Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Goma and Bukavu

For one person, living is cheaper in Goma: $429 a month against $681 in Bukavu, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

33

Cost of Living Index in Bukavu
Learn more

Bukavu Living Index

Jump to prices

Goma

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo

$429

/mo nomad

Bukavu

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo

$681

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Goma and in Bukavu

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 Bukavu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $429 per month in Goma vs $681 in Bukavu, rent included.

Goma $429
Bukavu $681

A couple spends around $748 per month in Goma vs $1,100 in Bukavu, rent included.

Goma $748
Bukavu $1,100

A family of three spends $1,067 per month in Goma vs $1,520 in Bukavu, rent included.

Goma $1,067
Bukavu $1,520

Goma is about 37% cheaper than Bukavu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Goma and Bukavu are more affordable than the global median – Goma 68% lower, Bukavu 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.18 CDF 34.3K

$7.38 CDF 16.7K

105.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.60 CDF 100.7K

$15.08 CDF 34.1K

195.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 CDF 22.5K

$4.96 CDF 11.2K

101.01%

Cappuccino

$3.53 CDF 7,982

$4.08 CDF 9,210

-13.48%

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

$1.03 CDF 2,325

$1.52 CDF 3,443

-32.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 CDF 2,234

$1.01 CDF 2,284

-1.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 CDF 2,680

$1.98 CDF 4,478

-39.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 CDF 11.1K

$3.02 CDF 6,824

62.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 CDF 2,208

$1.46 CDF 3,304

-32.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 CDF 4,382

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 CDF 2,639

$1.28 CDF 2,901

-8.59%

Eggs

$1.58 CDF 3,561

$4.26 CDF 9,612

-62.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.96 CDF 13.5K

$5.34 CDF 12.1K

11.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.44 CDF 5,507

$4.39 CDF 9,916

-44.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.94 CDF 11.2K

$5.92 CDF 13.4K

-16.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 CDF 4,637

$3.99 CDF 9,000

-48.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 CDF 2,293

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 CDF 3,451

$0.98 CDF 2,207

56.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 CDF 2,644

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 CDF 1,158

$1.27 CDF 2,875

-59.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 CDF 4,456

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 CDF 6,920

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 CDF 1,556

$2.05 CDF 4,622

-66.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.13 CDF 11.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 CDF 34.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CDF 4,415

$1.97 CDF 4,448

-1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 CDF 5,764

$2.06 CDF 4,646

23.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 CDF 592

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.86 CDF 33.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 CDF 8,982

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 CDF 2,298

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.19 CDF 23.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 CDF 3,729

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

$14.8K CDF 33.3M

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

$17.0K CDF 38.3M

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

$14.76 CDF 33.3K

$24.82 CDF 56.0K

-40.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CDF 136.4K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.03 CDF 67.8K

$35.08 CDF 79.2K

-14.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.18 CDF 23.0K

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

$75.2 CDF 169.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,194 CDF 2.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.27 CDF 68.4K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.87 CDF 103.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.2 CDF 113.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CDF 268.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.9 CDF 225.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 CDF 1.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 CDF 444.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$998 CDF 2.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$504 CDF 1.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$495 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 Goma: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bukavu: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Goma

–

Bukavu

$237 34.8%

Eating Out

Goma

–

Bukavu

$149 21.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Goma

–

Bukavu

$110 16.2%

Accommodation & Living

Goma

–

Bukavu

$100 14.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Goma

–

Bukavu

$35 * 5.2%

Getting Around

Goma

–

Bukavu

$25 3.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Goma

–

Bukavu

$25 * 3.6%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Goma versus $15 in Bukavu. Groceries tell a different story – $107 in Goma vs $237 in Bukavu – so Goma wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇩 Goma

🇨🇩 Bukavu

🕒 Local time

21:46 9:46 PM

Same time as Goma

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,000,000

816,811

💱 Currency

Congolese Franc CDF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 CDF = 4.43 USD

10,000 CDF = 3.98 EUR

10,000 CDF = 4.43 USD

10,000 CDF = 3.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Goma Bukavu 100 km

From you

Goma
Bukavu

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 Bukavu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bukavu is pricier by about 59%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $644 per month in Goma and $1,021 in Bukavu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 122% more in Bukavu, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Goma and $15 in Bukavu. 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 $429 in Goma and $681 in Bukavu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.