Cost of Living Comparison Between Bukavu and Goma Cost of Living Comparison Between Bukavu and Goma

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $685 per month in Bukavu vs $422 in Goma, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,097 per month in Bukavu vs $738 in Goma, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,508 per month in Bukavu vs $1,054 in Goma, rent included.

Bukavu costs about 63% more than Goma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bukavu and Goma are more affordable than the global median – Bukavu 50% lower, Goma 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.39 CDF 16.7K

$15.06 CDF 34.1K

-50.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.28 CDF 34.6K

$44.76 CDF 101.3K

-65.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 CDF 11.6K

$10.14 CDF 22.9K

-49.51%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CDF 8,865

$3.53 CDF 7,983

11.05%

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

$1.46 CDF 3,300

$1.02 CDF 2,305

43.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 CDF 2,204

$0.98 CDF 2,207

-1.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 CDF 4,578

$1.19 CDF 2,690

69.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 CDF 6,590

$4.94 CDF 11.2K

-41.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 CDF 3,486

$0.98 CDF 2,215

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 CDF 4,653

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 CDF 2,891

$1.18 CDF 2,678

8.47%

Eggs

$4.26 CDF 9,638

$1.53 CDF 3,465

178.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.66 CDF 12.8K

$5.94 CDF 13.4K

-4.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 CDF 9,990

$2.56 CDF 5,791

72.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.84 CDF 13.2K

$5.09 CDF 11.5K

14.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 CDF 8,897

$2.05 CDF 4,632

91.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 CDF 2,233

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 CDF 2,308

$1.51 CDF 3,418

-32.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 CDF 2,658

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 CDF 2,744

$0.52 CDF 1,186

132.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CDF 4,645

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.94 CDF 6,661

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 CDF 4,562

$0.72 CDF 1,628

180.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.86 CDF 11.0K

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 CDF 34.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 CDF 4,622

$2.03 CDF 4,582

0.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CDF 4,449

$2.43 CDF 5,495

-18.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 CDF 543

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.05 CDF 34.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 CDF 9,242

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 CDF 2,287

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.19 CDF 23.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 CDF 3,767

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

$15.1K CDF 34.2M

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

$16.9K CDF 38.1M

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

$24.63 CDF 55.7K

$14.88 CDF 33.7K

65.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 CDF 136.3K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.53 CDF 80.4K

$29.71 CDF 67.2K

19.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.02 CDF 22.7K

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

$76.1 CDF 172.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,187 CDF 2.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.73 CDF 67.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.63 CDF 103.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.1 CDF 113.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CDF 275.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$102 CDF 230.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 CDF 1.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 CDF 446.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$992 CDF 2.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$499 CDF 1.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 CDF 1.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Bukavu: September 6, 2026

Last update for Goma: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Bukavu versus $45.00 in Goma. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Bukavu vs $108 in Goma – so Goma wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Bukavu vs Goma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bukavu is pricier by about 63%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,028 per month in Bukavu and $632 in Goma. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 121% more in Bukavu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Bukavu and $45.00 in Goma. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $685 in Bukavu and $422 in Goma, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Goma – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Goma. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bukavu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.