Cost of Living Comparison Between Rwanda and Brazil Cost of Living Comparison Between Rwanda and Brazil

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $503 per month in Rwanda vs $764 in Brazil, rent included.

A couple spends around $801 per month in Rwanda vs $1,221 in Brazil, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,098 per month in Rwanda vs $1,678 in Brazil, rent included.

Rwanda is roughly 34% cheaper than Brazil on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Rwanda and Brazil are more affordable than the global median – Rwanda 63% lower, Brazil 43% lower.

Both countries show comparable internal variation: Rwanda spans $378$778, Brazil spans $568$1,032. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rwanda
Brazil
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.43 RWF 5,007
$5.48 R$27.72
-37.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.92 RWF 40.7K
$28.29 R$143
-1.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.84 RWF 8,531
$6.16 R$31.17
-5.19%
Cappuccino
$2.18 RWF 3,175
$1.79 R$9.04
21.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86 RWF 1,261
$1.08 R$5.45
-20.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 RWF 779
$0.70 R$3.57
-24.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.03 RWF 1,500
$1.78 R$9.00
-42.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08 RWF 3,036
$2.74 R$13.88
-24.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rwanda
Brazil
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.70 RWF 1,017
$0.99 R$5.02
-29.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.04 RWF 1,520
$1.53 R$7.74
-32.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 RWF 1,687
$1.22 R$6.18
-4.92%
Eggs
$1.65 RWF 2,403
$2.10 R$10.62
-21.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.86 RWF 5,640
$8.72 R$44.12
-55.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.10 RWF 5,983
$3.83 R$19.37
7.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$3.51 RWF 5,119
$7.51 R$38.00
-53.26%
Apples (1kg)
$2.69 RWF 3,927
$2.03 R$10.28
32.51%
Banana (1kg)
$0.89 RWF 1,300
$1.34 R$6.76
-33.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.39 RWF 2,029
$1.14 R$5.78
21.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.00 RWF 1,455
$1.48 R$7.47
-32.43%
Potato (1kg)
$0.46 RWF 678
$1.12 R$5.66
-58.93%
Onion (1kg)
$0.77 RWF 1,127
$1.09 R$5.52
-29.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.43 RWF 631
$0.76 R$3.85
-43.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 RWF 1,135
$0.68 R$3.45
14.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.77 RWF 2,582
$2.11 R$10.70
-16.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.38 RWF 15.2K
$7.58 R$38.36
36.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.93 RWF 1,364
$1.23 R$6.24
-24.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 RWF 2,390
$2.22 R$11.23
-26.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Rwanda
Brazil
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.36 RWF 527
$0.93 R$4.70
-61.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.49 RWF 40.1K
$41.40 R$210
-33.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.75 RWF 4,020
$1.09 R$5.53
152.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.27 RWF 1,857
$0.84 R$4.25
51.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.28 RWF 6,253
$7.40 R$37.47
-42.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 RWF 1,713
$1.08 R$5.47
8.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.7K RWF 36.0M
$21.8K R$110.4K
13.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.8K RWF 33.3M
$27.2K R$137.9K
-16.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rwanda
Brazil
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$49.80 RWF 72.7K
$69.2 R$350
-27.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.12 RWF 13.3K
$13.63 R$69.0
-33.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.55 RWF 31.5K
$18.79 R$95.1
14.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rwanda
Brazil
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.28 RWF 45.7K
$22.85 R$116
36.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.52 RWF 6,604
$22.76 R$115
-80.14%
Cinema Ticket
$3.38 RWF 4,939
$6.24 R$31.58
-45.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rwanda
Brazil
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$136 RWF 198.2K
$285 R$1,443
-52.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,384 RWF 6.4M
$7,497 R$38.0K
-41.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rwanda
Brazil
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.71 RWF 27.3K
$48.45 R$245
-61.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.59 RWF 33.0K
$43.12 R$218
-47.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$28.43 RWF 41.5K
$74.8 R$379
-61.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$35.00 RWF 51.1K
$62.0 R$314
-43.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rwanda
Brazil
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$424 RWF 619.3K
$337 R$1,705
25.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$291 RWF 425.2K
$225 R$1,141
29.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$866 RWF 1.3M
$655 R$3,317
32.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$573 RWF 836.5K
$455 R$2,301
26.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,365 RWF 4.9M
$1,848 R$9,356
82.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,086 RWF 4.5M
$1,200 R$6,077
157.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rwanda
Brazil
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$281 RWF 410.7K
$512 R$2,595
-45.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.43
11.16
47.22%

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

Last update for Rwanda: June 7, 2026

Last update for Brazil: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $268 in Rwanda vs $305 in Brazil. For reference, capital cities sit at $578 in Kigali and $414 in Brasilia.

Average salary: $245 in Rwanda vs $479 in Brazil. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 14% higher in Brazil.

Dining out costs 35% more in Brazil.

Public transport is 179% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 96% higher in Brazil, giving Brazil 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 Brazil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Brazil and Rwanda compare in cost of living?
Rwanda is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 38% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
How do rents compare between Brazil and Rwanda?
Housing costs more in Brazil, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Brazil consistently has higher rents.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Brazil or Rwanda?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Rwanda, contributing to the overall 38% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $800 go in Brazil vs Rwanda?
$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Rwanda, but in Brazil it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
How do I choose between living in Brazil and Rwanda?
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.

Rwanda vs other spots: cost of living compared

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