Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Goma and Kinshasa

For one person, living is cheaper in Goma: $430 a month against $1,723 in Kinshasa, rent and utilities included – about $15,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

84

Cost of Living Index in Kinshasa
Learn more

Kinshasa Living Index

Jump to prices

Goma

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo

$430

/mo nomad

Kinshasa

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo

$1,723

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Goma and in Kinshasa

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

A single person spends $430 per month in Goma vs $1,723 in Kinshasa, rent included.

Goma $430
Kinshasa $1,723

A couple spends around $751 per month in Goma vs $3,035 in Kinshasa, rent included.

Goma $751
Kinshasa $3,035

A family of three spends $1,071 per month in Goma vs $4,347 in Kinshasa, rent included.

Goma $1,071
Kinshasa $4,347

Goma is about 75% cheaper than Kinshasa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Goma sits 68% below the global median, while Kinshasa is 28% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.95 CDF 33.9K

$18.09 CDF 41.0K

-17.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.52 CDF 103.1K

$85.9 CDF 194.6K

-47.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 CDF 23.1K

$15.24 CDF 34.5K

-33.14%

Cappuccino

$3.51 CDF 7,960

$6.49 CDF 14.7K

-45.92%

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

$1.03 CDF 2,331

$2.73 CDF 6,194

-62.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 CDF 2,292

$2.06 CDF 4,662

-50.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 CDF 2,685

$2.52 CDF 5,702

-52.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 CDF 11.4K

$4.56 CDF 10.3K

10.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 CDF 2,211

$3.31 CDF 7,491

-70.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 CDF 5,061

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 CDF 2,758

$3.15 CDF 7,138

-61.27%

Eggs

$1.60 CDF 3,625

$3.99 CDF 9,049

-59.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 CDF 13.7K

$9.59 CDF 21.7K

-37.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.57 CDF 5,814

$16.80 CDF 38.1K

-84.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.02 CDF 11.4K

$12.35 CDF 28.0K

-59.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 CDF 4,470

$3.62 CDF 8,191

-45.58%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 CDF 6,912

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 CDF 3,448

$4.25 CDF 9,637

-64.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 CDF 9,432

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 CDF 1,165

$3.36 CDF 7,607

-84.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CDF 7,000

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 CDF 4,741

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 CDF 1,552

$1.46 CDF 3,305

-52.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 CDF 10.4K

Wine (Bottle)

$15.86 CDF 35.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 CDF 4,567

$1.95 CDF 4,424

3.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 CDF 5,698

$4.29 CDF 9,709

-41.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 CDF 1,079

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.01 CDF 49.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 CDF 12.7K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CDF 2,857

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 CDF 11.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 CDF 4,028

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

$85.1 CDF 192.9K

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

$14.71 CDF 33.3K

$27.99 CDF 63.4K

-47.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CDF 136.9K

$69.9 CDF 158.4K

-13.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.38 CDF 68.8K

$77.8 CDF 176.3K

-60.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.96 CDF 49.8K

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 CDF 34.3K

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

$562 CDF 1.3M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K CDF 24.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.71 CDF 101.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.01 CDF 86.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 CDF 252.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 CDF 283.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,696 CDF 3.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 CDF 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,128 CDF 9.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 CDF 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,958 CDF 11.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,249 CDF 2.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$350 CDF 791.8K

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 11, 2026

Last update for Kinshasa: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Goma

–

Kinshasa

$543 31.5%

Groceries & Markets

Goma

–

Kinshasa

$400 23.2%

Eating Out

Goma

–

Kinshasa

$309 18%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Goma

–

Kinshasa

$183 10.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Goma

–

Kinshasa

$144 8.3%

Sport & Entertainment

Goma

–

Kinshasa

$108 6.3%

Getting Around

Goma

–

Kinshasa

$36 2.1%

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Goma versus $86.0 in Kinshasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $108 vs $400 – making Goma the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇩 Goma

🇨🇩 Kinshasa

🕒 Local time

18:31 6:31 PM

17:31 5:31 PM

1 h behind Goma

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,000,000

17,032,322 Capital

💱 Currency

Congolese Franc CDF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 CDF = 4.41 USD

10,000 CDF = 3.93 EUR

10,000 CDF = 4.41 USD

10,000 CDF = 3.93 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Goma Kinshasa 1,570 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Goma
Kinshasa

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 Kinshasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kinshasa costs about 301% more than Goma, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $645 per month in Goma and $2,584 in Kinshasa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $430 in Goma and $1,723 in Kinshasa. That's a gap of about 301%.

Groceries cost about 271% more in Kinshasa, 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 Goma, where all-in costs run around $430, than in Kinshasa at $1,723. In Goma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kinshasa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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