Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Goma and Bucharest

For one person, living is cheaper in Goma: $430 a month against $1,340 in Bucharest, rent and utilities included – about $10,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index

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Goma

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo

$430

/mo nomad

Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,340

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Goma and in Bucharest

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Goma and in Bucharest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $430 in Goma versus $1,340 in Bucharest.

Goma $430
Bucharest $1,340

Estimated couple costs with rent: $751 in Goma versus $2,037 in Bucharest.

Goma $751
Bucharest $2,037

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,071 in Goma versus $2,734 in Bucharest.

Goma $1,071
Bucharest $2,734

Living in Goma costs roughly 68% less than in Bucharest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Goma 68% lower, Bucharest 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.95 CDF 33.9K

$14.49 RON 68.6

3.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.52 CDF 103.1K

$58.1 RON 275

-21.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 CDF 23.1K

$7.48 RON 35.40

36.23%

Cappuccino

$3.51 CDF 7,960

$3.44 RON 16.29

2.03%

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

$1.03 CDF 2,331

$2.37 RON 11.22

-56.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 CDF 2,292

$2.30 RON 10.88

-56.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 CDF 2,685

$3.70 RON 17.51

-67.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 CDF 11.4K

$4.16 RON 19.69

20.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 CDF 2,211

$1.67 RON 7.90

-41.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 RON 6.50

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 CDF 2,758

$1.72 RON 8.14

-29.07%

Eggs

$1.60 CDF 3,625

$3.64 RON 17.22

-56.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 CDF 13.7K

$9.08 RON 42.98

-33.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.57 CDF 5,814

$6.84 RON 32.35

-62.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.02 CDF 11.4K

$12.00 RON 56.8

-58.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 CDF 4,470

$1.23 RON 5.80

60.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.73

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 CDF 3,448

$1.57 RON 7.45

-3.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 RON 12.01

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 CDF 1,165

$0.79 RON 3.75

-35.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.66

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 RON 4.13

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 CDF 1,552

$0.99 RON 4.70

-30.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.31 RON 29.86

Wine (Bottle)

$6.20 RON 29.34

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 CDF 4,567

$1.19 RON 5.63

69.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 CDF 5,698

$1.57 RON 7.45

60.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 4.08

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.10 RON 99.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 3.05

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 RON 30.43

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 RON 9.25

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

$29.0K RON 137.2K

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

$26.6K RON 126.0K

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

$196 RON 927

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

$14.71 CDF 33.3K

$8.04 RON 38.04

82.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CDF 136.9K

$9.35 RON 44.21

546.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.38 CDF 68.8K

$50.2 RON 238

-39.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.33 RON 120

Cinema Ticket

$8.15 RON 38.55

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

$628 RON 2,971

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K RON 66.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.6 RON 424

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 RON 181

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 RON 375

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 RON 428

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 RON 3,209

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,121

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 RON 5,125

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 RON 3,430

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,751 RON 17.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,195 RON 10.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,329 RON 6,290

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

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

Last update for Goma: October 11, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Goma

–

Bucharest

$448 33.5%

Eating Out

Goma

–

Bucharest

$225 16.8%

Groceries & Markets

Goma

–

Bucharest

$225 16.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Goma

–

Bucharest

$213 15.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Goma

–

Bucharest

$134 10%

Sport & Entertainment

Goma

–

Bucharest

$67 5%

Getting Around

Goma

–

Bucharest

$28 2.1%

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Goma vs $58.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $108 vs $225 per month, with Goma cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇩 Goma

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🕒 Local time

08:42 8:42 AM

09:42 9:42 AM

1 h ahead of Goma

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,000,000

1,883,425 Capital

💱 Currency

Congolese Franc CDF Fr

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 CDF = 4.41 USD

10,000 CDF = 3.93 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to CDF – Congolese Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇩 Congolese Franc (Fr)

Congolese Franc exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 2,265 CDF (10,000 CDF = 4.41 USD). 1 EUR = 2,547 CDF (10,000 CDF = 3.93 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

USD to CDF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Goma Bucharest 5,140 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Goma
Bucharest

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

Goma vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Goma and Bucharest differ by about 212% in total monthly costs ($430 vs $1,340 including rent). Goma is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $645 in Goma and $2,011 in Bucharest to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Dining out is cheaper in Goma – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $58.0 in Bucharest. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $430 per month in Goma versus $1,340 in Bucharest – a 212% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $430 in Goma versus $1,340 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Goma but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Goma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Goma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 212% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.