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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $439 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $676 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $912 in Gisenyi, rent included.

Medellin costs about 284% more than Gisenyi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Gisenyi is 68% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$2.43 RWF 3,554

224.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$15.03 RWF 22.0K

196.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$5.90 RWF 8,640

57.46%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.34 RWF 3,423

23.93%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.81 RWF 1,184

123.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.51 RWF 749

203.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$1.01 RWF 1,478

221.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$2.05 RWF 3,010

186.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$0.78 RWF 1,149

76.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.02 RWF 1,493

140.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.32 RWF 1,934

14.39%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.68 RWF 2,457

65.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$4.33 RWF 6,340

109.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.48 RWF 6,559

137.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$4.17 RWF 6,116

250.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.46 RWF 3,606

61.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$0.88 RWF 1,286

56.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.49 RWF 2,176

54.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.00 RWF 1,462

102.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.50 RWF 733

318.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.78 RWF 1,141

108.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.31 RWF 459

248.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.86 RWF 1,254

45.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.07 RWF 3,039

94.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$10.04 RWF 14.7K

34.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$0.91 RWF 1,332

75.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$1.55 RWF 2,269

93.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.09 RWF 126

1211.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$2.77 RWF 4,051

-41.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$2.03 RWF 2,968

4.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$3.46 RWF 5,072

146.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.73 RWF 2,541

-21.97%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$26.4K RWF 38.7M

7.17%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$29.6K RWF 43.4M

20.48%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$85.6 RWF 125.4K

76.91%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$3.05 RWF 4,468

329.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$20.94 RWF 30.7K

54.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$3.50 RWF 5,125

83.71%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$113 RWF 165.9K

636.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$6,800 RWF 10.0M

30.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$17.21 RWF 25.2K

419.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$15.39 RWF 22.5K

259.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$21.96 RWF 32.2K

521.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$34.18 RWF 50.1K

219.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$294 RWF 431.3K

223.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$49.75 RWF 72.9K

1242.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$302 RWF 442.5K

568.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$120 RWF 175.6K

858.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

16.2

-35.62%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Gisenyi: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $294 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $15.00 in Gisenyi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 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

Medellin vs Gisenyi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 284% more than Gisenyi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $659 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 $45.00 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 100% 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 $439, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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 $439 versus $1,687 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.