Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Gisenyi Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Gisenyi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,185 per month in Tbilisi vs $419 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,834 per month in Tbilisi vs $656 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,483 per month in Tbilisi vs $893 in Gisenyi, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 183% more than Gisenyi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Gisenyi are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 12% lower, Gisenyi 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$4.08 RWF 5,969

173.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$14.84 RWF 21.7K

190.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$5.90 RWF 8,631

39.32%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$2.24 RWF 3,278

39.73%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.86 RWF 1,260

-13.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.52 RWF 759

-13.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$1.01 RWF 1,483

110.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$2.03 RWF 2,970

47.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$0.66 RWF 971

186.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$1.07 RWF 1,561

-31.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$1.24 RWF 1,811

49.19%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$1.64 RWF 2,400

49.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$4.17 RWF 6,111

88.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$4.43 RWF 6,480

41.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$3.67 RWF 5,371

166.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$2.50 RWF 3,655

-51.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$0.99 RWF 1,455

60.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$1.43 RWF 2,091

25.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$1.14 RWF 1,671

103.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$0.49 RWF 714

44.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$0.77 RWF 1,123

-12.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$0.31 RWF 460

280.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.79 RWF 1,163

-10.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$1.70 RWF 2,484

71.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$10.13 RWF 14.8K

-28.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$0.90 RWF 1,321

72.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$1.72 RWF 2,519

34.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

$0.10 RWF 149

280.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$3.19 RWF 4,675

-53.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$1.40 RWF 2,044

-50.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$3.89 RWF 5,689

91.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$1.14 RWF 1,668

0.88%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$26.8K RWF 39.2M

-32.71%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$30.4K RWF 44.4M

-34.68%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$47.21 RWF 69.1K

55.56%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$3.08 RWF 4,511

277.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$18.01 RWF 26.4K

-1.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$3.51 RWF 5,135

85.47%

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

$263 ₾707

$156 RWF 227.8K

68.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$5,205 RWF 7.6M

-1.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$17.33 RWF 25.4K

348.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$19.53 RWF 28.6K

127.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$24.22 RWF 35.5K

385.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$31.42 RWF 46.0K

263.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

$99.1 RWF 145.0K

599.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

$50.5 RWF 73.9K

816.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

$297 RWF 435.2K

349.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

$118 RWF 172.9K

559.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

16.2

-26.60%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Gisenyi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $15.00 in Gisenyi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 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

Tbilisi vs Gisenyi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 183% 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 $1,777 per month in Tbilisi 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi 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 40% more in Tbilisi, 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 Tbilisi at $1,185. In Gisenyi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gisenyi costs $419 versus $1,185 in Tbilisi. 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, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.