Cost of Living Comparison Between Butare and Da Nang Cost of Living Comparison Between Butare and Da Nang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $377 in Butare versus $868 in Da Nang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $591 in Butare versus $1,419 in Da Nang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $804 in Butare versus $1,970 in Da Nang.

Living in Butare costs roughly 57% less than in Da Nang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Butare 72% lower, Da Nang 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.79 RWF 4,091

$2.35 ₫61.1K

18.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.58 RWF 44.9K

$19.28 ₫501.2K

58.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 RWF 10.0K

$4.71 ₫122.5K

45.44%

Cappuccino

$2.40 RWF 3,520

$1.80 ₫46.8K

33.33%

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

$0.76 RWF 1,119

$0.69 ₫18.0K

10.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 RWF 774

$0.32 ₫8,201

65.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 RWF 1,459

$1.31 ₫34.0K

-24.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 RWF 3,570

$2.30 ₫59.7K

5.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.35 RWF 520

$1.50 ₫38.9K

-76.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 RWF 1,236

$1.25 ₫32.5K

-32.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 RWF 1,413

$1.05 ₫27.3K

-8.57%

Eggs

$1.59 RWF 2,331

$1.52 ₫39.6K

4.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.66 RWF 2,435

$13.04 ₫339.0K

-87.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.41 RWF 3,537

$4.05 ₫105.4K

-40.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.09 RWF 4,529

$9.26 ₫240.7K

-66.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 RWF 2,898

$2.60 ₫67.5K

-24.23%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 RWF 1,336

$1.10 ₫28.7K

-17.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 RWF 1,660

$1.29 ₫33.5K

-12.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 RWF 1,158

$1.40 ₫36.3K

-43.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 RWF 586

$1.13 ₫29.5K

-64.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.28 RWF 414

$1.22 ₫31.8K

-77.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.15 RWF 219

$1.01 ₫26.3K

-85.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RWF 1,170

$0.52 ₫13.6K

53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 RWF 2,997

$1.57 ₫40.7K

29.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.33 RWF 15.2K

$7.48 ₫194.5K

38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 RWF 1,405

$0.83 ₫21.5K

15.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 RWF 2,245

$2.18 ₫56.6K

-29.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ₫8,196

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.04 ₫131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 RWF 3,953

$1.04 ₫26.9K

158.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 RWF 2,899

$0.62 ₫16.0K

219.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 RWF 5,091

$19.13 ₫497.2K

-81.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 RWF 2,639

$0.83 ₫21.6K

116.87%

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

$26.4K RWF 38.7M

$30.8K ₫799.4M

-14.21%

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

$29.5K RWF 43.3M

$28.4K ₫737.7M

3.90%

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

$84.7 RWF 124.3K

$88.5 ₫2.3M

-4.33%

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

$7.04 RWF 10.3K

$6.00 ₫155.9K

17.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.84 RWF 30.6K

$7.95 ₫206.6K

162.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.83 ₫593.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.41 ₫140.6K

Cinema Ticket

$3.41 RWF 5,006

$3.13 ₫81.3K

8.95%

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

$113 RWF 165.5K

$163 ₫4.2M

-30.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,497 RWF 13.9M

$15.3K ₫397.1M

-37.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.29 RWF 25.4K

$44.57 ₫1.2M

-61.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.76 RWF 23.1K

$27.95 ₫726.6K

-43.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.61 RWF 33.2K

$100 ₫2.6M

-77.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.33 RWF 50.4K

$80.2 ₫2.1M

-57.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 ₫13.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 ₫8.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,025 ₫26.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$787 ₫20.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,825 ₫99.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,283 ₫33.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$360 ₫9.3M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.2

10.72

51.12%

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

Last update for Butare: September 13, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $31.00 in Butare vs $19.00 in Da Nang. Groceries flip the comparison at $113 vs $196, with Butare cheaper for home cooking.

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

Butare vs Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Butare wins on cost – living expenses run 130% lower than in Da Nang. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Butare the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $566 in Butare and $1,302 in Da Nang to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 74% higher in Da Nang. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $377 per month in Butare versus $868 in Da Nang – a 130% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Butare gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Butare delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $377 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Butare hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Butare and Da Nang are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Butare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 130% less than in Da Nang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.