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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,280 per month in Lisbon vs $414 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,294 per month in Lisbon vs $651 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,307 per month in Lisbon vs $888 in Gisenyi, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 451% more than Gisenyi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Gisenyi is 69% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.75 €13.64

$4.19 RWF 6,133

275.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 €55.0

$15.04 RWF 22.0K

322.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 €9.05

$5.86 RWF 8,580

78.33%

Cappuccino

$2.91 €2.52

$2.24 RWF 3,277

29.91%

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

$2.29 €1.98

$0.86 RWF 1,253

166.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$0.51 RWF 753

194.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.09

$1.02 RWF 1,497

249.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 €3.43

$2.01 RWF 2,942

97.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$0.66 RWF 963

63.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.53

$1.07 RWF 1,567

64.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$1.25 RWF 1,824

36.00%

Eggs

$3.25 €2.81

$1.68 RWF 2,462

93.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 €11.47

$4.16 RWF 6,086

218.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 €6.67

$4.26 RWF 6,233

80.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 €13.66

$3.73 RWF 5,464

322.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.37 RWF 3,465

-3.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.01 RWF 1,476

64.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.47 RWF 2,152

37.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.14

$1.14 RWF 1,662

116.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$0.49 RWF 710

265.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 €1.79

$0.83 RWF 1,211

149.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.71

$0.31 RWF 454

535.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.80 RWF 1,170

3.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 €5.68

$1.69 RWF 2,479

287.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 €4.82

$10.03 RWF 14.7K

-44.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.15

$0.97 RWF 1,425

37.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 €2.60

$1.78 RWF 2,599

69.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.97

$0.09 RWF 136

2422.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.35 €40.14

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.66

$3.14 RWF 4,602

34.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.40 RWF 2,052

-39.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 €16.31

$3.75 RWF 5,488

402.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.17 RWF 1,713

72.65%

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

$35.0K €30.3K

$26.9K RWF 39.4M

29.93%

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

$39.6K €34.3K

$30.0K RWF 43.9M

32.23%

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

$148 €128

$45.73 RWF 66.9K

223.49%

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

$20.52 €17.77

$3.06 RWF 4,483

570.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.52 €34.23

$17.97 RWF 26.3K

119.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.17 €41.72

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 €15.92

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 €7.88

$3.42 RWF 5,009

166.08%

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

$615 €532

$153 RWF 223.4K

302.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.1K

$5,123 RWF 7.5M

217.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €88.0

$17.30 RWF 25.3K

487.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 €36.45

$19.10 RWF 28.0K

120.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 €79.9

$24.56 RWF 35.9K

275.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €106

$30.90 RWF 45.2K

295.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,396

$101 RWF 148.2K

1491.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,086

$50.6 RWF 74.1K

2376.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,069 €2,658

$299 RWF 438.1K

925.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 €1,764

$118 RWF 172.8K

1624.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,751 €6,712

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,286 €3,712

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 €1,387

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Gisenyi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Lisbon versus $101 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $15.00 in Gisenyi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 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 451% 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 $3,420 per month in Lisbon and $620 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 $63.0 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 83% 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 $414, than in Lisbon at $2,280. 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 $414 versus $2,280 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.