Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Gisenyi Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Gisenyi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,227 per month in Lisbon vs $419 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,305 per month in Lisbon vs $656 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,384 per month in Lisbon vs $893 in Gisenyi, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 431% more than Gisenyi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 66% above the global median, while Gisenyi is 69% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.81

$4.08 RWF 5,956

296.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.1

$14.84 RWF 21.7K

335.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.86

$5.90 RWF 8,613

75.93%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$2.24 RWF 3,271

23.66%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$0.86 RWF 1,257

161.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.34

$0.52 RWF 757

201.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.98

$1.01 RWF 1,480

245.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.42

$2.03 RWF 2,964

97.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$0.66 RWF 969

63.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.07 RWF 1,558

62.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.48

$1.24 RWF 1,808

40.32%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.71

$1.64 RWF 2,395

93.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.47

$4.17 RWF 6,098

222.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.83

$4.43 RWF 6,466

80.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.74

$3.67 RWF 5,360

338.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$2.50 RWF 3,647

-8.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$0.99 RWF 1,452

73.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.43 RWF 2,087

35.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.17

$1.14 RWF 1,668

122.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.56

$0.49 RWF 713

273.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.74

$0.77 RWF 1,121

164.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.31 RWF 459

538.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.79 RWF 1,161

7.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.85

$1.70 RWF 2,478

302.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.93

$10.13 RWF 14.8K

-42.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$0.90 RWF 1,318

52.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.72 RWF 2,513

68.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.10 RWF 149

2180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.00

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.48

$3.19 RWF 4,665

27.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.40 RWF 2,039

-41.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.60

$3.89 RWF 5,677

369.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.71

$1.14 RWF 1,665

76.32%

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

$35.3K €30.1K

$26.8K RWF 39.1M

31.79%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$30.4K RWF 44.4M

26.77%

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

$145 €124

$47.21 RWF 69.0K

207.99%

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

$20.96 €17.90

$3.08 RWF 4,502

580.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.21

$18.01 RWF 26.3K

122.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.66

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €15.97

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.74

$3.51 RWF 5,124

158.12%

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

$607 €518

$156 RWF 227.4K

289.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €13.9K

$5,205 RWF 7.6M

213.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.4

$17.33 RWF 25.3K

503.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €34.97

$19.53 RWF 28.5K

109.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €79.9

$24.22 RWF 35.4K

286.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$31.42 RWF 45.9K

277.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,370

$99.1 RWF 144.7K

1519.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,055

$50.5 RWF 73.7K

2349.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,601

$297 RWF 434.3K

924.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,756

$118 RWF 172.5K

1641.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,583

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,644

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,353

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

16.2

-76.48%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Gisenyi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Lisbon versus $99.1 in Gisenyi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon versus $15.00 in Gisenyi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $146 – making Gisenyi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Lisbon vs Gisenyi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon costs about 431% more than Gisenyi, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,341 per month in Lisbon and $629 in Gisenyi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gisenyi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon and $15.00 in Gisenyi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 85% more in Lisbon, 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 Gisenyi, where all-in costs run around $419, than in Lisbon at $2,227. In Gisenyi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gisenyi costs $419 versus $2,227 in Lisbon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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