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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $443 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $691 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $938 in Gisenyi, rent included.

Phuket costs about 178% more than Gisenyi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Gisenyi are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Gisenyi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$2.65 RWF 3,885

66.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$15.10 RWF 22.2K

113.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$6.16 RWF 9,037

44.97%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.46 RWF 3,616

17.89%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.80 RWF 1,174

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.52 RWF 764

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$1.00 RWF 1,469

135.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$1.96 RWF 2,878

89.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$0.77 RWF 1,129

142.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.03 RWF 1,506

42.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.25 RWF 1,833

24.00%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.63 RWF 2,393

28.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$4.32 RWF 6,346

353.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.49 RWF 6,584

-23.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$4.55 RWF 6,684

150.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.37 RWF 3,483

25.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$0.88 RWF 1,287

90.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.54 RWF 2,266

43.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.00 RWF 1,461

116.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.49 RWF 718

210.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.80 RWF 1,169

67.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.31 RWF 461

264.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.79 RWF 1,157

-30.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.08 RWF 3,058

104.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$10.23 RWF 15.0K

86.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$0.96 RWF 1,404

85.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.58 RWF 2,321

75.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.10 RWF 150

2130.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$2.70 RWF 3,958

12.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$2.02 RWF 2,963

-49.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$3.38 RWF 4,957

15.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.78 RWF 2,612

-16.29%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$26.5K RWF 38.9M

0.26%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$29.3K RWF 43.0M

-7.74%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$84.0 RWF 123.3K

21.93%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$2.98 RWF 4,366

280.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$21.28 RWF 31.2K

-18.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$3.44 RWF 5,046

123.55%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$115 RWF 168.7K

387.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$9,686 RWF 14.2M

18.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$17.50 RWF 25.7K

260.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$15.39 RWF 22.6K

91.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$21.97 RWF 32.2K

346.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$34.32 RWF 50.4K

157.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$286 RWF 419.9K

157.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$50.1 RWF 73.5K

862.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$300 RWF 440.1K

602.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$120 RWF 175.9K

922.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

16.2

-65.62%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Gisenyi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $286 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $15.00 in Gisenyi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 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

Phuket vs Gisenyi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 178% 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $665 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 $32.00 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 84% 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 $443, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $443 versus $1,232 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.