Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gisenyi Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gisenyi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $418 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $653 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $888 in Gisenyi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 143% more than Gisenyi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Gisenyi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Gisenyi 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.11 RWF 6,004

44.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$14.89 RWF 21.7K

123.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.14 RWF 8,964

17.75%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.21 RWF 3,229

-26.24%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.82 RWF 1,199

32.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.52 RWF 752

40.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.07 RWF 1,558

62.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.02 RWF 2,950

59.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.67 RWF 985

56.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.02 RWF 1,487

26.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.28 RWF 1,864

3.13%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.71 RWF 2,499

32.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$3.99 RWF 5,829

9.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.45 RWF 6,492

32.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$3.69 RWF 5,379

133.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.49 RWF 3,630

-9.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.01 RWF 1,472

5.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.49 RWF 2,177

2.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.14 RWF 1,667

24.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.51 RWF 746

129.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.78 RWF 1,136

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.29 RWF 423

206.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.81 RWF 1,181

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.69 RWF 2,466

33.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$10.34 RWF 15.1K

6.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.92 RWF 1,340

23.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.78 RWF 2,594

33.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.11 RWF 161

663.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.17 RWF 4,633

-55.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.44 RWF 2,101

31.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.80 RWF 5,553

103.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.14 RWF 1,659

-11.40%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$26.3K RWF 38.4M

-33.12%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$30.5K RWF 44.5M

-13.01%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$46.63 RWF 68.1K

79.46%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$3.03 RWF 4,429

211.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$18.14 RWF 26.5K

32.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.39 RWF 4,944

20.94%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$152 RWF 222.0K

105.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$5,187 RWF 7.6M

15.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$17.33 RWF 25.3K

234.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$19.29 RWF 28.2K

68.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$24.23 RWF 35.4K

311.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$31.59 RWF 46.1K

243.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$99.7 RWF 145.4K

383.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$50.5 RWF 73.8K

650.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$304 RWF 444.3K

175.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$120 RWF 175.7K

500.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

16.2

-17.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Gisenyi: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $99.7 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $15.00 in Gisenyi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $147 – 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

Medellin vs Gisenyi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 143% more than Gisenyi, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $627 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 $33.00 in Medellin 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 29% more in Medellin, 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 $418, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Gisenyi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gisenyi costs $418 versus $1,017 in Medellin. 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, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.