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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,191 per month in Tbilisi vs $414 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,856 per month in Tbilisi vs $651 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,522 per month in Tbilisi vs $888 in Gisenyi, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 188% more than Gisenyi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Gisenyi are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 11% lower, Gisenyi 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.56

$4.19 RWF 6,133

160.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$15.04 RWF 22.0K

187.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.31

$5.86 RWF 8,580

45.56%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.81

$2.24 RWF 3,277

33.48%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$0.86 RWF 1,253

-5.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$0.51 RWF 753

-17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.65

$1.02 RWF 1,497

111.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.52

$2.01 RWF 2,942

43.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$0.66 RWF 963

193.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$1.07 RWF 1,567

-36.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$1.25 RWF 1,824

48.00%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.62

$1.68 RWF 2,462

50.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.69

$4.16 RWF 6,086

81.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.39

$4.26 RWF 6,233

46.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.09

$3.73 RWF 5,464

157.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$2.37 RWF 3,465

-51.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$1.01 RWF 1,476

62.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$1.47 RWF 2,152

27.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$1.14 RWF 1,662

95.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.49 RWF 710

42.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$0.83 RWF 1,211

-22.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.09

$0.31 RWF 454

280.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.80 RWF 1,170

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.78

$1.69 RWF 2,479

75.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.45

$10.03 RWF 14.7K

-25.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$0.97 RWF 1,425

58.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$1.78 RWF 2,599

28.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

$0.09 RWF 136

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$3.14 RWF 4,602

-54.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$1.40 RWF 2,052

-50.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$3.75 RWF 5,488

93.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$1.17 RWF 1,713

-6.84%

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

$18.3K ₾47.9K

$26.9K RWF 39.4M

-31.90%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$30.0K RWF 43.9M

-31.68%

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

$74.4 ₾195

$45.73 RWF 66.9K

62.58%

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

$11.71 ₾30.63

$3.06 RWF 4,483

282.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.06

$17.97 RWF 26.3K

-2.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.63

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$3.42 RWF 5,009

90.35%

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

$269 ₾704

$153 RWF 223.4K

76.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$5,123 RWF 7.5M

0.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$17.30 RWF 25.3K

345.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$19.10 RWF 28.0K

127.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$24.56 RWF 35.9K

381.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$30.90 RWF 45.2K

264.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,856

$101 RWF 148.2K

600.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,215

$50.6 RWF 74.1K

817.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,442

$299 RWF 438.1K

339.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

$118 RWF 172.8K

549.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,522

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,773

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ₾1,735

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Gisenyi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $709 in Tbilisi 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $15.00 in Gisenyi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 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 188% 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 $1,787 per month in Tbilisi 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 $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 $414, than in Tbilisi at $1,191. 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 $414 versus $1,191 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.