Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lubumbashi and Goma

For one person, living is cheaper in Goma: $430 a month against $1,228 in Lubumbashi, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Lubumbashi
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Lubumbashi Living Index

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Lubumbashi

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo

$1,228

/mo nomad

Goma

🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo

$430

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,228 per month in Lubumbashi vs $430 in Goma, rent included.

Lubumbashi $1,228
Goma $430

A couple spends around $2,727 per month in Lubumbashi vs $751 in Goma, rent included.

Lubumbashi $2,727
Goma $751

A family of three spends $4,226 per month in Lubumbashi vs $1,071 in Goma, rent included.

Lubumbashi $4,226
Goma $1,071

Lubumbashi costs about 186% more than Goma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lubumbashi and Goma are more affordable than the global median – Lubumbashi 9% lower, Goma 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.91 CDF 22.5K

$14.95 CDF 33.9K

-33.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.1 CDF 224.6K

$45.52 CDF 103.1K

117.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 CDF 22.5K

$10.19 CDF 23.1K

-2.65%

Cappuccino

$4.03 CDF 9,131

$3.51 CDF 7,960

14.81%

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

$1.08 CDF 2,458

$1.03 CDF 2,331

4.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 CDF 2,292

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 CDF 4,508

$1.19 CDF 2,685

67.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 CDF 5,756

$5.03 CDF 11.4K

-49.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CDF 4,446

$0.98 CDF 2,211

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 CDF 2,764

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.18 CDF 7,204

$1.22 CDF 2,758

160.66%

Eggs

$2.10 CDF 4,761

$1.60 CDF 3,625

31.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.77 CDF 33.5K

$6.03 CDF 13.7K

144.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 CDF 17.4K

$2.57 CDF 5,814

199.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 CDF 35.2K

$5.02 CDF 11.4K

209.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 CDF 11.2K

$1.97 CDF 4,470

151.78%

Banana (1kg)

$3.07 CDF 6,960

Oranges (1kg)

$4.88 CDF 11.1K

$1.52 CDF 3,448

221.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 CDF 6,745

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CDF 5,810

$0.51 CDF 1,165

401.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CDF 6,020

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 CDF 2,220

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CDF 2,774

$0.69 CDF 1,552

76.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 CDF 9,227

Wine (Bottle)

$12.73 CDF 28.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CDF 2,600

$2.02 CDF 4,567

-43.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 CDF 4,719

$2.52 CDF 5,698

-17.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 CDF 2,289

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 CDF 10.1K

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.87 CDF 22.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 CDF 3,361

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

$25.1K CDF 56.8M

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

$30.6K CDF 69.3M

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

$99.9 CDF 226.3K

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

$20.13 CDF 45.6K

$14.71 CDF 33.3K

36.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 CDF 136.6K

$60.4 CDF 136.9K

-0.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.6 CDF 166.8K

$30.38 CDF 68.8K

142.33%

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

$132 CDF 297.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,456 CDF 10.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.35 CDF 50.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.55 CDF 51.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.1 CDF 133.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 CDF 196.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$862 CDF 2.0M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 CDF 851.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,522 CDF 5.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,051 CDF 4.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,012 CDF 2.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$499 CDF 1.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,064 CDF 2.4M

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

Last update for Lubumbashi: October 13, 2026

Last update for Goma: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lubumbashi

$376 30.6%

Goma

–

Groceries & Markets

Lubumbashi

$327 26.6%

Goma

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lubumbashi

$180 14.7%

Goma

–

Eating Out

Lubumbashi

$177 * 14.4%

Goma

–

Clothing & Footwear

Lubumbashi

$86 7%

Goma

–

Sport & Entertainment

Lubumbashi

$74 * 6%

Goma

–

Getting Around

Lubumbashi

$8.5 * 0.7%

Goma

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Lubumbashi versus $46.00 in Goma. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $108 – making Goma the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇩 Lubumbashi

🇨🇩 Goma

🕒 Local time

00:42 12:42 AM

Same time as Lubumbashi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,139,064

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

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Between locations

Lubumbashi Goma 1,130 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Lubumbashi
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

Lubumbashi vs Goma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lubumbashi costs about 186% 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 $1,842 per month in Lubumbashi 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 $1,228 in Lubumbashi and $430 in Goma. That's a gap of about 186%.

Groceries cost about 203% more in Lubumbashi, 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 Lubumbashi at $1,228. In Goma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lubumbashi 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, Lubumbashi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.