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: $453 in Egypt versus $500 in Rwanda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $729 in Egypt versus $799 in Rwanda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,005 in Egypt versus $1,098 in Rwanda.

Living in Egypt costs about 9% less than in Rwanda on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Egypt 66% lower, Rwanda 63% lower.

Egypt ($315$684) and Rwanda ($366$781) 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
$4.03 E£209
$3.39 RWF 4,951
18.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.90 E£1,031
$27.47 RWF 40.1K
-27.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.08 E£263
$6.04 RWF 8,814
-15.89%
Cappuccino
$1.45 E£75.0
$2.17 RWF 3,162
-33.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 E£18.26
$0.84 RWF 1,232
-58.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.14 E£7.20
$0.49 RWF 721
-71.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.42 E£73.4
$1.06 RWF 1,543
33.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 E£150
$1.99 RWF 2,903
45.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Egypt
Rwanda
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.91 E£47.07
$0.66 RWF 967
37.88%
White Bread (500g)
$0.62 E£32.26
$1.04 RWF 1,511
-40.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.67 E£34.55
$1.21 RWF 1,770
-44.63%
Eggs
$1.51 E£78.0
$1.60 RWF 2,334
-5.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.13 E£162
$3.87 RWF 5,643
-19.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.34 E£225
$4.02 RWF 5,861
7.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.74 E£453
$3.58 RWF 5,216
144.13%
Apples (1kg)
$1.53 E£79.1
$2.68 RWF 3,915
-42.91%
Banana (1kg)
$0.56 E£29.24
$0.88 RWF 1,280
-36.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.44 E£22.79
$1.46 RWF 2,129
-69.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.40 E£20.98
$1.00 RWF 1,465
-60.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.44 E£22.79
$0.47 RWF 681
-6.38%
Onion (1kg)
$0.44 E£23.01
$0.81 RWF 1,179
-45.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.24 E£12.43
$0.40 RWF 587
-40.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.21 E£11.06
$0.78 RWF 1,136
-73.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.92 E£99.2
$1.70 RWF 2,476
12.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.82 E£353
$10.24 RWF 14.9K
-33.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 E£66.0
$0.97 RWF 1,408
30.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 E£96.0
$1.63 RWF 2,378
13.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Egypt
Rwanda
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 E£13.79
$0.34 RWF 496
-20.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$5.94 E£307
$27.67 RWF 40.4K
-78.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.38 E£19.70
$2.70 RWF 3,937
-85.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 E£14.82
$1.22 RWF 1,777
-76.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.30 E£67.2
$4.26 RWF 6,217
-69.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.31 E£15.93
$1.13 RWF 1,647
-72.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.3K E£1.8M
$24.1K RWF 35.2M
42.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.6K E£1.6M
$22.6K RWF 32.9M
40.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Egypt
Rwanda
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$21.84 E£1,131
$50.1 RWF 73.1K
-56.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.09 E£367
$9.44 RWF 13.8K
-24.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.91 E£617
$21.31 RWF 31.1K
-44.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Egypt
Rwanda
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$14.50 E£751
$31.45 RWF 45.9K
-53.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.81 E£353
$4.28 RWF 6,249
59.11%
Cinema Ticket
$2.93 E£152
$3.54 RWF 5,159
-17.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Egypt
Rwanda
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$87.8 E£4,546
$138 RWF 201.1K
-36.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,934 E£100.2K
$4,359 RWF 6.4M
-55.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Egypt
Rwanda
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.08 E£1,351
$18.98 RWF 27.7K
37.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.77 E£2,267
$23.10 RWF 33.7K
89.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 E£5,627
$27.73 RWF 40.5K
291.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$51.8 E£2,684
$34.43 RWF 50.2K
50.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Egypt
Rwanda
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$163 E£8,434
$425 RWF 620.5K
-61.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$101 E£5,237
$291 RWF 425.1K
-65.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$320 E£16.6K
$886 RWF 1.3M
-63.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$188 E£9,729
$566 RWF 825.5K
-66.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$741 E£38.4K
$3,367 RWF 4.9M
-77.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$453 E£23.5K
$3,036 RWF 4.4M
-85.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Egypt
Rwanda
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$148 E£7,642
$281 RWF 409.7K
-47.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.38
16.43
-0.30%

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

Last update for Egypt: May 30, 2026

Last update for Rwanda: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $183 in Egypt, $264 in Rwanda. Capital cities: $205 in Cairo vs $568 in Kigali.

National salary averages: $145 in Egypt, $244 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 25% more in Rwanda.

Public transport is 600% more expensive in Rwanda.

Salaries are 68% higher in Rwanda, giving Rwanda 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
Egypt vs Rwanda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Egypt and Rwanda?
At $500 per month in Egypt and $574 in Rwanda, there's a 15% 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?
Egypt is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 Rwanda?
In Egypt, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In Rwanda, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Egypt or 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.

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