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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,296 per month in Lisbon vs $443 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Lisbon vs $691 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,457 per month in Lisbon vs $938 in Gisenyi, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 418% more than Gisenyi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.59 €15.33

$2.65 RWF 3,885

563.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 €54.8

$15.10 RWF 22.2K

316.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.58 €10.10

$6.16 RWF 9,037

87.99%

Cappuccino

$3.10 €2.70

$2.46 RWF 3,616

26.02%

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

$2.49 €2.17

$0.80 RWF 1,174

211.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.52

$0.52 RWF 764

234.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 €3.03

$1.00 RWF 1,469

248.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €3.00

$1.96 RWF 2,878

75.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$0.77 RWF 1,129

49.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 €1.66

$1.03 RWF 1,506

85.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.25 RWF 1,833

20.00%

Eggs

$3.98 €3.47

$1.63 RWF 2,393

144.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 €11.59

$4.32 RWF 6,346

207.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.98

$4.49 RWF 6,584

78.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.04 €15.73

$4.55 RWF 6,684

296.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.37 RWF 3,483

-0.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.88 RWF 1,287

98.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.54 RWF 2,266

20.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.00 RWF 1,461

155.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$0.49 RWF 718

275.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 €1.83

$0.80 RWF 1,169

162.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$0.31 RWF 461

380.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.79 RWF 1,157

3.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 €6.19

$2.08 RWF 3,058

241.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 €5.15

$10.23 RWF 15.0K

-42.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 €1.15

$0.96 RWF 1,404

36.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$1.58 RWF 2,321

34.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$0.10 RWF 150

2260.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.62 €40.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.55

$2.70 RWF 3,958

51.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.99

$2.02 RWF 2,963

-43.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.09 €14.90

$3.38 RWF 4,957

405.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.78 RWF 2,612

29.78%

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

$34.1K €29.7K

$26.5K RWF 38.9M

28.72%

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

$41.4K €36.1K

$29.3K RWF 43.0M

41.23%

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

$169 €147

$84.0 RWF 123.3K

100.56%

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

$19.33 €16.85

$2.98 RWF 4,366

548.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 €29.21

$21.28 RWF 31.2K

57.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.84 €42.57

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.43 €16.94

Cinema Ticket

$9.57 €8.34

$3.44 RWF 5,046

178.20%

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

$696 €607

$115 RWF 168.7K

505.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K €15.1K

$9,686 RWF 14.2M

79.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €91.8

$17.50 RWF 25.7K

501.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 €41.62

$15.39 RWF 22.6K

210.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.6

$21.97 RWF 32.2K

357.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €108

$34.32 RWF 50.4K

262.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,449

$286 RWF 419.9K

480.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 €1,086

$50.1 RWF 73.5K

2386.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 €2,584

$300 RWF 440.1K

888.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 €1,786

$120 RWF 175.9K

1608.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,834 €6,829

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,464 €3,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,632 €1,422

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

16.2

-76.67%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 12, 2026

Last update for Gisenyi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,662 in Lisbon versus $286 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: $277 vs $149 – 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 418% 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 $3,444 per month in Lisbon and $665 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 86% 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 $443, than in Lisbon at $2,296. 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 $443 versus $2,296 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.