Cost of living in Bukavu
Bukavu, a city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, offers a unique blend of cultural richness and economic challenges. Understanding the cost of living here is crucial for both residents and newcomers.
This guide provides a detailed breakdown of expenses in Bukavu, covering essential categories such as dining, groceries, transportation, housing, and utilities.
Cost of Living Summary
Dining and Restaurants
- Inexpensive Restaurant Meal - A meal at a casual restaurant will typically cost $7.5 on average, with a range between $5 and $10.
- Fast Food (e.g., McDonald's) - A McMeal or equivalent combo meal is consistently priced at $5.
- Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught) - Domestic beer costs between $2 and $3, averaging $2.5.
- Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) - Imported beer is priced at $3.
- Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle) - A bottle of Coke or Pepsi ranges from $1 to $2, averaging $1.5.
- Water (0.33 liter bottle) - A bottle of water is consistently priced at $1.
Grocery Prices
- Milk - Milk is priced at $1.5 per liter.
- Bread (Loaf of Fresh White Bread) - A loaf of fresh white bread costs $2.
- Eggs (Dozen) - A dozen eggs range from $3.6 to $4.32, averaging $3.96.
- Local Cheese (1kg) - Local cheese is priced at $5 per kg.
- Water (1.5 liter bottle) - A 1.5 liter bottle of water costs $2.
- Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) - A mid-range bottle of wine is priced at $15.
- Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) - Domestic beer costs $2 per bottle.
- Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) - Imported beer costs $2 per bottle.
- Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) - A pack of Marlboro cigarettes is priced at $5.
- Chicken Fillets (1kg) - Chicken fillets are priced at $3 per kg.
- Apples (1kg) - Apples cost $4 per kg.
- Oranges (1kg) - Oranges are priced at $1 per kg.
- Potato (1kg) - Potatoes are priced at $1.5 per kg.
- Lettuce (1 head) - A head of lettuce costs $3.
- Rice (white), (1kg) - Rice is priced at $1.5 per kg.
- Tomato (1kg) - Tomatoes range from $1 to $1.2 per kg, averaging $1.1.
- Banana (1kg) - Bananas are priced at $1 per kg.
- Onion (1kg) - Onions cost $2 per kg.
- Beef Round (1kg) - Beef round is priced at $6 per kg.
Transportation
- Public Transport (One-Way Ticket) - A one-way local transport ticket is consistently priced at $0.25.
- Monthly Pass - A monthly pass for public transport costs $15.
- Fuel (Gasoline) - Gasoline is priced between $1 and $1.7 per liter, averaging $1.35.
- Taxi Fares - Taxi fares cost $1.5 per km, with an hourly waiting charge ranging from $5 to $10, averaging $7.5.
Housing Costs
- 1-Bedroom Apartment Rent (City Centre) - Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in the city centre averages $300.
- 1-Bedroom Apartment Rent (Outside Centre) - Outside the centre, rent ranges from $100 to $250, averaging $175.
- 3-Bedroom Apartment Rent (City Centre) - Rent for a 3-bedroom apartment in the city centre averages $500.
- 3-Bedroom Apartment Rent (Outside Centre) - Outside the centre, rent ranges from $200 to $350, averaging $275.
Utilities
- Mobile Phone Monthly Plan - A mobile phone plan with calls and 10GB+ data costs $30.
Cost of Living Data
The following pricing data has been gathered from 3 user contributions, as of the most recent update in February, 2024.
Restaurants
Restaurants
Avg
Range
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant
$7.50
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal)
$5.00
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.50
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00
Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00
Cappuccino (regular)
$5.00
Markets
Markets
Avg
Range
Milk (regular), (1 liter)
$1.50
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g)
$2.00
Eggs (regular) (12)
$3.96
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.00
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.00
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range)
$15.00
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.00
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro)
$5.00
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.00
Apples (1kg)
$4.00
Oranges (1kg)
$1.00
Potato (1kg)
$1.50
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.00
Rice (white), (1kg)
$1.50
Tomato (1kg)
$1.10
Banana (1kg)
$1.00
Onion (1kg)
$2.00
Beef Round (1kg) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)
$6.00
Transportation
Transportation
Avg
Range
One-way Ticket (Local Transport)
$0.25
Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.00
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car)
$15,000.00
Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff)
$1.50
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.50
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car)
$17,000.00
Rent Per Month
Rent Per Month
Avg
Range
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre
$300.00
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre
$175.00
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre
$500.00
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre
$275.00
Utilities (Monthly)
Utilities (Monthly)
Avg
Range
Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data
$30.00
Sports And Leisure
Sports And Leisure
Avg
Range
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult
$37.50
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.00
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat
$3.00
Clothing And Shoes
Clothing And Shoes
Avg
Range
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.00
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...)
$45.00
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range)
$50.00
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes
$120.00
Buy Apartment Price
Buy Apartment Price
Avg
Range
Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre
$500.00
Salaries And Financing
Salaries And Financing
Avg
Range
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$500.00
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate
12%
Childcare
Childcare
Avg
Range
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child
$75.00
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child
$1,200.00
Bukavu Cost of Living
"Key Takeaways"
Bukavu offers relatively affordable dining and grocery options, with inexpensive restaurant meals averaging $7.5.
Transportation costs are low, with public transport tickets priced at $0.25 and gasoline averaging $1.35 per liter.
Housing is affordable, especially outside the city centre, with 1-bedroom apartments averaging $175.
Conclusion
Overall, Bukavu presents a cost-effective living environment, particularly in terms of dining, transportation, and housing.
Potential residents can benefit from the affordable cost of living, making it an attractive option for those seeking to balance expenses with quality of life.