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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $414 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $651 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $888 in Gisenyi, rent included.

Phuket costs about 206% more than Gisenyi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Gisenyi are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Gisenyi 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$4.19 RWF 6,133

6.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$15.04 RWF 22.0K

203.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$5.86 RWF 8,580

49.49%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.24 RWF 3,277

32.59%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.86 RWF 1,253

-19.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.51 RWF 753

-23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.02 RWF 1,497

148.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.01 RWF 2,942

86.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$0.66 RWF 963

225.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.07 RWF 1,567

70.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.25 RWF 1,824

74.40%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.68 RWF 2,462

33.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$4.16 RWF 6,086

380.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.26 RWF 6,233

-14.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$3.73 RWF 5,464

263.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.37 RWF 3,465

36.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.01 RWF 1,476

62.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.47 RWF 2,152

58.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.14 RWF 1,662

81.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.49 RWF 710

216.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.83 RWF 1,211

75.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.31 RWF 454

216.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.80 RWF 1,170

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$1.69 RWF 2,479

157.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$10.03 RWF 14.7K

85.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$0.97 RWF 1,425

91.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.78 RWF 2,599

48.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.09 RWF 136

1477.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$3.14 RWF 4,602

0.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.40 RWF 2,052

-26.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$3.75 RWF 5,488

270.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.17 RWF 1,713

14.53%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$26.9K RWF 39.4M

3.28%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$30.0K RWF 43.9M

11.34%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$45.73 RWF 66.9K

169.08%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$3.06 RWF 4,483

350.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$17.97 RWF 26.3K

2.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$3.42 RWF 5,009

159.36%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$153 RWF 223.4K

350.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$5,123 RWF 7.5M

208.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$17.30 RWF 25.3K

242.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$19.10 RWF 28.0K

81.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$24.56 RWF 35.9K

369.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$30.90 RWF 45.2K

171.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$101 RWF 148.2K

513.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$50.6 RWF 74.1K

780.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$299 RWF 438.1K

579.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$118 RWF 172.8K

1167.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Gisenyi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $101 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $15.00 in Gisenyi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 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

Phuket vs Gisenyi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 206% 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 $1,896 per month in Phuket and $620 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 $46.00 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 99% 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 $414, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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 $414 versus $1,264 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.