Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Rwanda Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Rwanda

Name: Rwanda
Address: RW

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,181 per month in Australia vs $508 in Rwanda, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,218 per month in Australia vs $802 in Rwanda, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,254 per month in Australia vs $1,096 in Rwanda, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is about 329% higher than in Rwanda on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Australia sits 64% above the global median, while Rwanda is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,595–$2,799) than in Rwanda ($380–$800), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.97 A$22.66

$3.39 RWF 4,956

371.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.0 A$112

$27.86 RWF 40.8K

183.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 A$13.74

$6.03 RWF 8,818

60.53%

Cappuccino

$3.58 A$5.08

$2.17 RWF 3,182

64.98%

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

$2.56 A$3.64

$0.81 RWF 1,181

216.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 A$3.15

$0.54 RWF 783

311.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.34 A$8.99

$1.06 RWF 1,545

498.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 A$9.86

$2.10 RWF 3,074

230.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 A$2.22

$0.67 RWF 976

132.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 A$3.59

$0.99 RWF 1,453

155.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 A$2.83

$1.22 RWF 1,784

63.93%

Eggs

$4.26 A$6.05

$1.61 RWF 2,351

164.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 A$12.42

$3.79 RWF 5,552

130.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 A$11.68

$4.08 RWF 5,964

101.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.15 A$20.08

$3.60 RWF 5,268

293.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 A$4.63

$2.71 RWF 3,960

20.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 A$3.99

$0.84 RWF 1,225

234.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.26

$1.44 RWF 2,112

108.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 A$6.12

$0.99 RWF 1,448

335.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 A$3.62

$0.46 RWF 667

454.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 A$3.07

$0.81 RWF 1,183

166.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 A$3.15

$0.44 RWF 643

404.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 A$2.17

$0.73 RWF 1,069

109.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.28 A$44.38

$1.76 RWF 2,581

1677.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.09 A$20.00

$10.01 RWF 14.7K

40.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.44 A$6.30

$1.01 RWF 1,483

339.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 A$6.96

$1.72 RWF 2,516

184.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 A$4.19

$0.36 RWF 530

719.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.9 A$136

$27.52 RWF 40.3K

248.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 A$4.95

$2.76 RWF 4,043

26.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 A$2.61

$1.21 RWF 1,773

52.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.26 A$52.9

$4.11 RWF 6,022

806.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 A$1.66

$1.14 RWF 1,672

2.63%

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

$28.7K A$40.8K

$24.6K RWF 35.9M

17.00%

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

$22.5K A$31.9K

$22.5K RWF 33.0M

-0.30%

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

$173 A$246

$49.30 RWF 72.1K

251.64%

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

$26.62 A$37.77

$9.18 RWF 13.4K

189.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 A$75.3

$21.22 RWF 31.1K

150.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.82 A$66.4

$31.60 RWF 46.2K

48.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 A$23.25

$4.38 RWF 6,417

273.97%

Cinema Ticket

$13.56 A$19.24

$3.44 RWF 5,037

294.19%

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

$1,571 A$2,229

$134 RWF 196.7K

1068.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K A$17.9K

$4,352 RWF 6.4M

189.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.1 A$102

$18.92 RWF 27.7K

280.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 A$73.2

$22.35 RWF 32.7K

130.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$144

$28.59 RWF 41.8K

253.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 A$153

$34.44 RWF 50.4K

213.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,398 A$1,984

$428 RWF 626.2K

226.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 A$1,541

$290 RWF 424.9K

273.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,272 A$3,223

$884 RWF 1.3M

156.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,751 A$2,485

$565 RWF 826.8K

209.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,955 A$11.3K

$3,424 RWF 5.0M

132.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,978 A$8,483

$3,026 RWF 4.4M

97.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,053 A$5,751

$250 RWF 366.4K

1518.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

16.43

-61.35%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Australia: July 28, 2026

Last update for Rwanda: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,230 in Australia vs $267 in Rwanda. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,557 in Canberra and $581 in Kigali.

Average salary: $3,808 in Australia vs $227 in Rwanda. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 361% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 285% more in Australia.

Public transport is 379% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 1578% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

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

Australia vs Rwanda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rwanda is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 272% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Rwanda, contributing to the overall 272% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Rwanda, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Rwanda is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.