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 $510 per month in Rwanda vs $2,184 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $808 per month in Rwanda vs $3,217 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,106 per month in Rwanda vs $4,249 in Australia, rent included.

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

Rwanda sits 62% 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 ($1,584–$2,827) than Rwanda ($375–$792), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Australia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.39 RWF 4,961

$16.24 A$22.73

-79.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.36 RWF 40.1K

$77.1 A$108

-64.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.04 RWF 8,839

$9.81 A$13.74

-38.43%

Cappuccino

$2.28 RWF 3,331

$3.58 A$5.01

-36.31%

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

$0.86 RWF 1,263

$2.57 A$3.60

-66.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 RWF 746

$2.18 A$3.05

-76.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 RWF 1,494

$6.63 A$9.28

-84.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 RWF 3,064

$7.12 A$9.97

-70.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 RWF 966

$1.50 A$2.10

-56.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 RWF 1,511

$2.53 A$3.54

-59.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 RWF 1,724

$2.07 A$2.90

-43.00%

Eggs

$1.59 RWF 2,329

$4.29 A$6.01

-62.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.88 RWF 5,679

$8.65 A$12.11

-55.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.98 RWF 5,832

$8.34 A$11.68

-52.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.48 RWF 5,098

$13.90 A$19.47

-74.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 RWF 3,900

$3.30 A$4.61

-19.39%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 RWF 1,228

$2.77 A$3.88

-69.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 RWF 2,059

$2.95 A$4.13

-52.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 RWF 1,524

$4.19 A$5.87

-75.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 RWF 725

$2.42 A$3.39

-79.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 RWF 1,121

$2.10 A$2.94

-63.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 RWF 586

$2.26 A$3.16

-82.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RWF 1,146

$1.50 A$2.10

-48.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.69 RWF 2,478

$31.58 A$44.22

-94.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.35 RWF 15.1K

$14.29 A$20.00

-27.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 RWF 1,452

$4.59 A$6.42

-78.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 RWF 2,496

$4.82 A$6.75

-64.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 RWF 531

$3.02 A$4.22

-88.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.46 RWF 40.2K

$98.3 A$138

-72.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 RWF 3,949

$3.48 A$4.88

-22.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 RWF 1,789

$1.75 A$2.45

-30.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 RWF 6,286

$37.97 A$53.2

-88.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 RWF 1,662

$1.21 A$1.69

-5.79%

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

$24.5K RWF 35.9M

$29.0K A$40.6K

-15.46%

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

$22.1K RWF 32.3M

$22.6K A$31.6K

-2.19%

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

$49.03 RWF 71.8K

$177 A$248

-72.35%

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

$9.45 RWF 13.8K

$26.85 A$37.59

-64.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.93 RWF 30.6K

$52.4 A$73.4

-60.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.86 RWF 45.2K

$47.57 A$66.6

-35.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.30 RWF 6,302

$16.46 A$23.04

-73.88%

Cinema Ticket

$3.51 RWF 5,144

$13.73 A$19.23

-74.44%

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

$134 RWF 196.6K

$1,593 A$2,231

-91.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,359 RWF 6.4M

$12.7K A$17.8K

-65.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.19 RWF 28.1K

$72.0 A$101

-73.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.70 RWF 33.2K

$51.3 A$71.8

-55.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.33 RWF 41.5K

$103 A$144

-72.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.27 RWF 50.2K

$108 A$152

-68.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 RWF 635.4K

$1,401 A$1,961

-69.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 RWF 419.4K

$1,080 A$1,512

-73.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 RWF 1.3M

$2,340 A$3,276

-62.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$558 RWF 816.8K

$1,756 A$2,459

-68.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,335 RWF 4.9M

$7,733 A$10.8K

-56.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,050 RWF 4.5M

$5,563 A$7,788

-45.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 RWF 410.6K

$4,000 A$5,600

-92.99%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Australia: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $265 in Rwanda vs $1,232 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $569 in Kigali and $1,529 in Canberra.

Average salary: $247 in Rwanda vs $3,878 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 365% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 285% more in Australia.

Public transport is 379% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 1470% 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 278% 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 278% 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.