Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Goma and Lubumbashi

For one person, living is cheaper in Goma: $430 a month against $1,228 in Lubumbashi, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Lubumbashi
Learn more

Lubumbashi Living Index

Jump to prices

Goma

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo

$430

/mo nomad

Lubumbashi

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo

$1,228

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Goma and in Lubumbashi

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

A single person spends $430 per month in Goma vs $1,228 in Lubumbashi, rent included.

Goma $430
Lubumbashi $1,228

A couple spends around $751 per month in Goma vs $2,727 in Lubumbashi, rent included.

Goma $751
Lubumbashi $2,727

A family of three spends $1,071 per month in Goma vs $4,226 in Lubumbashi, rent included.

Goma $1,071
Lubumbashi $4,226

Goma is about 65% cheaper than Lubumbashi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Goma and Lubumbashi are more affordable than the global median – Goma 68% lower, Lubumbashi 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.95 CDF 33.9K

$9.91 CDF 22.5K

50.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.52 CDF 103.1K

$99.1 CDF 224.6K

-54.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 CDF 23.1K

$9.92 CDF 22.5K

2.72%

Cappuccino

$3.51 CDF 7,960

$4.03 CDF 9,131

-12.90%

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

$1.03 CDF 2,331

$1.08 CDF 2,458

-4.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 CDF 2,292

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 CDF 2,685

$1.99 CDF 4,508

-40.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 CDF 11.4K

$2.54 CDF 5,756

98.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 CDF 2,211

$1.96 CDF 4,446

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 CDF 2,764

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 CDF 2,758

$3.18 CDF 7,204

-61.64%

Eggs

$1.60 CDF 3,625

$2.10 CDF 4,761

-23.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 CDF 13.7K

$14.77 CDF 33.5K

-59.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.57 CDF 5,814

$7.70 CDF 17.4K

-66.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.02 CDF 11.4K

$15.52 CDF 35.2K

-67.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 CDF 4,470

$4.96 CDF 11.2K

-60.28%

Banana (1kg)

$3.07 CDF 6,960

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 CDF 3,448

$4.88 CDF 11.1K

-68.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 CDF 6,745

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 CDF 1,165

$2.56 CDF 5,810

-80.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CDF 6,020

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 CDF 2,220

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 CDF 1,552

$1.22 CDF 2,774

-43.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 CDF 9,227

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 CDF 28.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 CDF 4,567

$1.15 CDF 2,600

75.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 CDF 5,698

$2.08 CDF 4,719

21.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 CDF 2,289

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 CDF 10.1K

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.87 CDF 22.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 CDF 3,361

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

$25.1K CDF 56.8M

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

$30.6K CDF 69.3M

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

$99.9 CDF 226.3K

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

$14.71 CDF 33.3K

$20.13 CDF 45.6K

-26.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CDF 136.9K

$60.3 CDF 136.6K

0.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.38 CDF 68.8K

$73.6 CDF 166.8K

-58.73%

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

$132 CDF 297.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,456 CDF 10.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.35 CDF 50.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.55 CDF 51.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.1 CDF 133.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 CDF 196.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$862 CDF 2.0M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 CDF 851.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,522 CDF 5.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,051 CDF 4.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,012 CDF 2.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$499 CDF 1.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,064 CDF 2.4M

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

Last update for Goma: October 11, 2026

Last update for Lubumbashi: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Goma

–

Lubumbashi

$376 30.6%

Groceries & Markets

Goma

–

Lubumbashi

$327 26.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Goma

–

Lubumbashi

$180 14.7%

Eating Out

Goma

–

Lubumbashi

$177 * 14.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Goma

–

Lubumbashi

$86 7%

Sport & Entertainment

Goma

–

Lubumbashi

$74 * 6%

Getting Around

Goma

–

Lubumbashi

$8.5 * 0.7%

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 $46.00 in Goma versus $99.0 in Lubumbashi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $108 vs $327 – making Goma the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇩 Goma

🇨🇩 Lubumbashi

🕒 Local time

01:40 1:40 AM

Same time as Goma

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,000,000

1,139,064

💱 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 Lubumbashi 1,130 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Goma
Lubumbashi

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 Lubumbashi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lubumbashi costs about 186% 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 $1,842 in Lubumbashi. 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 $1,228 in Lubumbashi. That's a gap of about 186%.

Groceries cost about 203% more in Lubumbashi, 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 Lubumbashi at $1,228. In Goma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lubumbashi 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, Lubumbashi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.