Cost of Living Comparison Between Gisenyi and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Gisenyi and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $414 per month in Gisenyi vs $2,280 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $651 per month in Gisenyi vs $3,294 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $888 per month in Gisenyi vs $4,307 in Lisbon, rent included.

Gisenyi is about 82% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Gisenyi sits 69% below the global median, while Lisbon is 71% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.19 RWF 6,133

$15.75 €13.64

-73.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.04 RWF 22.0K

$63.5 €55.0

-76.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.86 RWF 8,580

$10.45 €9.05

-43.92%

Cappuccino

$2.24 RWF 3,277

$2.91 €2.52

-23.02%

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

$0.86 RWF 1,253

$2.29 €1.98

-62.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 RWF 753

$1.50 €1.30

-66.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 RWF 1,497

$3.56 €3.09

-71.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RWF 2,942

$3.96 €3.43

-49.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 RWF 963

$1.08 €0.94

-38.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 RWF 1,567

$1.76 €1.53

-39.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 RWF 1,824

$1.70 €1.47

-26.47%

Eggs

$1.68 RWF 2,462

$3.25 €2.81

-48.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.16 RWF 6,086

$13.25 €11.47

-68.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.26 RWF 6,233

$7.70 €6.67

-44.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.73 RWF 5,464

$15.77 €13.66

-76.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 RWF 3,465

$2.28 €1.97

3.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 RWF 1,476

$1.66 €1.43

-39.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 RWF 2,152

$2.02 €1.75

-27.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 RWF 1,662

$2.47 €2.14

-53.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 RWF 710

$1.79 €1.55

-72.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 RWF 1,211

$2.07 €1.79

-59.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 RWF 454

$1.97 €1.71

-84.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RWF 1,170

$0.83 €0.72

-3.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.69 RWF 2,479

$6.55 €5.68

-74.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.03 RWF 14.7K

$5.57 €4.82

80.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 RWF 1,425

$1.33 €1.15

-27.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RWF 2,599

$3.01 €2.60

-40.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.09 RWF 136

$2.27 €1.97

-96.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 RWF 4,602

$4.23 €3.66

-25.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 RWF 2,052

$0.85 €0.73

64.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.75 RWF 5,488

$18.83 €16.31

-80.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 RWF 1,713

$2.02 €1.75

-42.08%

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

$26.9K RWF 39.4M

$35.0K €30.3K

-23.04%

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

$30.0K RWF 43.9M

$39.6K €34.3K

-24.37%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$45.73 RWF 66.9K

$148 €128

-69.09%

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

$3.06 RWF 4,483

$20.52 €17.77

-85.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.97 RWF 26.3K

$39.52 €34.23

-54.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 RWF 5,009

$9.10 €7.88

-62.42%

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

$153 RWF 223.4K

$615 €532

-75.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,123 RWF 7.5M

$16.3K €14.1K

-68.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.30 RWF 25.3K

$102 €88.0

-82.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.10 RWF 28.0K

$42.09 €36.45

-54.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$24.56 RWF 35.9K

$92.3 €79.9

-73.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.90 RWF 45.2K

$122 €106

-74.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$101 RWF 148.2K

$1,612 €1,396

-93.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$50.6 RWF 74.1K

$1,254 €1,086

-95.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$299 RWF 438.1K

$3,069 €2,658

-90.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 RWF 172.8K

$2,037 €1,764

-94.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.2

3.81

325.20%

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

Last update for Gisenyi: July 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $101 in Gisenyi versus $1,612 in Lisbon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Gisenyi versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $146 vs $267 – making Gisenyi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Gisenyi vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 451% more than Gisenyi, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $620 per month in Gisenyi and $3,420 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gisenyi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Gisenyi and $63.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 83% more in Lisbon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Gisenyi, where all-in costs run around $414, than in Lisbon at $2,280. In Gisenyi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gisenyi costs $414 versus $2,280 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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