Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Goma

For one person, living is cheaper in Goma: $430 a month against $3,986 in London, rent and utilities included – about $42,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

London
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$3,986
/mo nomad
Goma
🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
$430
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in London 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 London and in Goma actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,986 per month in London vs $430 in Goma, rent included.

  • London $3,986
  • Goma $430

A couple spends around $5,791 per month in London vs $751 in Goma, rent included.

  • London $5,791
  • Goma $751

A family of three spends $7,595 per month in London vs $1,071 in Goma, rent included.

  • London $7,595
  • Goma $1,071

London costs about 827% more than Goma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

London sits 195% above the global median, while Goma is 68% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
London
Goma
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.93 £19.45
$14.95 CDF 33.9K
73.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$107 £79.9
$45.52 CDF 103.1K
133.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.71 £8.03
$10.19 CDF 23.1K
5.10%
Cappuccino
$5.47 £4.11
$3.51 CDF 7,960
55.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 £2.23
$1.03 CDF 2,331
188.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 £1.65
$1.01 CDF 2,292
117.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.13 £6.85
$1.19 CDF 2,685
667.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.94 £5.96
$5.03 CDF 11.4K
57.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
London
Goma
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.86 £1.40
$0.98 CDF 2,211
89.80%
White Bread (500g)
$2.07 £1.55
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.42 £1.81
$1.22 CDF 2,758
98.36%
Eggs
$5.09 £3.82
$1.60 CDF 3,625
218.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.87 £9.66
$6.03 CDF 13.7K
113.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.43 £7.82
$2.57 CDF 5,814
305.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.87 £12.66
$5.02 CDF 11.4K
236.06%
Apples (1kg)
$3.11 £2.33
$1.97 CDF 4,470
57.87%
Banana (1kg)
$1.40 £1.05
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$3.08 £2.31
$1.52 CDF 3,448
102.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.27 £2.45
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.58 £1.19
$0.51 CDF 1,165
209.80%
Onion (1kg)
$1.74 £1.31
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.40 £1.05
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 £1.35
$0.69 CDF 1,552
160.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.28 £17.46
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$13.03 £9.77
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.17 £2.38
$2.02 CDF 4,567
56.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.42 £3.32
$2.52 CDF 5,698
75.40%
🚌 Getting Around
London
Goma
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.07 £3.05
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$247 £185
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.58 £4.18
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.36 £2.52
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$56.8 £42.58
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 £1.60
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K £28.6K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.9K £30.7K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
London
Goma
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$372 £279
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.82 £13.37
$14.71 CDF 33.3K
21.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.37 £30.29
$60.4 CDF 136.9K
-33.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
London
Goma
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.0 £44.99
$30.38 CDF 68.8K
97.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.29 £15.97
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.74 £13.31
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
London
Goma
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,864 £2,149
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$35.3K £26.5K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
London
Goma
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$114 £85.5
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.3 £40.71
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$124 £93.2
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$163 £122
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
London
Goma
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,869 £2,152
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,233 £1,675
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,266 £3,951
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,778 £2,835
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$18.3K £13.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$8,024 £6,020
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
London
Goma
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,037 £3,779
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.74
0
-

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

Last update for London: October 10, 2026

Last update for Goma: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
London
$2.2K
Goma
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
London
$430
Goma
–
Eating Out
London
$388
Goma
–
Groceries & Markets
London
$349
Goma
–
Getting Around
London
$285
Goma
–
Clothing & Footwear
London
$205
Goma
–
Sport & Entertainment
London
$95
Goma
–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $107 in London versus $46.00 in Goma. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $108 – making Goma the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 London
🇨🇩 Goma
🕒 Local time
17:50 5:50 PM
18:50 6:50 PM
1 h ahead of London
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,908,083 Capital
2,000,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CDF, USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

Congolese Franc exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 2,265 CDF (10,000 CDF = 4.41 USD). 1 EUR = 2,547 CDF (10,000 CDF = 3.93 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • London Goma 6,530 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • London
  • 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
London vs Goma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, London or Goma?
London costs about 827% more than Goma, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in London and in Goma?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,979 per month in London and $645 in Goma. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does it cost to live in London compared to Goma?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,986 in London and $430 in Goma. That's a gap of about 827%.
Are groceries more expensive in London or in Goma?
Groceries cost about 224% more in London, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in London or in Goma?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Goma, where all-in costs run around $430, than in London at $3,986. In Goma it covers expenses comfortably, while in London it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, London or Goma?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Goma costs $430 versus $3,986 in London. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to London or to Goma?
If budget matters most, go with Goma. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, London makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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