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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $707 in Da Nang versus $476 in Butare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,081 in Da Nang versus $734 in Butare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,455 in Da Nang versus $993 in Butare.

Living in Da Nang is roughly 49% more expensive than Butare, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Da Nang 47% lower, Butare 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ₫50.9K

$1.78 RWF 2,599

8.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.32 ₫507.4K

$21.03 RWF 30.7K

-8.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₫123.0K

$5.48 RWF 8,013

-14.42%

Cappuccino

$1.57 ₫41.3K

$1.71 RWF 2,503

-8.19%

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

$0.54 ₫14.2K

$0.53 RWF 778

1.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₫7,507

$0.36 RWF 532

-19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ₫26.8K

$0.66 RWF 969

54.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₫44.0K

$1.01 RWF 1,481

66.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ₫37.3K

$0.40 RWF 577

255.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ₫26.4K

$0.90 RWF 1,320

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 ₫29.5K

$0.96 RWF 1,401

17.71%

Eggs

$1.42 ₫37.3K

$1.47 RWF 2,149

-3.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.36 ₫324.6K

$2.28 RWF 3,324

442.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 ₫99.4K

$3.01 RWF 4,396

25.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.17 ₫267.1K

$2.78 RWF 4,056

265.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ₫72.3K

$2.22 RWF 3,240

23.87%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 ₫24.4K

$0.88 RWF 1,282

5.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 ₫28.5K

$1.17 RWF 1,714

-6.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 ₫28.7K

$0.78 RWF 1,147

39.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 ₫29.1K

$0.34 RWF 499

226.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ₫31.6K

$0.43 RWF 626

179.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 ₫27.5K

$0.35 RWF 509

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₫12.5K

$0.58 RWF 844

-17.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.36 ₫35.8K

$1.25 RWF 1,833

8.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 ₫198.4K

$10.35 RWF 15.1K

-27.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₫20.9K

$0.90 RWF 1,312

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₫43.8K

$1.37 RWF 2,002

21.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₫9,013

$0.29 RWF 428

17.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.78 ₫99.2K

$9.97 RWF 14.6K

-62.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₫21.8K

$2.12 RWF 3,095

-60.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₫18.5K

$0.91 RWF 1,323

-23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.79 ₫309.5K

$3.92 RWF 5,725

200.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 ₫24.0K

$0.71 RWF 1,042

29.58%

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

$27.2K ₫713.7M

$16.6K RWF 24.3M

63.26%

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

$27.9K ₫731.4M

$8,748 RWF 12.8M

218.37%

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

$76.4 ₫2.0M

$37.09 RWF 54.2K

105.93%

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

$5.81 ₫152.7K

$8.97 RWF 13.1K

-35.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.47 ₫222.5K

$17.85 RWF 26.1K

-52.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.98 ₫524.7K

$25.27 RWF 36.9K

-20.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.68 ₫201.7K

$5.57 RWF 8,138

37.88%

Cinema Ticket

$3.04 ₫79.8K

$3.44 RWF 5,026

-11.63%

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

$156 ₫4.1M

$93.2 RWF 136.1K

67.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ₫332.3M

$1,321 RWF 1.9M

858.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.04 ₫1.0M

$13.64 RWF 19.9K

186.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.36 ₫666.0K

$19.17 RWF 28.0K

32.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.7 ₫1.4M

$24.28 RWF 35.5K

117.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.5 ₫2.0M

$30.80 RWF 45.0K

148.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 ₫9.3M

$207 RWF 302.3K

70.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 ₫6.5M

$138 RWF 201.8K

78.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 ₫19.5M

$313 RWF 456.9K

137.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 ₫12.1M

$239 RWF 349.5K

92.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,867 ₫101.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,277 ₫33.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$324 ₫8.5M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.67

16.2

-34.14%

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

Last update for Da Nang: April 27, 2026

Last update for Butare: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $354 in Da Nang and $207 in Butare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Da Nang vs $21.00 in Butare. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $116, 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

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

Butare wins on cost – living expenses run 49% 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 $1,060 in Da Nang and $714 in Butare 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $354 in Da Nang versus $207 in Butare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Butare – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $19.00 in Da Nang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $707 per month in Da Nang versus $476 in Butare – a 49% 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 $476 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Butare hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Da Nang and Butare 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 49% less than in Da Nang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.