Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Gisenyi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Gisenyi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $415 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $653 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $891 in Gisenyi, rent included.

Phuket costs about 195% more than Gisenyi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Gisenyi are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Gisenyi 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿148

$4.10 RWF 5,980

10.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,528

$15.19 RWF 22.2K

206.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿278

$6.04 RWF 8,813

40.56%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿101

$2.24 RWF 3,271

37.50%

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

$0.68 ฿22.26

$0.87 RWF 1,275

-21.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.84

$0.52 RWF 766

-30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿79.5

$1.02 RWF 1,491

138.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$1.98 RWF 2,898

83.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.7

$0.67 RWF 975

226.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.5

$1.07 RWF 1,555

69.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿73.1

$1.24 RWF 1,809

79.84%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.3

$1.65 RWF 2,402

35.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿642

$3.99 RWF 5,832

391.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.30 RWF 6,275

-13.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿441

$3.66 RWF 5,341

268.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$2.47 RWF 3,602

36.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.00 RWF 1,465

62.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.47 RWF 2,147

63.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿65.2

$1.15 RWF 1,676

73.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$0.48 RWF 702

218.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.59

$0.81 RWF 1,178

79.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.23

$0.31 RWF 454

225.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.86

$0.75 RWF 1,092

-36.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$1.69 RWF 2,473

152.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿627

$10.16 RWF 14.8K

88.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$0.89 RWF 1,305

106.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.8

$1.72 RWF 2,508

59.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.44

$0.09 RWF 137

1477.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿384

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿98.4

$3.15 RWF 4,604

-4.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.28

$1.39 RWF 2,025

-24.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿456

$3.72 RWF 5,428

273.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿42.28

$1.13 RWF 1,644

14.16%

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

$28.0K ฿918.7K

$26.4K RWF 38.5M

6.37%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$30.7K RWF 44.9M

8.98%

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

$122 ฿3,997

$45.88 RWF 67.0K

165.87%

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

$13.93 ฿457

$2.92 RWF 4,259

377.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿618

$17.84 RWF 26.0K

5.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿2,008

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿552

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿291

$3.53 RWF 5,157

151.84%

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

$691 ฿22.7K

$153 RWF 223.8K

350.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿529.5K

$5,039 RWF 7.4M

220.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,894

$17.19 RWF 25.1K

236.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,160

$19.26 RWF 28.1K

83.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,716

$24.51 RWF 35.8K

362.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,720

$30.88 RWF 45.1K

168.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.9K

$98.2 RWF 143.4K

517.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.7K

$49.96 RWF 72.9K

796.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.5K

$299 RWF 437.1K

577.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.9K

$120 RWF 175.3K

1143.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿117.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

16.2

-67.10%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Gisenyi: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Phuket versus $98.2 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $15.00 in Gisenyi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $145 – 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

Phuket vs Gisenyi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 195% 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 $1,835 per month in Phuket and $622 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 $47.00 in Phuket 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 102% more in Phuket, 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 $415, than in Phuket at $1,223. In Gisenyi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gisenyi costs $415 versus $1,223 in Phuket. 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, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.