Cost of Living Comparison Between Egypt and Rwanda Cost of Living Comparison Between Egypt and Rwanda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $450 in Egypt versus $533 in Rwanda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $732 in Egypt versus $836 in Rwanda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,013 in Egypt versus $1,139 in Rwanda.

Living in Egypt costs about 16% less than in Rwanda on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Egypt 67% lower, Rwanda 61% lower.

Egypt ($325$729) and Rwanda ($375$870) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Egypt
Rwanda
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.04 E£207
$3.07 RWF 4,504
31.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.42 E£996
$25.80 RWF 37.8K
-24.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.94 E£253
$6.93 RWF 10.2K
-28.72%
Cappuccino
$1.53 E£78.3
$2.35 RWF 3,449
-34.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34 E£17.65
$0.82 RWF 1,197
-58.54%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.13 E£6.59
$0.52 RWF 758
-75.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.46 E£74.9
$1.01 RWF 1,482
44.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 E£153
$1.98 RWF 2,911
51.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Egypt
Rwanda
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.85 E£43.84
$0.75 RWF 1,100
13.33%
White Bread (500g)
$0.70 E£36.14
$1.03 RWF 1,517
-32.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.65 E£33.31
$1.23 RWF 1,804
-47.15%
Eggs
$1.32 E£67.7
$1.60 RWF 2,354
-17.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.45 E£177
$3.89 RWF 5,706
-11.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.26 E£219
$4.06 RWF 5,952
4.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.99 E£461
$4.08 RWF 5,991
120.34%
Apples (1kg)
$1.57 E£80.3
$2.69 RWF 3,947
-41.64%
Banana (1kg)
$0.68 E£34.83
$0.88 RWF 1,298
-22.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.50 E£25.65
$1.59 RWF 2,328
-68.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.41 E£21.19
$1.02 RWF 1,489
-59.80%
Potato (1kg)
$0.38 E£19.33
$0.50 RWF 737
-24.00%
Onion (1kg)
$0.38 E£19.70
$0.78 RWF 1,139
-51.28%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.29 E£14.63
$0.46 RWF 678
-36.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.20 E£10.25
$0.79 RWF 1,162
-74.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.00 E£103
$1.97 RWF 2,890
1.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.05 E£362
$10.01 RWF 14.7K
-29.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.45 E£74.4
$1.06 RWF 1,551
36.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 E£108
$1.59 RWF 2,338
32.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Egypt
Rwanda
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.30 E£15.50
$0.33 RWF 484
-9.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.14 E£418
$28.26 RWF 41.5K
-71.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.38 E£19.25
$2.63 RWF 3,860
-85.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.28 E£14.24
$2.07 RWF 3,037
-86.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 E£93.0
$3.48 RWF 5,112
-47.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.43 E£21.86
$1.75 RWF 2,573
-75.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.4K E£1.7M
$26.0K RWF 38.1M
28.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.4K E£1.5M
$23.6K RWF 34.7M
20.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Egypt
Rwanda
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$22.40 E£1,149
$86.7 RWF 127.2K
-74.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.19 E£369
$7.86 RWF 11.5K
-8.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.44 E£689
$20.19 RWF 29.6K
-33.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Egypt
Rwanda
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$17.79 E£913
$30.40 RWF 44.6K
-41.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.66 E£342
$4.32 RWF 6,335
54.17%
Cinema Ticket
$2.90 E£149
$3.35 RWF 4,920
-13.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Egypt
Rwanda
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$94.0 E£4,821
$134 RWF 197.2K
-30.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,482 E£127.3K
$9,343 RWF 13.7M
-73.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Egypt
Rwanda
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.14 E£1,393
$19.87 RWF 29.1K
36.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.76 E£2,296
$17.34 RWF 25.4K
158.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 E£5,664
$26.81 RWF 39.3K
311.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$50.5 E£2,589
$35.26 RWF 51.7K
43.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Egypt
Rwanda
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$155 E£7,942
$617 RWF 905.3K
-74.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$94.6 E£4,854
$346 RWF 507.0K
-72.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$309 E£15.8K
$1,271 RWF 1.9M
-75.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$196 E£10.0K
$788 RWF 1.2M
-75.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$747 E£38.3K
$3,410 RWF 5.0M
-78.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$455 E£23.3K
$3,005 RWF 4.4M
-84.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Egypt
Rwanda
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$151 E£7,764
$289 RWF 423.8K
-47.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.46
16.2
1.60%

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

Last update for Egypt: September 7, 2026

Last update for Rwanda: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $146 in Egypt, $210 in Rwanda. Capital cities: $215 in Cairo vs $664 in Kigali.

National salary averages: $140 in Egypt, $232 in Rwanda. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 44% higher in Rwanda.

Dining out costs 41% more in Rwanda.

Public transport is 267% more expensive in Rwanda.

Salaries are 66% higher in Rwanda, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Rwanda.

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
Egypt vs Rwanda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Egypt and Rwanda?
At $527 per month in Egypt and $623 in Rwanda, there's a 18% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Egypt: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Rwanda is consistently higher than in Egypt across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in Egypt or in Rwanda?
In Egypt, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Rwanda it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Egypt or to Rwanda?
It depends on what you're after: Egypt wins on affordability; Rwanda may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Egypt vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries