Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kinshasa and Goma

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.

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Cost of Living Index in Kinshasa
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Kinshasa Living Index

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Kinshasa

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo

$1,723

/mo nomad

Goma

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo

$430

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kinshasa and in Goma

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

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

Kinshasa $1,723
Goma $430

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

Kinshasa $3,035
Goma $751

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

Kinshasa $4,347
Goma $1,071

Kinshasa costs about 301% more than Goma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 CDF 41.0K

$14.95 CDF 33.9K

21.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.9 CDF 194.6K

$45.52 CDF 103.1K

88.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.24 CDF 34.5K

$10.19 CDF 23.1K

49.56%

Cappuccino

$6.49 CDF 14.7K

$3.51 CDF 7,960

84.90%

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

$2.73 CDF 6,194

$1.03 CDF 2,331

165.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 CDF 4,662

$1.01 CDF 2,292

103.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 CDF 5,702

$1.19 CDF 2,685

111.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 CDF 10.3K

$5.03 CDF 11.4K

-9.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.31 CDF 7,491

$0.98 CDF 2,211

237.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 CDF 5,061

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 CDF 7,138

$1.22 CDF 2,758

158.20%

Eggs

$3.99 CDF 9,049

$1.60 CDF 3,625

149.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.59 CDF 21.7K

$6.03 CDF 13.7K

59.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.80 CDF 38.1K

$2.57 CDF 5,814

553.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.35 CDF 28.0K

$5.02 CDF 11.4K

146.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CDF 8,191

$1.97 CDF 4,470

83.76%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 CDF 6,912

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 CDF 9,637

$1.52 CDF 3,448

179.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 CDF 9,432

Potato (1kg)

$3.36 CDF 7,607

$0.51 CDF 1,165

558.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CDF 7,000

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 CDF 4,741

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CDF 3,305

$0.69 CDF 1,552

111.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 CDF 10.4K

Wine (Bottle)

$15.86 CDF 35.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CDF 4,424

$2.02 CDF 4,567

-3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 CDF 9,709

$2.52 CDF 5,698

70.24%

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)

$27.99 CDF 63.4K

$14.71 CDF 33.3K

90.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 CDF 158.4K

$60.4 CDF 136.9K

15.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 CDF 176.3K

$30.38 CDF 68.8K

156.09%

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 Kinshasa: October 11, 2026

Last update for Goma: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Kinshasa

$543 31.5%

Goma

–

Groceries & Markets

Kinshasa

$400 23.2%

Goma

–

Eating Out

Kinshasa

$309 18%

Goma

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kinshasa

$183 10.6%

Goma

–

Clothing & Footwear

Kinshasa

$144 8.3%

Goma

–

Sport & Entertainment

Kinshasa

$108 6.3%

Goma

–

Getting Around

Kinshasa

$36 2.1%

Goma

–

Cost Breakdown

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

Good to know

🇨🇩 Kinshasa

🇨🇩 Goma

🕒 Local time

17:31 5:31 PM

18:31 6:31 PM

1 h ahead of Kinshasa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

17,032,322 Capital

2,000,000

💱 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

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Between locations

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

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Kinshasa
Goma

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

Kinshasa vs Goma: 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 $2,584 per month in Kinshasa and $645 in Goma. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,723 in Kinshasa and $430 in Goma. 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.