The Gambia. Cost of Living
Before moving to The Gambia, it is important to investigate the cost of living in the country. Here are some tips, Thank you.
Question> How much does it cost to rent an apartment/house in Gambia?
Answer>Full house/Apartment Rentals in The Gambia varies. It ranges from 100$ - Protected content month/per annum, depending on what you want and location.
Q> How much do you pay for your public transport tickets (bus, subway, train, tram)?
A> Well, there is no subway, train or tram in Gambia. We only have Taxi and Buses. The minimum taxi fare is less than 1$ for public taxi or less than 50cent. If you hire a private taxi for a trip, the minimum cost is Protected content depending on the distance. Transportation in Gambia looks very cheap.
Q> Staple food: what do people eat and how much do they pay for basic food like bread, rice or pasta?
A> People eat Rice, Pasta, Bread and Chicken/Beans/Liver or Meat. The minimum price for a regular gambian meal is less than 1$ (rice) in public local restaurants. But in the tourist development areas known as TDA, the minimum regular meal is about Protected content depending on what you order, it could be above mentioned price.
Q> What is your monthly grocery budget?
A> Everything depends on personal consumption. Personally, my monthly budget as a family man is 100$. It could be cheaper for other people, depending on their daily consumption, or could be higher. It all depends.
Q> How much does it cost to see a physician/doctor/specialist in Gambia ?
A> It really doesn't cost much to see anyone. Just make an appointment, grab your self and higher a taxi to drop you off, and there you go! Gambia is nice.
Q> What is your children's schooling monthly budget?
A>Personally, my kids attends one of the best private schools in the Gambia, by name SBEC International School. The annual school fee for one child is less than Protected content and I have two adults in attendance, so you do the maths. LOL This fee includes Books, School Bus, sometimes lunch at school, and extra special class. There are other cheaper schools, and also government schools are almost free. So it's a choice.
> How much does it cost to fill up your car’s fuel tank?
A> Personally, I have a Protected content BMW diesel V6 3.5 liter tank. So, it cost me (Dalasi Protected content is more than 60$ to fill the tank for a month. It should be less if you have a V4 and 2.5 liter tank.
> How much do you pay for electricity/gas/water etc.?
A> I pay for Electricity 60$ a month, 25$ for two gas bottle a month, sometimes we use only one gas bottle which is about 15$, Maximum 10$ for water, depending on consumption. it all depends how we use them for that month.
Q> How much do you pay for your Internet/phone subscription?
A> In a month, as a family we consume 30$ Internet router bill, phone bill for 4 people is more than 100$ because its a Pay As You Go basic. Sometimes it's more, Megabyte runs faster than lion in Gambia. LOL
Q> How much do you pay for your lunch pack on weekdays?
A> It depends, we mostly eat at home, so there is no budget for that.
> How much do you pay for an espresso coffee?
Q> Cup of Coffee in Gambia is less than 1$ in some places, while the TDA is about 1$. Expressor should be the same, or may be 1.50cent or 2$ to be precise.
Q> How much do you pay for a cinema ticket?
A> Gambia does not have a Cinema. So there is no fee for it. But there is a Theater, it doesn't have a specific amount to watch a movie. Sometimes, CoCoa Ocean, which ranks as one of the best hotels in Gambia do show a movie, and charges about 7$.
> How much does a gym membership cost in Gambia?
A> The minimum price for a gym for a Month is 11$ and daily is about 3$
NOTE: ALL PRICES ARE IN US DOLLARS, TO CONVERT IN BRITISH POUNDS OR EUROPEAN EURO, IT WOULD BE LESS. EURO AND POUNDS ARE HIGHER THAN USA DOLLARS.
Thank you everyone!
Alfred Jay Jay Robinson
InterNations Ambassador Banjul
