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 $2,184 per month in Australia vs $503 in Rwanda, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,219 per month in Australia vs $801 in Rwanda, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,253 per month in Australia vs $1,098 in Rwanda, rent included.

Australia costs about 334% more than Rwanda on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Australia sits 63% above the global median, while Rwanda is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Australia has a wider regional cost range ($1,592–$2,842) than Rwanda ($378–$778), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Australia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.44 A$23.23

$3.43 RWF 5,007

379.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.1 A$110

$27.92 RWF 40.7K

179.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.94 A$14.05

$5.84 RWF 8,531

70.21%

Cappuccino

$3.60 A$5.08

$2.18 RWF 3,175

65.14%

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

$2.68 A$3.78

$0.86 RWF 1,261

211.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 A$3.02

$0.53 RWF 779

303.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.53 A$9.23

$1.03 RWF 1,500

533.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 A$9.96

$2.08 RWF 3,036

238.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 A$2.23

$0.70 RWF 1,017

125.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 A$3.57

$1.04 RWF 1,520

143.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 A$2.93

$1.16 RWF 1,687

78.45%

Eggs

$4.30 A$6.08

$1.65 RWF 2,403

160.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.03 A$12.76

$3.86 RWF 5,640

133.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.55 A$12.08

$4.10 RWF 5,983

108.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 A$19.72

$3.51 RWF 5,119

297.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.49

$2.69 RWF 3,927

18.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 A$4.01

$0.89 RWF 1,300

219.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 A$4.17

$1.39 RWF 2,029

112.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 A$6.26

$1.00 RWF 1,455

343.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 A$3.47

$0.46 RWF 678

434.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 A$3.07

$0.77 RWF 1,127

181.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 A$3.24

$0.43 RWF 631

432.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 A$2.22

$0.78 RWF 1,135

101.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.87 A$43.61

$1.77 RWF 2,582

1644.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.06 A$19.86

$10.38 RWF 15.2K

35.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.55 A$6.43

$0.93 RWF 1,364

389.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 A$6.80

$1.64 RWF 2,390

193.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 A$4.05

$0.36 RWF 527

697.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.8 A$135

$27.49 RWF 40.1K

248.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 A$5.15

$2.75 RWF 4,020

32.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 A$2.49

$1.27 RWF 1,857

38.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.27 A$54.1

$4.28 RWF 6,253

794.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.63

$1.17 RWF 1,713

-1.71%

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

$28.4K A$40.1K

$24.7K RWF 36.0M

14.97%

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

$23.0K A$32.5K

$22.8K RWF 33.3M

0.74%

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

$178 A$251

$49.80 RWF 72.7K

257.39%

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

$26.46 A$37.38

$9.12 RWF 13.3K

190.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 A$76.4

$21.55 RWF 31.5K

151.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.64 A$65.9

$31.28 RWF 45.7K

49.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.54 A$23.37

$4.52 RWF 6,604

265.93%

Cinema Ticket

$13.65 A$19.28

$3.38 RWF 4,939

303.85%

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

$1,575 A$2,225

$136 RWF 198.2K

1059.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K A$17.9K

$4,384 RWF 6.4M

189.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 A$101

$18.71 RWF 27.3K

282.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 A$71.8

$22.59 RWF 33.0K

124.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 A$142

$28.43 RWF 41.5K

252.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 A$153

$35.00 RWF 51.1K

208.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 A$1,955

$424 RWF 619.3K

226.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 A$1,562

$291 RWF 425.2K

279.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,298 A$3,246

$866 RWF 1.3M

165.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,728 A$2,441

$573 RWF 836.5K

201.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,610 A$10.8K

$3,365 RWF 4.9M

126.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,504 A$7,776

$3,086 RWF 4.5M

78.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,002 A$5,654

$281 RWF 410.7K

1322.07%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Rwanda: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,232 in Australia vs $268 in Rwanda. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,568 in Canberra and $578 in Kigali.

Average salary: $3,845 in Australia vs $245 in Rwanda. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 360% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 285% more in Australia.

Public transport is 379% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 1469% higher in Australia, giving Australia stronger purchasing power.

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 284% 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 284% 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.