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 $508 per month in Rwanda vs $2,181 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $802 per month in Rwanda vs $3,218 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,096 per month in Rwanda vs $4,254 in Australia, rent included.

The cost of living in Rwanda is roughly 77% lower than in Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Rwanda sits 62% below the global median, while Australia is 64% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,595–$2,799) than in Rwanda ($380–$800), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.39 RWF 4,956

$15.97 A$22.66

-78.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.86 RWF 40.8K

$79.0 A$112

-64.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.03 RWF 8,818

$9.68 A$13.74

-37.71%

Cappuccino

$2.17 RWF 3,182

$3.58 A$5.08

-39.39%

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

$0.81 RWF 1,181

$2.56 A$3.64

-68.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 RWF 783

$2.22 A$3.15

-75.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 RWF 1,545

$6.34 A$8.99

-83.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 RWF 3,074

$6.95 A$9.86

-69.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 RWF 976

$1.56 A$2.22

-57.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 RWF 1,453

$2.53 A$3.59

-60.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 RWF 1,784

$2.00 A$2.83

-39.00%

Eggs

$1.61 RWF 2,351

$4.26 A$6.05

-62.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.79 RWF 5,552

$8.75 A$12.42

-56.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.08 RWF 5,964

$8.23 A$11.68

-50.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.60 RWF 5,268

$14.15 A$20.08

-74.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 RWF 3,960

$3.26 A$4.63

-16.87%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 RWF 1,225

$2.81 A$3.99

-70.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 RWF 2,112

$3.00 A$4.26

-52.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 RWF 1,448

$4.31 A$6.12

-77.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 RWF 667

$2.55 A$3.62

-81.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 RWF 1,183

$2.16 A$3.07

-62.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 RWF 643

$2.22 A$3.15

-80.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 RWF 1,069

$1.53 A$2.17

-52.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 RWF 2,581

$31.28 A$44.38

-94.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.01 RWF 14.7K

$14.09 A$20.00

-28.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RWF 1,483

$4.44 A$6.30

-77.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 RWF 2,516

$4.90 A$6.96

-64.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 RWF 530

$2.95 A$4.19

-87.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.52 RWF 40.3K

$95.9 A$136

-71.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 RWF 4,043

$3.49 A$4.95

-20.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 RWF 1,773

$1.84 A$2.61

-34.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 RWF 6,022

$37.26 A$52.9

-88.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 RWF 1,672

$1.17 A$1.66

-2.56%

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

$24.6K RWF 35.9M

$28.7K A$40.8K

-14.53%

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

$22.5K RWF 33.0M

$22.5K A$31.9K

0.30%

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

$49.30 RWF 72.1K

$173 A$246

-71.56%

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

$9.18 RWF 13.4K

$26.62 A$37.77

-65.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.22 RWF 31.1K

$53.1 A$75.3

-60.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.60 RWF 46.2K

$46.82 A$66.4

-32.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.38 RWF 6,417

$16.38 A$23.25

-73.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 RWF 5,037

$13.56 A$19.24

-74.63%

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

$134 RWF 196.7K

$1,571 A$2,229

-91.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,352 RWF 6.4M

$12.6K A$17.9K

-65.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.92 RWF 27.7K

$72.1 A$102

-73.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.35 RWF 32.7K

$51.6 A$73.2

-56.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.59 RWF 41.8K

$101 A$144

-71.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.44 RWF 50.4K

$108 A$153

-68.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 RWF 626.2K

$1,398 A$1,984

-69.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 RWF 424.9K

$1,086 A$1,541

-73.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 RWF 1.3M

$2,272 A$3,223

-61.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 RWF 826.8K

$1,751 A$2,485

-67.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,424 RWF 5.0M

$7,955 A$11.3K

-56.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,026 RWF 4.4M

$5,978 A$8,483

-49.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 RWF 366.4K

$4,053 A$5,751

-93.82%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Australia: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $267 in Rwanda vs $1,230 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $581 in Kigali and $1,557 in Canberra.

Average salary: $227 in Rwanda vs $3,808 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 361% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 285% more in Australia.

Public transport is 379% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 1578% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

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 272% 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 272% 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.