Kinshasa: what to see and whether to move there

What the city lives on and who it suits

Kinshasa is the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and one of Africa's largest cities, with an estimated 17 million people. It lies on the Congo River opposite Brazzaville, capital of the neighbouring Republic of the Congo: the two closest capitals on the continent. French is the official language, and Lingala is spoken on the streets.

The country is rich in minerals: the DRC is the world's largest cobalt producer and a leading copper producer, but mining is in the south and east, while Kinshasa lives on government, trade, banks, international organisations and construction. Armed conflict continues in the east; in 2025 armed groups took the major cities of Goma and Bukavu, and protests took place outside embassies in Kinshasa.

It suits staff of international organisations, embassies, mining, telecom and construction companies with a contract and a security system. It does not suit tourists without local support, remote workers or anyone planning to move independently.

Neighbourhoods: where foreigners live

Foreigners live in guarded houses and compounds, travel by car with a driver and agree routes with the security service.

Cost of living

Payments are mostly in US dollars, with the Congolese franc used for small purchases. Kinshasa is one of Africa's most expensive cities for foreigners, so living here without an employer package is hard.

Practicalities: climate, health, security

• Climate. Hot and humid all year, a relatively dry season June to September, rains October to May.
• Health. Yellow fever vaccination is required for entry, malaria risk is high, and outbreaks of dangerous infections occur in various provinces. Complex treatment is only abroad; insurance with evacuation is mandatory.
• Security. Street crime and extortion at document checks; photographing government buildings, bridges and military personnel is prohibited.
• Travel. N'djili international airport is one to two hours away through traffic, with flights to Paris, Brussels, Istanbul, Addis Ababa and Johannesburg; a ferry crosses the river to Brazzaville.

Family: schools and healthcare

Kinshasa has French and Belgian lycées, an American school and an English-language International Baccalaureate school, typically costing about $10,000-20,000 a year. Still, many organisations treat the city as a non-family posting. Private clinics handle simple cases; serious treatment means going to South Africa, Belgium or France.

Who hires foreigners

The main employers are UN missions and humanitarian organisations, embassies, mining companies with offices in the capital, telecom operators, banks and construction contractors. French is needed almost everywhere. Contracts include housing, security, a car with driver, insurance with evacuation and regular rest breaks outside the country.

Moving and legal status

Foreigners come on contract: the employer or organisation arranges the visa, work permit and residence. There are no programmes for remote workers, retirees or investors in the usual sense, and running a business independently requires a local partner and lawyer because of complex regulation and informal payments. Those seeking life in Africa under clear rules are usually better served by Namibia or Mauritius.

First steps after arrival

• obtain the work permit and residence through your employer, and carry a certified copy of your passport;
• take the security briefing and save the contacts of your embassy and the security service;
• buy a local SIM card and set up mobile money, which is used everywhere;
• keep a reserve of cash dollars in new notes: old or torn notes are often refused;
• find out in advance how medical evacuation works.

Is the city worth considering for living

Only on contract with an organisation or company that takes care of security, housing and healthcare. For tourism, remote work or an independent move, no: high costs, weak healthcare, crime and instability in the country make life here risky. We find countries in Africa and other regions for calm living; we fix our fee after a free consultation.