Africa · Banjul
Cost of living in The Gambia
The Gambia is 75% cheaper than the US, ranking #189 of 203 countries we cover for cost of living.
World Bank data through 2024 · last reviewed 2026-06.
What drives the cost here
Price levels by category, where the world average = 100. Above 100 is pricier than the global norm; below it is cheaper.
In The Gambia, communication is the priciest category relative to the world (83), while housing & utilities is the most affordable (22).
Category price levels: World Bank ICP 2021 (world average = 100) · source
What your money is worth here
A $100,000 US lifestyle would cost roughly $25,500 in The Gambia.
Quality of life
51/100 · #170 of 198Beyond cost — health, safety, and connectivity. The score is a transparent, equal-weight composite of the verified metrics below (see methodology).
About The Gambia
In the 10th century, Muslim merchants established some of The Gambia’s earliest large settlements as trans-Saharan trade hubs. These settlements eventually grew into major export centers sending slaves, gold, and ivory across the Sahara. Between the 16th and 17th centuries, European colonial powers began establishing trade with The Gambia. In 1664, the United Kingdom established a colony in The Gambia focused on exporting enslaved people across the Atlantic. During the roughly 300 years of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the UK and other European powers may have exported as many as 3 million people from The Gambia.
Read the full background
The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965. Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed the short-lived confederation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. In 1994, Yahya JAMMEH led a military coup overthrowing the president and banning political activity. He subsequently won every presidential election until 2016, when he lost to Adama BARROW, who headed an opposition coalition during free and fair elections. BARROW won reelection in 2021. The Gambia is the only member of the Economic Community of West African States that does not have presidential term limits. Since the 2016 election, The Gambia and the US have enjoyed improved relations. US assistance to the country has supported democracy-strengthening activities, capacity building, economic development, and security sector education and training programs.
Background from the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived 2026-06-03.
Frequently asked
Is The Gambia expensive to live in?
The Gambia is 75% cheaper than the US, ranking #189 of the 203 countries we track. Its most expensive category relative to the world is communication; housing & utilities costs the least.
How much money do you need to live in The Gambia?
A lifestyle that costs $100,000 in the United States would cost roughly $25,500 in The Gambia, going by overall price levels. The salary translator turns your own figure into a local equivalent.
Is The Gambia cheaper than the United States?
Yes. Its overall price level is 25.4, against 100 for the United States.
What is the quality of life in The Gambia?
The Gambia scores 51 out of 100 on our quality-of-life index (#170 of 198), a composite of life expectancy, safety, health, and connectivity, with life expectancy around 66 years.
Every number, sourced.
We cite the exact source and year for each figure. Derived values are computed at build time, never hand-entered.
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