Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Report of what it's like to live there - 09/11/24
Personal Experiences from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
I have lived in several countries in Africa and Asia.
2. What is your home city/country? How long is the trip to post from there, with what connections? How easy/difficult is it to travel to this city/country?
Washington, DC. It’s a long haul, but there are several options, including via Brussels or Paris.
3. What years did you live here?
2022-2024.
4. How long have you lived here?
Two years.
5. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
Work.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Groceries are more expensive than the US, but there is a good variety available. Prices for local products are not bad, but fresh, imported products are quite pricy.
2. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
There is a good variety of restaurants and many offer takeout or delivery. They are more expensive than in the US.
Daily Life:
1. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Housekeepers, nannies, drivers, handymen, etc… are all available at very reasonable cost.
2. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Credit cards are widely accepted at large restaurants, supermarkets and other expat-friendly sites.
3. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
French language is very useful for daily living. Local language classes and tutors are available.
4. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
Yes
Transportation:
1. What kind of vehicle(s) including electric ones do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, infrastructure, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car or vehicles do you advise not to bring?
High-clearance SUV.
Pets:
1. Are qualified veterinarians and/or good kennel services available? Do animals need to be quarantined upon entry to the country? Are there other considerations regarding pets that are particular to this country?
There is at least one qualified European vet in town. No quarantine is required.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
There are personal security concerns, but the bigger problem are security restrictions that keep people from getting very far out of Kinshasa. Or sometimes restricted within Kinshasa. This varies from one employer to another, but if you would be working for one of the risk-averse employers, such as the US Embassy, do yourself a favor and find a job somewhere else. Do you want to spend two years in a country and never see 99 percent of it?
2. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
Warm in “dry season” and hot in rainy season.
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
TASOK (the American School) is excellent.
2. Are preschools available? Day care? Are these expensive? What has been your experience with them, if any? Do the schools provide before- and/or after-school care?
Busy Bees is a very good pre-school.
Words of Wisdom:
1. What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?
I wish I had known how (and, in my opinion, unnecessarily) severe the security restrictions would be.
2. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
No, because of the security restictions, it was an unpleasant tour.
3. Do you have any other comments?
Check to see the current status of security restrictions before you consider a move here. These might change with time.
