GMD 595

54.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$5.48 GMD 405

199.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$3.16 GMD 234

71.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.38 GMD 176

-30.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.07 GMD 153

121.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$1.91 GMD 141

157.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.04 GMD 76.8

180.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.03 GMD 75.9

203.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.26 GMD 19.31

769.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.39 GMD 29.13

489.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$1.97 GMD 146

402.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$6.65 GMD 491

127.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.15 GMD 159

-11.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$1.78 GMD 132

105.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.20 GMD 14.75

1140.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

$6.62 GMD 489

879.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$0.55 GMD 40.33

598.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.69 GMD 50.8

155.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.58 $30.58

$4.20 GMD 310

628.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.13 GMD 83.7

-15.04%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$2,670 GMD 197.3K

1041.53%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$4,010 GMD 296.4K

557.74%

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

$204 $204

$32.93 GMD 2,433

520.01%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$15.01 GMD 1,109

281.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$46.56 GMD 3,441

52.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$24.51 GMD 1,811

90.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 $22.12

$14.24 GMD 1,052

55.34%

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 $13.84

$3.64 GMD 269

280.22%

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

$1,384 $1,384

$7.17 GMD 530

19195.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$141 GMD 10.4K

16048.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$57.0 GMD 4,214

-7.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

$41.85 GMD 3,093

3.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

$101 GMD 7,453

-10.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$88.1 GMD 6,514

29.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$105 GMD 7,728

1589.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$82.5 GMD 6,099

1668.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$257 GMD 19.0K

1000.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 $2,411

$108 GMD 7,966

2136.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 $3,287

$1,452 GMD 107.3K

126.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,168 GMD 86.3K

126.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 $4,379

$61.9 GMD 4,578

6969.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

10.12

-35.67%

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

Last update for United States: May 30, 2026

Last update for Gambia: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,637 in United States, $15.00 in Gambia. Capital cities: $2,591 in Washington, DC vs $103 in Banjul.

National salary averages: $4,500 in United States, $60.0 in Gambia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 10813% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 356% more in United States.

Public transport is 2400% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 7400% higher in United States, giving United States stronger purchasing power.

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

United States vs Gambia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $329 per month in Gambia and $3,212 in United States, there's a 878% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Gambia is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in United States beats Gambia across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Gambia, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In United States, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Gambia wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.