For one person, living is cheaper in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: $1,310 a month against $2,462 in the United Kingdom, rent and utilities included – about $13,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
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Cost of Living Index in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
How much you'll spend in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in the United Kingdom
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in the United Kingdom actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,310 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo versus $2,462 in the United Kingdom.
Democratic Republic of the Congo $1,310
United Kingdom $2,462
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,560 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo versus $3,600 in the United Kingdom.
Democratic Republic of the Congo $2,560
United Kingdom $3,600
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,810 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo versus $4,738 in the United Kingdom.
Democratic Republic of the Congo $3,810
United Kingdom $4,738
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in the United Kingdom: monthly costs span $1,126 to $4,646, compared to $400–$1,736 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. City choice carries more weight in the United Kingdom.
🌍
Living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo costs about 47% less than in the United Kingdom on average.
📊
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (4% below) and the United Kingdom (81% above) straddle the global median.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Democratic Republic of the Congo
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.90CDF 33.6K
$21.48£16.15
-30.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.4CDF 190.7K
$85.7£64.4
-1.52%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.82CDF 22.2K
$10.61£7.98
-7.45%
Cappuccino
$5.40CDF 12.2K
$4.91£3.69
9.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.82CDF 4,117
$2.66£2.00
-31.58%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53CDF 3,457
$1.87£1.40
-18.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.95CDF 4,404
$6.63£4.98
-70.59%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.63CDF 10.5K
$6.84£5.14
-32.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Democratic Republic of the Congo
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.03CDF 4,591
$1.68£1.26
20.83%
White Bread(500g)
$1.70CDF 3,836
$1.72£1.29
-1.16%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.54CDF 5,747
$2.17£1.63
17.05%
Eggs
$3.28CDF 7,399
$4.00£3.01
-18.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.08CDF 18.3K
$9.42£7.08
-14.23%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.50CDF 19.2K
$9.19£6.90
-7.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.52CDF 23.8K
$14.77£11.10
-28.77%
Apples(1kg)
$3.61CDF 8,159
$2.97£2.23
21.55%
Banana(1kg)
$2.50CDF 5,641
$1.62£1.22
54.32%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.18CDF 7,171
$2.85£2.15
11.58%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.79CDF 6,298
$3.52£2.65
-20.74%
Potato(1kg)
$2.43CDF 5,494
$1.83£1.38
32.79%
Onion(1kg)
$2.73CDF 6,160
$1.61£1.21
69.57%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.06CDF 4,661
$1.25£0.94
64.80%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25CDF 2,831
$1.66£1.25
-24.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.52CDF 10.2K
$23.65£17.77
-80.89%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.18CDF 34.3K
$10.50£7.89
44.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84CDF 4,152
$2.98£2.24
-38.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.25CDF 7,339
$3.51£2.64
-7.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Democratic Republic of the Congo
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.48CDF 1,079
$3.98£2.99
-87.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.61CDF 42.0K
$107£80.7
-82.68%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.13CDF 11.6K
$5.18£3.89
-0.97%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.31CDF 2,954
$2.35£1.76
-44.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$9.88CDF 22.3K
$26.84£20.17
-63.19%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.73CDF 3,904
$1.99£1.49
-13.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.2KCDF 45.7M
$39.4K£29.6K
-48.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KCDF 52.6M
$40.5K£30.4K
-42.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Democratic Republic of the Congo
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$91.5CDF 206.6K
$327£246
-72.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.56CDF 46.4K
$18.21£13.69
12.90%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.4CDF 158.9K
$43.60£32.77
61.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Democratic Republic of the Congo
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$57.0CDF 128.8K
$42.36£31.83
34.61%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.55CDF 48.7K
$18.22£13.69
18.28%
Cinema Ticket
$15.27CDF 34.5K
$13.85£10.41
10.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Democratic Republic of the Congo
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$250CDF 564.4K
$1,868£1,404
-86.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,105CDF 11.5M
$22.6K£17.0K
-77.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Democratic Republic of the Congo
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.34CDF 73.0K
$92.9£69.8
-65.20%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.91CDF 87.9K
$45.92£34.51
-15.27%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$70.3CDF 158.7K
$102£76.4
-30.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.3CDF 224.2K
$102£76.8
-2.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Democratic Republic of the Congo
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,574CDF 3.6M
$1,342£1,009
17.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$353CDF 798.0K
$1,073£807
-67.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,547CDF 8.0M
$2,231£1,677
58.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,493CDF 3.4M
$1,742£1,309
-14.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,668CDF 8.3M
$5,601£4,210
-34.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,003CDF 2.3M
$4,265£3,205
-76.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Democratic Republic of the Congo
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$629CDF 1.4M
$3,349£2,517
-81.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.33
5.32
150.56%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for the Democratic Republic of the Congo: October 25, 2026
Last update for the United Kingdom: October 26, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Democratic Republic of the Congo
$353 27%
United Kingdom
$1.1K 43.6% ↑ 204%$720
🛒Groceries & Markets
Democratic Republic of the Congo
$301 23%
United Kingdom
$307 12.5% ↑ 2.2%$6.6
🍽Eating Out
Democratic Republic of the Congo
$246 18.8%
United Kingdom
$328 13.3% ↑ 33.3%$82
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Democratic Republic of the Congo
$182 13.9%
United Kingdom
$389 15.8% ↑ 113%$207
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Democratic Republic of the Congo
$108 8.3%
United Kingdom
$154 6.3% ↑ 42.3%$46
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Democratic Republic of the Congo
$88 6.7%
United Kingdom
$70 2.9% ↓ 20%$18
🚌Getting Around
Democratic Republic of the Congo
$32 2.5%
United Kingdom
$140 5.7% ↑ 336%$108
🏠Accommodation & Living
Democratic Republic of the Congo
$1.5K 39.2%
United Kingdom
$1.7K 36.8% ↑ 16.7%$249
🛒Groceries & Markets
Democratic Republic of the Congo
$688 18.1%
United Kingdom
$705 14.9% ↑ 2.5%$17
🍽Eating Out
Democratic Republic of the Congo
$923 24.2%
United Kingdom
$1.1K 23.1% ↑ 18.5%$171
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Democratic Republic of the Congo
$203 5.3%
United Kingdom
$407 8.6% ↑ 101%$204
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Democratic Republic of the Congo
$241 6.3%
United Kingdom
$343 7.2% ↑ 42.3%$102
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Democratic Republic of the Congo
$197 5.2%
United Kingdom
$158 3.3% ↓ 19.5%$38
🚌Getting Around
Democratic Republic of the Congo
$65 1.7%
United Kingdom
$288 6.1% ↑ 342%$223
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $1,280 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, $1,287 in the United Kingdom. Capital cities: $1,698 in Kinshasa vs $2,811 in London.
💰National salary averages: $633 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, $3,251 in the United Kingdom. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Dining out costs 36% more in the United Kingdom.
⭐Public transport is 461% more expensive in the United Kingdom.
⭐Salaries are about 5.1 times higher in the United Kingdom, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United Kingdom.
Democratic Republic of the Congo→United Kingdom6,380 km≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
Democratic Republic of the Congo
United Kingdom
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 United Kingdom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: the Democratic Republic of the Congo or the United Kingdom?
At $1,310 per month in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and $2,462 in the United Kingdom, there’s a 88% 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: the Democratic Republic of the Congo or the United Kingdom?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How far does $3,000 go in the Democratic Republic of the Congo compared to the United Kingdom?
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, $3,000 covers most cities easily; in the United Kingdom 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 the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in the United Kingdom?
It depends on what you’re after: the Democratic Republic of the Congo wins on affordability; the United Kingdom 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