Cost of Living in The Gambia

A major consideration when making moving to a new country is how much the cost of living is. It can either make the move a blessing on your bank account if everyday purchases become a lot cheaper or make life a little difficult if the cost of living increases. The Gambia can be a blessing for many, with a cheap cost of living.
 
The major language here in The Gambia is English so for this informative piece we will be looking at someone moving from the U.K.
 
In The Gambia, the main form of currency is Gambian Dalasi. The exchange rate in 2019 currently stands at for every 1 Gambian Dalasi you will exchange £0.016. Which until you know what products cost could be good or bad. We will take a look at all the major costs you will come across when making a move to the Gambia, then delve into more depth by looking at the cost of everyday essentials.

Major costs of living in the Gambia (Rent, property, bills)

When making the move you will either look into buying or renting a property. 
 
Here at Blue Ocean Properties, we have three bedroom properties available to buy from as little as £35,000 (2,200,000 GMD). For £35,000 you could have a stunning three bedroom home with 2 bathrooms, with the larger bedrooms equipped with an en-suite. To receive something of the equivalent size you would need to spend around £130,000 in the North West of England & around £400,000 upwards in London.


 
Utilities on average cost around 1,875 Dalasi a month for 1 person in a small apartment & roughly 5000 for 2 people in a larger property. This includes the cost of heating, electricity, and Gas. This equates to £80 a month for your utility bills, wherein the U.K you can spend over £140 a month on the same usage, making your savings last much longer allowing you to enjoy yourself more in other areas.
 
If you want to have WiFi at your property it costs a lot more than it typically would elsewhere in the world, especially compared to the U.K where internet is easily accessible and installed, the Gambia doesn’t have the same capability so it will cost around 6000 Dalasi for your monthly internet subscription which is around £95 a month. This may seem expensive but when you make so many savings elsewhere, it doesn’t affect your monthly spend.
 
When shopping in everyday life you will be grabbing essentials that you can’t go without, we take a look at several popular products that you may be purchasing on a regular basis. Then you can compare it to life in the U.K.

Cost of everyday essentials in the Gambia

• 1 litre of milk = 83 Dalasi (£1.34)
• A loaf of bread = 50 Dalasi (£0.83)
• Beer (500ml) = 64 Dalasi (£0.64)
• 500g Chicken = 101 Dalasi (£1.63)
• Fast food (McDonald’s) = 245 Dalasi (£3.95)
• Eating lunch out (Including drink) = 354 Dalasi (£5.71)
• 1 Litre of petrol = 53 Dalasi (£0.86)

The main change in your spending that will benefit your bank is the price of petrol a full tank in the U.K can cost around £71.50 based on £1.30 per litre with a 55-litre tank. Whereas in the Gambia you could fill the same size tank up for £47.30 saving you £96.80 a month if you fill up your tank (There is the internet paid for on petrol savings alone!). If you don’t drive you can get an extremely cheap monthly public transport pass for 2500 Dalasi which is only £40!

Cost of entertainment & enjoyment in the Gambia

Everyone needs some time to relax. The Gambia is full of life and energy and has endless ways for you to kick back at the end of the day or the weekend. Expats moving to the Gambia will find a country that is home to a vibrant culture characterized by public wrestling matches, heaving marketplaces, and energetic music.
 
We will run through the costs of typical activities to do in the Gambia.

Dinner for two

Wanting to go for an evening meal with your partner or friend? You can get a standard meal for two for around 883 Dalasi, which is only £14! A standard meal for one in the U.K is roughly around the same price, meaning you can either save more money or eat out twice as much without spending more than you’re used to. Want to splash out and celebrate a birthday, or go for a romantic date. You can get an Italian dinner for two in the expat area, including the appetizers, mains, wine, and dessert for only £22! (1417 Dalasi). You can expect to pay around £50-£60 for the equivalent in the U.K. This means you can splash out and live life a little more lavishly in the Gambia without having to worry about large spends.

Get active with a Gym membership

A gym membership is always good to have, no matter your age it’s always great to stay active, fit & healthy. To join a gym in the business district it will cost around £28 a month or 1750 Dalasi.

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