The cost of living in The Gambia remains low compared with many Western countries, but a realistic 2026 budget depends heavily on your housing standard and lifestyle. Expatistan currently estimates about 42,161 GMD a month for one person and 131,177 GMD for a family of four, although it warns that its Gambian sample contains only a few data points. Current Numbeo data also shows that rent, internet, imported food, private healthcare, and international schooling can move a budget sharply higher.
Last updated: September 7, 2026. Rent, food, utilities, internet, transport, September fuel prices, healthcare, education, wages, and economic figures were rechecked against the current sources linked below.
Quick Answer
- Expatistan’s current estimate is about 42,161 GMD per month for one person and 131,177 GMD for a family of four, but its sample is small.
- Numbeo’s June 2026 country data lists a one-bedroom apartment at about 7,487 GMD in the center, with outside-center submissions ranging from about 6,000 to 10,000 GMD.
- Basic utilities for an 85 m² apartment average about 2,250 GMD per month, while 60 Mbps+ broadband averages roughly 3,875 GMD.
- Numbeo’s modeled minimum monthly food budget is roughly 11,363–14,043 GMD per person, depending on the food basket used.
- Local transport remains inexpensive, but fuel is much higher than the older figures in this article: petrol rose to 109.80 GMD per liter on September 1, 2026.
Data note: Cost databases for The Gambia have relatively few contributors, and different sources measure different housing sizes and lifestyles. Treat these figures as planning benchmarks rather than guaranteed local quotes.
| 2026 Cost Snapshot | Current Benchmark |
|---|---|
| Single-person monthly estimate | 42,161 GMD |
| Family-of-four monthly estimate | 131,177 GMD |
| 1-bedroom, city center | About 7,487 GMD/month |
| 1-bedroom, outside center | About 6,000–10,000 GMD/month reported range |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² | About 2,250 GMD/month |
| Broadband, 60 Mbps+ | About 3,875 GMD/month |
| Mobile plan with calls + 10GB+ data | About 1,050 GMD/month |
| Monthly public-transport pass | About 478 GMD |
| Petrol, September 2026 | 109.80 GMD/L |
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Cost of Living in The Gambia: 2026 Overview
Current estimates show why one headline number cannot describe every household. Expatistan estimates total monthly costs of 42,161 GMD for one person and 131,177 GMD for a family of four, but explicitly warns that its estimate is based on only a few data points.
Numbeo’s June 2026 Gambia data is also thin, with 73 entries from 14 contributors over the previous 12 months. Its figures are still useful for comparing individual categories such as rent, food, utilities, and transport, but they should not be treated like official government price statistics.
A resident using local markets, shared transport, and modest housing can spend much less than an expatriate choosing imported groceries, high-speed internet, private medical care, air-conditioned housing, and international schooling. Build your budget category by category instead of assuming one national average fits every lifestyle.
Housing and Rental Prices in The Gambia
Housing is one of the largest variables in a Gambian budget. Numbeo’s June 2026 country data lists a one-bedroom apartment in the center at about 7,486.88 GMD a month. Outside-center submissions fall in a range of roughly 6,000–10,000 GMD.
Expatistan uses different housing categories. Its current data lists a furnished 45 m² studio at about 7,000 GMD in a normal area and 11,000 GMD in an expensive area. A furnished 85 m² home is listed at about 15,000 GMD in a normal area and 25,000 GMD in an expensive area.
Those datasets should not be compared as though they describe identical apartments. Furnishing, neighborhood, property condition, security, electricity reliability, water supply, air conditioning, and proximity to the Greater Banjul coastal area can all change the asking rent.
Foreign buyers should also understand the land-tenure rules before making long-term plans. The government’s National Land Policy states that transfers of freehold land to non-Gambians should be converted to leasehold. Leasehold periods generally range from 21 to 99 years, while terms for non-citizens can depend on the purpose of the lease.
Typical Food and Grocery Expenses
Food costs depend heavily on whether you shop at local markets, buy imported products, or eat out frequently. Current Numbeo data lists an inexpensive restaurant meal at about 508 GMD and a three-course mid-range meal for two at roughly 5,591 GMD. A fast-food combo is listed at about 593 GMD.
Representative grocery prices include roughly 104 GMD for a liter of milk, 86 GMD for 1 kg of rice, 155 GMD for 12 eggs, and 413 GMD for 1 kg of beef. Chicken shows a particularly wide submitted range, illustrating why individual shopping bills can differ sharply.
Numbeo’s modeled minimum food basket works out to about 11,363 GMD per person per month using its Asian-food basket and about 14,043 GMD using its Western-food basket. These are nutritional modeling estimates, not a guarantee of what your household will spend.
You can usually control food spending by buying local rice, produce, fish, and seasonal ingredients rather than depending heavily on imported packaged products. Track your own first month of spending before setting a permanent grocery allowance.
Utilities, Internet and Mobile Costs
Numbeo’s June 2026 data lists basic electricity, heating/cooling, water, and garbage for an 85 m² apartment at about 2,250 GMD a month, with submissions ranging from roughly 1,500 to 3,000 GMD.
Connectivity can cost more than basic utilities. A mobile plan with calls and at least 10GB of data averages about 1,050 GMD a month, while broadband of 60 Mbps or higher averages about 3,875 GMD, with reported prices from roughly 2,500 to 5,500 GMD.
Your actual electricity bill will depend on air-conditioning use, appliances, household size, and service reliability. If reliable connectivity is essential for remote work, budget for the service level you actually need rather than using the cheapest advertised connection.
Household Utility Bills
A useful planning baseline is about 2,250 GMD per month for basic utilities in an 85 m² apartment, based on the current Numbeo submissions. Smaller homes and households with limited cooling use may spend less, while heavy air-conditioning or backup-power use can increase the total.
Ask a landlord which utilities are included in the rent and, when possible, request recent bills for the specific property. That gives you a better estimate than applying a national average to every home.
Mobile Data Pricing
Numbeo currently places a monthly mobile plan with calls and 10GB or more of data at about 1,050 GMD, with a reported range of 600–1,500 GMD.
Compare allowance, network coverage, validity period, and overage rules rather than choosing a plan only by its headline price. A cheap package can become expensive if you repeatedly need extra data.
Internet Speed Options
Current Numbeo submissions put broadband of 60 Mbps or higher at about 3,875 GMD a month, with a range of approximately 2,500–5,500 GMD.
Availability can still depend on your exact neighborhood and provider. Remote workers should check the connection at the property itself before signing a long lease, especially if video calls, cloud backups, or large downloads are important.
Transportation and Fuel Prices
Local transport remains inexpensive relative to many countries. Numbeo lists a one-way local transport ticket at roughly 20 GMD, a regular monthly pass at about 478 GMD, and taxi pricing around 50 GMD for the starting tariff and about 50 GMD per kilometer in the available submissions.
Fuel is a more volatile expense. The government reviews pump prices regularly. From September 1, 2026, petrol is 109.80 GMD per liter, diesel is 120 GMD per liter, and kerosene is 112.64 GMD per liter.
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Public Transport Costs
The Gambia uses both formal and informal road transport. Government buses connect major towns, while the broader informal network includes shared passenger vans known locally as gele-gele, smaller vans, and taxis. The U.S. Peace Corps describes this informal network as having wider coverage than the formal system.
- Local transport ticket: roughly 20 GMD in Numbeo’s current country data.
- Monthly public-transport pass: roughly 478 GMD.
- Taxi start: roughly 50 GMD in the available submissions.
- Taxi travel: roughly 50 GMD per kilometer in the available submissions.
Actual gele-gele and shared-taxi fares can vary by route, so confirm the fare locally before relying on a national average.
Fuel Price Trends
Fuel prices moved higher during the third quarter of 2026. Petrol was 101.10 GMD per liter in July, increased to 104.18 GMD in August, and rose again to 109.80 GMD on September 1. Diesel moved from 113.52 GMD in July to 116.63 GMD in August and 120 GMD in September.
The September adjustment was announced by the Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Mines and attributed to higher international crude-oil and refined-product prices. The current figures were also reported by The Standard.
If you drive regularly, recheck the current monthly pump price rather than relying on an annual fuel estimate.
Healthcare and Medical Expenses
The Gambia has public and private healthcare facilities, but advanced medical capacity remains limited. The Ministry of Health currently summarizes its major hospital network as one teaching hospital, one specialized hospital, and five general hospitals. A separate 2025 national disease-surveillance assessment sampled 16 hospitals and 58 primary healthcare facilities from a wider facility network.
The practical issue for a foreign resident is not simply the number of hospitals. The U.S. State Department describes medical facilities as basic and limited and says serious conditions may require evacuation to Senegal, Europe, or the United States.
- Many healthcare providers require payment before treatment or admission.
- Advanced diagnostics, trauma care, and specialist services may be limited.
- Prescription availability can differ from what you are used to at home.
- Foreign residents should consider insurance that includes emergency medical evacuation.
Because treatment needs vary enormously, there is no responsible single monthly healthcare figure that applies to every resident. Build a separate allowance for routine care and price suitable insurance before relocating.
Education and Schooling Costs
Education costs differ sharply between local schooling, private schools, international schools, and university programs. Crowdsourced school-fee data for The Gambia is particularly sparse, so families should verify current fees directly with the school before committing to a budget.
University fees are easier to verify through the University of The Gambia, but tuition varies by faculty. Its School of Arts and Sciences currently lists annual tuition of 34,900 GMD for local students and $3,750 for international students.
Other faculties charge different amounts. The Faculty of Law lists 40,000 GMD for Gambian students and $4,950 for international students, while the School of Business and Public Administration lists 34,900 GMD for local students and $3,750 for international students plus specified mandatory fees.
For a family budget, also allow for uniforms, books, transport, registration charges, meals, examinations, and any school-specific activity fees.
Average Wages and Buying Power
Local purchasing power is much tighter than the low headline cost of living may suggest. Numbeo’s June 2026 crowdsourced country dataset reports an average monthly net salary of about 4,333 GMD, but the sample is small and should not be treated as an official national wage statistic.
Salary datasets also differ because some measure net pay, others gross pay, and others occupational surveys. For that reason, it is more useful to compare your own expected income with your projected rent, food, utilities, and transport than to rely on one “average salary” figure.
For broader economic context, the IMF’s April 2026 World Economic Outlook data places The Gambia’s 2026 GDP per capita at about $953.09. GDP per capita is an economic-output measure, however, and should not be confused with the salary received by a typical worker.
Low national prices do not automatically mean high affordability: your purchasing power depends on the income you actually earn.
Foreign retirees, remote workers, and expatriates earning income abroad can therefore experience The Gambia very differently from households relying entirely on local wages.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Is Rent in Gambia per Month?
Current Numbeo data lists a one-bedroom apartment in the center at about 7,487 GMD per month, while outside-center submissions range from roughly 6,000 to 10,000 GMD. Expatistan lists furnished studios around 7,000–11,000 GMD and larger 85 m² furnished homes around 15,000–25,000 GMD, depending on the area. Because the datasets are small, use these as benchmarks rather than guaranteed asking rents.
How Much Does a Soft Drink Cost in Gambia?
Current datasets vary by container size and venue. Numbeo lists a 0.33-liter Coca-Cola or Pepsi at about 168 GMD in its country data, while Expatistan lists a two-liter Coca-Cola at about 127 GMD. These figures come from small crowdsourced samples, so check the actual price at local shops and supermarkets.
Is It Cheap to Live in Gambia?
Yes, The Gambia can be inexpensive compared with many Western countries. Expatistan currently estimates about 42,161 GMD per month for one person, although it warns that the estimate is based on limited data. Your budget can rise substantially if you choose expat-standard housing, imported groceries, private healthcare, international schooling, or premium internet.
Is Gambia a Good Place to Live?
The Gambia can suit people who value low day-to-day costs, warm weather, and a slower lifestyle and who are comfortable with infrastructure limitations. The main practical trade-offs are limited advanced healthcare, variable internet and utility reliability, a small formal job market, and the possibility of medical evacuation for serious conditions. Visit first and test the housing, transport, healthcare, and connectivity that matter to you before making a long-term move.
Conclusion
The cost of living in The Gambia can be low, but there is no reliable one-size-fits-all monthly budget. Current data puts a single-person estimate around 42,161 GMD and a family-of-four estimate around 131,177 GMD, while rent, internet, healthcare, schooling, imported goods, and lifestyle can push those totals higher.
Start with your actual housing requirement, then add food, utilities, internet, transport, healthcare, and education separately. Recheck rent and fuel immediately before moving because both can change, and treat crowdsourced national averages as planning benchmarks rather than fixed prices.
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