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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $419 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $656 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $893 in Gisenyi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 147% more than Gisenyi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Gisenyi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Gisenyi 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$4.08 RWF 5,956

45.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$14.84 RWF 21.7K

120.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$5.90 RWF 8,613

22.03%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$2.24 RWF 3,271

-24.11%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$0.86 RWF 1,257

27.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$0.52 RWF 757

38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$1.01 RWF 1,480

65.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$2.03 RWF 2,964

52.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$0.66 RWF 969

60.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$1.07 RWF 1,558

16.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$1.24 RWF 1,808

12.10%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$1.64 RWF 2,395

37.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$4.17 RWF 6,098

3.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$4.43 RWF 6,466

31.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$3.67 RWF 5,360

140.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$2.50 RWF 3,647

-10.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$0.99 RWF 1,452

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$1.43 RWF 2,087

6.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$1.14 RWF 1,668

20.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$0.49 RWF 713

130.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$0.77 RWF 1,121

45.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$0.31 RWF 459

174.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$0.79 RWF 1,161

15.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$1.70 RWF 2,478

37.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$10.13 RWF 14.8K

9.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$0.90 RWF 1,318

32.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$1.72 RWF 2,513

37.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$0.10 RWF 149

690.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$3.19 RWF 4,665

-54.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$1.40 RWF 2,039

36.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$3.89 RWF 5,677

106.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$1.14 RWF 1,665

-17.54%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$26.8K RWF 39.1M

-33.02%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$30.4K RWF 44.4M

-11.76%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$47.21 RWF 69.0K

77.84%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$3.08 RWF 4,502

211.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$18.01 RWF 26.3K

34.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$3.51 RWF 5,124

11.68%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$156 RWF 227.4K

96.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$5,205 RWF 7.6M

13.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$17.33 RWF 25.3K

234.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$19.53 RWF 28.5K

62.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$24.22 RWF 35.4K

312.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$31.42 RWF 45.9K

240.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$99.1 RWF 144.7K

391.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$50.5 RWF 73.7K

629.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$297 RWF 434.3K

177.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$118 RWF 172.5K

506.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Gisenyi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $99.1 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 $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

Medellin vs Gisenyi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 147% 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $629 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 30% 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 $419, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $419 versus $1,034 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.