Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Goma and Cairo

For one person, living is cheaper in Goma: $430 a month against $647 in Cairo, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cairo outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Goma
🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
$430
/mo nomad
Cairo
🇪🇬 Egypt
$647
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Goma and in Cairo

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

A single person spends $430 per month in Goma vs $647 in Cairo, rent included.

  • Goma $430
  • Cairo $647

A couple spends around $751 per month in Goma vs $1,035 in Cairo, rent included.

  • Goma $751
  • Cairo $1,035

A family of three spends $1,071 per month in Goma vs $1,423 in Cairo, rent included.

  • Goma $1,071
  • Cairo $1,423

Goma is about 34% cheaper than Cairo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Goma and Cairo are more affordable than the global median – Goma 68% lower, Cairo 52% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Goma
Cairo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.95 CDF 33.9K
$4.64 E£248
222.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.52 CDF 103.1K
$28.12 E£1,501
61.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.19 CDF 23.1K
$6.03 E£322
68.99%
Cappuccino
$3.51 CDF 7,960
$1.72 E£92.1
104.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 CDF 2,331
$0.36 E£19.38
186.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.01 CDF 2,292
$0.12 E£6.41
741.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.19 CDF 2,685
$1.51 E£80.4
-21.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.03 CDF 11.4K
$2.32 E£124
116.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Goma
Cairo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.98 CDF 2,211
$0.92 E£48.92
6.52%
White Bread (500g)
-
$0.73 E£38.92
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.22 CDF 2,758
$0.74 E£39.64
64.86%
Eggs
$1.60 CDF 3,625
$1.19 E£63.7
34.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.03 CDF 13.7K
$4.33 E£231
39.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.57 CDF 5,814
$5.03 E£269
-48.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.02 CDF 11.4K
$9.28 E£496
-45.91%
Apples (1kg)
$1.97 CDF 4,470
$1.77 E£94.4
11.30%
Banana (1kg)
-
$0.73 E£39.03
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.52 CDF 3,448
$0.55 E£29.51
176.36%
Tomato (1kg)
-
$0.50 E£26.91
-
Potato (1kg)
$0.51 CDF 1,165
$0.42 E£22.42
21.43%
Onion (1kg)
-
$0.41 E£21.81
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$0.33 E£17.51
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.69 CDF 1,552
$0.21 E£11.20
228.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$1.98 E£106
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$7.81 E£417
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.02 CDF 4,567
$1.59 E£84.7
27.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 CDF 5,698
$2.09 E£112
20.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Goma
Cairo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.35 E£18.83
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$8.69 E£464
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$0.39 E£21.02
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.22 E£11.57
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.51 E£80.5
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$0.43 E£22.88
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$32.7K E£1.7M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$27.2K E£1.5M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Goma
Cairo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$27.27 E£1,456
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.71 CDF 33.3K
$8.58 E£458
71.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.4 CDF 136.9K
$13.99 E£747
331.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Goma
Cairo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.38 CDF 68.8K
$29.69 E£1,585
2.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$7.25 E£387
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$4.86 E£260
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Goma
Cairo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$121 E£6,438
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$3,560 E£190.1K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Goma
Cairo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$40.28 E£2,151
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$49.53 E£2,645
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$115 E£6,137
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$60.0 E£3,206
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Goma
Cairo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$222 E£11.9K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$195 E£10.4K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$550 E£29.3K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$346 E£18.5K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$800 E£42.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$525 E£28.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Goma
Cairo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$200 E£10.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
16.21
-

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

Last update for Goma: October 11, 2026

Last update for Cairo: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Goma
–
Cairo
$195
Groceries & Markets
Goma
–
Cairo
$142
Clothing & Footwear
Goma
–
Cairo
$119
Eating Out
Goma
–
Cairo
$90
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Goma
–
Cairo
$50
Sport & Entertainment
Goma
–
Cairo
$39
Getting Around
Goma
–
Cairo
$12

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Goma versus $28.00 in Cairo. Groceries tell a different story – $108 in Goma vs $142 in Cairo – so Goma wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇩 Goma
🇪🇬 Cairo
🕒 Local time
09:24 9:24 AM
10:24 10:24 AM
1 h ahead of Goma
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,000,000
9,120,350 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

EGP, USD, EUR to CDF – Congolese Franc Converter

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).

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 53.4 EGP (100 EGP = 1.87 USD). 1 EUR = 60.03 EGP (100 EGP = 1.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Goma Cairo 3,530 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Goma
  • Cairo

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 Cairo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cairo cheaper than Goma?
Yes – Cairo is pricier by about 50%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $645 per month in Goma and $970 in Cairo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do food prices compare in Goma and in Cairo?
Groceries cost about 31% more in Cairo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Goma or in Cairo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Goma and $28.00 in Cairo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $800 enough for either Goma or Cairo?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $430 in Goma and $647 in Cairo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Goma or Cairo more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Goma – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Goma. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cairo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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