Cost of Living Comparison Between Canada and Rwanda Cost of Living Comparison Between Canada and Rwanda

Name: Rwanda
Address: RW

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,316 per month in Canada vs $500 in Rwanda, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Canada vs $799 in Rwanda, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,436 per month in Canada vs $1,098 in Rwanda, rent included.

Canada costs about 363% more than Rwanda on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Canada sits 73% above the global median, while Rwanda is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Canada has a wider regional cost range ($1,310–$3,100) than Rwanda ($366–$781), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Canada.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.44 CA$25.53

$3.39 RWF 4,951

443.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 CA$103

$27.47 RWF 40.1K

171.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.07

$6.04 RWF 8,814

80.13%

Cappuccino

$3.90 CA$5.39

$2.17 RWF 3,162

79.72%

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

$2.16 CA$2.99

$0.84 RWF 1,232

157.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$0.49 RWF 721

253.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.74 CA$7.94

$1.06 RWF 1,543

441.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 CA$8.37

$1.99 RWF 2,903

204.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.05

$0.66 RWF 967

233.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.81

$1.04 RWF 1,511

164.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 CA$5.07

$1.21 RWF 1,770

202.48%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.03

$1.60 RWF 2,334

126.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.72 CA$16.22

$3.87 RWF 5,643

202.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 CA$17.01

$4.02 RWF 5,861

205.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.88 CA$20.60

$3.58 RWF 5,216

315.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.73

$2.68 RWF 3,915

54.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$0.88 RWF 1,280

64.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.25

$1.46 RWF 2,129

159.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.66

$1.00 RWF 1,465

309.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.78

$0.47 RWF 681

480.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 CA$3.83

$0.81 RWF 1,179

241.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 CA$3.62

$0.40 RWF 587

555.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.59

$0.78 RWF 1,136

139.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.79 CA$20.48

$1.70 RWF 2,476

770.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.08 CA$18.11

$10.24 RWF 14.9K

27.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.19

$0.97 RWF 1,408

212.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 CA$4.72

$1.63 RWF 2,378

109.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 CA$3.49

$0.34 RWF 496

641.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 CA$108

$27.67 RWF 40.4K

181.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 CA$4.83

$2.70 RWF 3,937

29.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.04

$1.22 RWF 1,777

21.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.25 CA$39.12

$4.26 RWF 6,217

563.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.59

$1.13 RWF 1,647

1.77%

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

$25.4K CA$35.2K

$24.1K RWF 35.2M

5.41%

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

$20.6K CA$28.6K

$22.6K RWF 32.9M

-8.63%

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

$155 CA$214

$50.1 RWF 73.1K

209.00%

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

$45.76 CA$63.4

$9.44 RWF 13.8K

384.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 CA$86.1

$21.31 RWF 31.1K

191.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.67 CA$60.5

$31.45 RWF 45.9K

38.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 CA$25.11

$4.28 RWF 6,249

323.83%

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 CA$15.76

$3.54 RWF 5,159

221.47%

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

$798 CA$1,104

$138 RWF 201.1K

478.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K CA$16.8K

$4,359 RWF 6.4M

177.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 CA$78.7

$18.98 RWF 27.7K

199.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.19 CA$58.4

$23.10 RWF 33.7K

82.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 CA$122

$27.73 RWF 40.5K

217.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$147

$34.43 RWF 50.2K

209.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 CA$1,882

$425 RWF 620.5K

219.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 CA$1,667

$291 RWF 425.1K

313.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 CA$2,957

$886 RWF 1.3M

141.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 CA$2,575

$566 RWF 825.5K

228.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,642 CA$6,427

$3,367 RWF 4.9M

37.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 CA$5,333

$3,036 RWF 4.4M

26.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,029 CA$4,194

$281 RWF 409.7K

978.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

16.43

-61.47%

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

Last update for Canada: May 31, 2026

Last update for Rwanda: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,281 in Canada vs $264 in Rwanda. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,500 in Ottawa and $568 in Kigali.

Average salary: $2,972 in Canada vs $244 in Rwanda. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 385% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 240% more in Canada.

Public transport is 364% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 1118% higher in Canada, giving Canada 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

Canada 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 Canada, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Canada 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 Canada 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.