Cost of Living Comparison Between Democratic Republic of the Congo and Italy Cost of Living Comparison Between Democratic Republic of the Congo and Italy

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $602 in Democratic Republic of the Congo versus $1,718 in Italy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,054 in Democratic Republic of the Congo versus $2,621 in Italy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,505 in Democratic Republic of the Congo versus $3,524 in Italy.

Living in Democratic Republic of the Congo costs about 65% less than in Italy on average.

Democratic Republic of the Congo (55% below) and Italy (29% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.16 CDF 22.9K
$17.58 €15.38
-42.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.9 CDF 193.4K
$82.5 €72.1
4.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.17 CDF 22.9K
$11.72 €10.25
-13.23%
Cappuccino
$5.47 CDF 12.3K
$1.92 €1.68
184.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 CDF 3,707
$2.99 €2.62
-44.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 CDF 3,031
$1.36 €1.19
-0.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.05 CDF 4,604
$5.76 €5.04
-64.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.69 CDF 8,298
$5.22 €4.57
-29.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.13 CDF 4,792
$1.69 €1.48
26.04%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 CDF 3,658
$2.33 €2.04
-30.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.05 CDF 4,607
$3.05 €2.67
-32.79%
Eggs
$3.37 CDF 7,594
$3.99 €3.49
-15.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.21 CDF 14.0K
$16.68 €14.59
-62.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.09 CDF 13.7K
$12.57 €11.00
-51.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.96 CDF 20.2K
$20.53 €17.96
-56.36%
Apples (1kg)
$2.96 CDF 6,667
$2.56 €2.24
15.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 CDF 4,436
$2.20 €1.93
-10.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.82 CDF 6,342
$2.68 €2.34
5.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.52 CDF 5,666
$3.37 €2.95
-25.22%
Potato (1kg)
$2.35 CDF 5,292
$2.04 €1.78
15.20%
Onion (1kg)
$2.41 CDF 5,416
$1.88 €1.65
28.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.83 CDF 4,109
$1.47 €1.29
24.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 CDF 2,281
$0.54 €0.47
87.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.84 CDF 10.9K
$7.00 €6.12
-30.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.17 CDF 34.1K
$7.09 €6.20
113.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 CDF 3,676
$1.80 €1.58
-9.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94 CDF 6,612
$2.51 €2.19
17.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 CDF 1,166
$1.96 €1.71
-73.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$14.74 CDF 33.2K
$41.58 €36.38
-64.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.07 CDF 11.4K
$5.80 €5.08
-12.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.98 CDF 4,446
$1.60 €1.40
23.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.07 CDF 22.7K
$35.07 €30.68
-71.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 CDF 3,240
$2.13 €1.86
-32.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.9K CDF 44.7M
$32.6K €28.5K
-38.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.5K CDF 48.3M
$33.8K €29.6K
-36.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$208 CDF 468.9K
$225 €197
-7.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.78 CDF 46.8K
$13.14 €11.50
58.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$83.0 CDF 186.7K
$31.19 €27.29
166.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.5 CDF 118.2K
$57.2 €50.0
-8.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.43 CDF 25.7K
$25.85 €22.61
-55.78%
Cinema Ticket
$14.16 CDF 31.9K
$10.34 €9.05
36.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$343 CDF 772.8K
$564 €493
-39.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,757 CDF 6.2M
$10.3K €9,047
-73.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.50 CDF 75.4K
$91.9 €80.4
-63.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.71 CDF 89.4K
$40.54 €35.47
-2.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.3 CDF 160.3K
$98.2 €85.9
-27.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.7 CDF 222.0K
$132 €116
-25.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,264 CDF 2.8M
$855 €748
47.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$369 CDF 829.4K
$663 €580
-44.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,724 CDF 6.1M
$1,522 €1,332
78.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,067 CDF 2.4M
$1,089 €953
-2.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,674 CDF 8.3M
$3,747 €3,278
-1.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$991 CDF 2.2M
$2,299 €2,011
-56.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$628 CDF 1.4M
$1,897 €1,659
-66.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
17
4.41
285.49%

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

Last update for Democratic Republic of the Congo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Italy: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $403 in Democratic Republic of the Congo, $742 in Italy. Capital cities: $1,641 in Kinshasa vs $1,328 in Rome.

National salary averages: $643 in Democratic Republic of the Congo, $1,912 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 84% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 155% more in Italy.

Public transport is 780% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 197% higher in Italy.

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
Democratic Republic of the Congo vs Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Democratic Republic of the Congo or Italy?
At $756 per month in Democratic Republic of the Congo and $1,822 in Italy, there's a 141% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Democratic Republic of the Congo or Italy?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Democratic Republic of the Congo: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Democratic Republic of the Congo and Italy?
Rent in Italy is consistently higher than in Democratic Republic of the Congo across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,000 go in Democratic Republic of the Congo compared to Italy?
In Democratic Republic of the Congo, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Italy it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Italy?
It depends on what you're after: Democratic Republic of the Congo wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Democratic Republic of the Congo vs other spots: cost of living compared

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