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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,178 per month in Tbilisi vs $415 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,848 per month in Tbilisi vs $653 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,518 per month in Tbilisi vs $891 in Gisenyi, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 184% 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

$11.09 ₾29.33

$4.10 RWF 5,980

170.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.24 ₾114

$15.19 RWF 22.2K

184.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ₾22.62

$6.04 RWF 8,813

41.56%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.86

$2.24 RWF 3,271

32.59%

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

$0.76 ₾2.01

$0.87 RWF 1,275

-12.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.52 RWF 766

-11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ₾5.87

$1.02 RWF 1,491

117.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.72

$1.98 RWF 2,898

47.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 ₾5.21

$0.67 RWF 975

194.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.94

$1.07 RWF 1,555

-31.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 ₾4.81

$1.24 RWF 1,809

46.77%

Eggs

$2.49 ₾6.60

$1.65 RWF 2,402

50.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 ₾20.26

$3.99 RWF 5,832

91.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 ₾16.58

$4.30 RWF 6,275

45.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 ₾25.12

$3.66 RWF 5,341

159.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ₾3.24

$2.47 RWF 3,602

-50.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.32

$1.00 RWF 1,465

64.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.95

$1.47 RWF 2,147

27.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 ₾6.01

$1.15 RWF 1,676

97.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.77

$0.48 RWF 702

39.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.78

$0.81 RWF 1,178

-17.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₾3.23

$0.31 RWF 454

293.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.85

$0.75 RWF 1,092

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.72

$1.69 RWF 2,473

72.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 ₾20.40

$10.16 RWF 14.8K

-24.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.09

$0.89 RWF 1,305

74.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₾5.86

$1.72 RWF 2,508

29.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$0.09 RWF 137

333.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.67 ₾38.78

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 ₾3.82

$3.15 RWF 4,604

-54.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$1.39 RWF 2,025

-50.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ₾19.50

$3.72 RWF 5,428

98.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.03

$1.13 RWF 1,644

0.88%

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

$18.2K ₾48.0K

$26.4K RWF 38.5M

-31.09%

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

$20.4K ₾54.1K

$30.7K RWF 44.9M

-33.51%

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

$73.6 ₾195

$45.88 RWF 67.0K

60.51%

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

$11.64 ₾30.78

$2.92 RWF 4,259

298.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.63 ₾46.62

$17.84 RWF 26.0K

-1.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.4 ₾162

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.85 ₾44.55

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 ₾17.69

$3.53 RWF 5,157

89.52%

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

$264 ₾698

$153 RWF 223.8K

72.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,169 ₾13.7K

$5,039 RWF 7.4M

2.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 ₾199

$17.19 RWF 25.1K

336.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.26 ₾114

$19.26 RWF 28.1K

124.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾311

$24.51 RWF 35.8K

379.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾295

$30.88 RWF 45.1K

261.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 ₾1,866

$98.2 RWF 143.4K

618.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₾1,220

$49.96 RWF 72.9K

823.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 ₾3,486

$299 RWF 437.1K

340.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$781 ₾2,064

$120 RWF 175.3K

550.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,463 ₾6,512

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,409 ₾3,725

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$672 ₾1,778

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Gisenyi: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $706 in Tbilisi 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $15.00 in Gisenyi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 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

Tbilisi vs Gisenyi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 184% 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 $1,767 per month in Tbilisi 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 $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 42% 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 $415, than in Tbilisi at $1,178. 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 $415 versus $1,178 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.