DR Congo vs South Africa - Cost of Living Comparison

DR Congo South Africa
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1016
$843
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2711
$1912
🏠 One person rent
$511
$429
🏘️ Family rent
$1317
$691
🍽️ Food expenses
$318
$240
🚐 Transport expenses
$124
$98.5
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$1145
$1417
💸 GDP per capita
$586
$6776
😃 Human freedom index
5.39
6.93
❤️ Life expectancy
59.2
62.3
👮 Corruption perceptions index
20
43
🌐 English speaking %
1%
31%
🎓 Higher education
42
83
😀 Quality of life
18
42
🏙️ Population
86.8M
60.1M

The average cost of living in the DR Congo ($1016) is 21% more expensive than in South Africa ($843). the DR Congo ranked 76th vs 102nd for South Africa in the list of the most expensive countries in the world.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.1 months in the DR Congo compared to 1.7 months in South Africa. Ranked 180th and 118th best countries to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in DR Congo vs South Africa infographic

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Prices in the DR Congo vs South Africa

We calculate prices for the DR Congo and South Africa as a population-weighted mean of 25 and 36 cities, respectively. Since large cities tend to have a higher cost of living, it's better to visit specific city pages below for more relevant information.

DR Congo South Africa
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$8.72
$6.57
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$47.6
$29.3
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$4.9
$4.13
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.96
$1.72
 Cappuccino
$3.49
$1.76
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.21
$0.88
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$624
$395
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$266
$310
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1947
$637
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$843
$535
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$150
$61.4
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$230
$94.8
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$24.1
$40.5
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
12.18%
10.03%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$8386
$890
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$614
$726
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.57
$1.58
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$72.9
$41.3
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$4.75
$10.1
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.14
$1.23
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.1
$0.98
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.26
$0.87
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.48
$1.19
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.28
$1.92
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.5
$7.38
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.05
$4.75
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.27
$6.88
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.61
$1.41
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.47
$1.33
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.28
$1.28
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.4
$1.36
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.34
$1.17
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.84
$1.18
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.04
$0.59
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.58
$1.22
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$10.4
$5.25
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.47
$1.34
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.69
$2.68
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$2.78
$4.3
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.19
$3.08
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.46
$1.7
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$0.91
$1.12
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$42.3
$26.4
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$2.89
$5.61
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$35.8
$28.9
💇 Haircut, simple
$4.71
$6.73
👖 Brand Jeans
$21.3
$44.2
👟 Brand Sneakers
$62.5
$82.9
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$103
$176
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$3783
$3789

Cost of living in other countries

Cost of living

Cities Comparison in the DR Congo vs South Africa

More countries to compare

Cost of Living in Popular cities

In the DR Congo

City Cost of living Population
Kinshasa
$1085
11.9M
Mbuji-Mayi
$1043
2.89M
Kananga
$1014
1.97M
Lubumbashi
$1045
1.79M
Mbandaka
$896
1.19M
Kisangani
$935
936K
Bukavu
$805
871K
Tshikapa
$972
732K
Uvira
$848
590K
Kolwezi
$1004
573K
Likasi
$1044
423K
Bunia
$814
328K
Matadi
$902
306K
Beni
$816
232K
Butembo
$815
218K
Mwene-Ditu
$907
196K
Kikwit
$907
187K
Isiro
$883
183K
Kindu
$811
172K
Boma
$886
163K
Gandajika
$896
146K
Kalemie
$812
147K
Gemena
$836
139K
Bumba
$873
103K
Mbanza-Ngungu
$874
100K

In South Africa

City Cost of living Population
Johannesburg
$967
4.43M
Soweto
$859
1.27M
Pretoria
$821
742K
Rustenburg
$987
550K
Pietermaritzburg
$632
619K
Durban
$770
595K
Randburg
$727
337K
Cape Town
$904
434K
Sandton
$882
222K
East London
$746
267K
Centurion
$774
237K
Port Elizabeth
$835
312K
Bloemfontein
$644
256K
Kimberley
$599
225K
Benoni
$783
159K
Kroonstad
$714
169K
Klerksdorp
$585
187K
Springs
$634
122K
Paarl
$840
112K
Vereeniging
$684
99K
Middelburg
$923
87.3K
Mthatha
$696
96.1K
Uitenhage
$563
104K
George
$691
157K
Potchefstroom
$625
149K
Upington
$674
121K
Bethal
$774
60.8K
Komani
$692
68.9K
Brits
$776
53.5K
Welkom
$680
64.1K