Cost of Living Comparison Between Rwanda and Australia Cost of Living Comparison Between Rwanda and Australia

Name: Australia
Address: AU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $503 per month in Rwanda vs $2,184 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $801 per month in Rwanda vs $3,219 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,098 per month in Rwanda vs $4,253 in Australia, rent included.

Rwanda is roughly 77% cheaper than Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

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

Australia has a wider regional cost range ($1,592–$2,842) than Rwanda ($378–$778), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Australia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 RWF 5,007

$16.44 A$23.23

-79.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 RWF 40.7K

$78.1 A$110

-64.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 RWF 8,531

$9.94 A$14.05

-41.25%

Cappuccino

$2.18 RWF 3,175

$3.60 A$5.08

-39.44%

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

$0.86 RWF 1,261

$2.68 A$3.78

-67.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 RWF 779

$2.14 A$3.02

-75.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 RWF 1,500

$6.53 A$9.23

-84.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 RWF 3,036

$7.05 A$9.96

-70.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 RWF 1,017

$1.58 A$2.23

-55.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 RWF 1,520

$2.53 A$3.57

-58.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 RWF 1,687

$2.07 A$2.93

-43.96%

Eggs

$1.65 RWF 2,403

$4.30 A$6.08

-61.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.86 RWF 5,640

$9.03 A$12.76

-57.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 RWF 5,983

$8.55 A$12.08

-52.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.51 RWF 5,119

$13.96 A$19.72

-74.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 RWF 3,927

$3.18 A$4.49

-15.41%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 RWF 1,300

$2.84 A$4.01

-68.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 RWF 2,029

$2.95 A$4.17

-52.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 RWF 1,455

$4.43 A$6.26

-77.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 RWF 678

$2.46 A$3.47

-81.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 RWF 1,127

$2.17 A$3.07

-64.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 RWF 631

$2.29 A$3.24

-81.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RWF 1,135

$1.57 A$2.22

-50.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.77 RWF 2,582

$30.87 A$43.61

-94.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.38 RWF 15.2K

$14.06 A$19.86

-26.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 RWF 1,364

$4.55 A$6.43

-79.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 RWF 2,390

$4.81 A$6.80

-65.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 RWF 527

$2.87 A$4.05

-87.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.49 RWF 40.1K

$95.8 A$135

-71.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 RWF 4,020

$3.65 A$5.15

-24.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 RWF 1,857

$1.76 A$2.49

-27.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 RWF 6,253

$38.27 A$54.1

-88.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 RWF 1,713

$1.15 A$1.63

1.74%

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

$24.7K RWF 36.0M

$28.4K A$40.1K

-13.02%

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

$22.8K RWF 33.3M

$23.0K A$32.5K

-0.74%

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

$49.80 RWF 72.7K

$178 A$251

-72.02%

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

$9.12 RWF 13.3K

$26.46 A$37.38

-65.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.55 RWF 31.5K

$54.1 A$76.4

-60.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.28 RWF 45.7K

$46.64 A$65.9

-32.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.52 RWF 6,604

$16.54 A$23.37

-72.67%

Cinema Ticket

$3.38 RWF 4,939

$13.65 A$19.28

-75.24%

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

$136 RWF 198.2K

$1,575 A$2,225

-91.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,384 RWF 6.4M

$12.7K A$17.9K

-65.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.71 RWF 27.3K

$71.5 A$101

-73.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.59 RWF 33.0K

$50.8 A$71.8

-55.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.43 RWF 41.5K

$100 A$142

-71.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.00 RWF 51.1K

$108 A$153

-67.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 RWF 619.3K

$1,384 A$1,955

-69.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 RWF 425.2K

$1,105 A$1,562

-73.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 RWF 1.3M

$2,298 A$3,246

-62.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$573 RWF 836.5K

$1,728 A$2,441

-66.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,365 RWF 4.9M

$7,610 A$10.8K

-55.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,086 RWF 4.5M

$5,504 A$7,776

-43.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$281 RWF 410.7K

$4,002 A$5,654

-92.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.43

6.35

158.74%

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

Last update for Rwanda: June 7, 2026

Last update for Australia: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $268 in Rwanda vs $1,232 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $578 in Kigali and $1,568 in Canberra.

Average salary: $245 in Rwanda vs $3,845 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 360% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 285% more in Australia.

Public transport is 379% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 1469% higher in Australia, giving Australia 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

Rwanda vs Australia: 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 Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia 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 Australia 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.