Cost of Living Comparison Between Rwanda and Canada Cost of Living Comparison Between Rwanda and Canada

Name: Canada
Address: CA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $533 per month in Rwanda vs $2,217 in Canada, rent included.

A couple spends around $836 per month in Rwanda vs $3,254 in Canada, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,139 per month in Rwanda vs $4,291 in Canada, rent included.

The cost of living in Rwanda is roughly 76% lower than in Canada on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Rwanda sits 61% below the global median, while Canada is 61% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($912–$3,779) than in Rwanda ($375–$870), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.07 RWF 4,504

$18.28 CA$25.35

-83.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.80 RWF 37.8K

$71.2 CA$98.8

-63.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.93 RWF 10.2K

$10.96 CA$15.20

-36.77%

Cappuccino

$2.35 RWF 3,449

$3.95 CA$5.47

-40.51%

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

$0.82 RWF 1,197

$2.07 CA$2.88

-60.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 RWF 758

$1.74 CA$2.42

-70.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 RWF 1,482

$5.93 CA$8.23

-82.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RWF 2,911

$5.69 CA$7.89

-65.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 RWF 1,100

$2.23 CA$3.09

-66.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 RWF 1,517

$2.71 CA$3.76

-61.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 RWF 1,804

$3.72 CA$5.16

-66.94%

Eggs

$1.60 RWF 2,354

$3.61 CA$5.01

-55.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.89 RWF 5,706

$10.81 CA$14.99

-64.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 RWF 5,952

$12.22 CA$16.95

-66.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.08 RWF 5,991

$15.68 CA$21.75

-73.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 RWF 3,947

$4.25 CA$5.89

-36.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 RWF 1,298

$1.43 CA$1.98

-38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 RWF 2,328

$4.02 CA$5.57

-60.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 RWF 1,489

$4.09 CA$5.67

-75.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 RWF 737

$2.68 CA$3.72

-81.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 RWF 1,139

$2.45 CA$3.40

-68.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 RWF 678

$2.67 CA$3.70

-82.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RWF 1,162

$1.80 CA$2.50

-56.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 RWF 2,890

$14.46 CA$20.05

-86.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.01 RWF 14.7K

$13.58 CA$18.84

-26.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 RWF 1,551

$2.84 CA$3.94

-62.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 RWF 2,338

$3.26 CA$4.52

-51.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 RWF 484

$2.46 CA$3.41

-86.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.26 RWF 41.5K

$75.2 CA$104

-62.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 RWF 3,860

$3.15 CA$4.37

-16.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 RWF 3,037

$1.54 CA$2.14

34.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 RWF 5,112

$27.55 CA$38.21

-87.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 RWF 2,573

$1.16 CA$1.61

50.86%

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

$26.0K RWF 38.1M

$28.4K CA$39.3K

-8.37%

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

$23.6K RWF 34.7M

$19.5K CA$27.0K

21.40%

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

$86.7 RWF 127.2K

$155 CA$215

-44.02%

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

$7.86 RWF 11.5K

$43.47 CA$60.3

-81.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.19 RWF 29.6K

$60.4 CA$83.8

-66.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.40 RWF 44.6K

$41.15 CA$57.1

-26.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.32 RWF 6,335

$19.79 CA$27.45

-78.17%

Cinema Ticket

$3.35 RWF 4,920

$11.53 CA$15.98

-70.95%

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

$134 RWF 197.2K

$786 CA$1,089

-82.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,343 RWF 13.7M

$14.8K CA$20.6K

-36.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.87 RWF 29.1K

$55.0 CA$76.3

-63.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.34 RWF 25.4K

$41.25 CA$57.2

-57.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.81 RWF 39.3K

$88.1 CA$122

-69.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.26 RWF 51.7K

$106 CA$147

-66.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$617 RWF 905.3K

$1,295 CA$1,797

-52.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 RWF 507.0K

$1,168 CA$1,619

-70.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 RWF 1.9M

$2,044 CA$2,835

-37.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 RWF 1.2M

$1,779 CA$2,467

-55.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,410 RWF 5.0M

$4,786 CA$6,638

-28.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,005 RWF 4.4M

$3,973 CA$5,510

-24.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$289 RWF 423.8K

$3,078 CA$4,270

-90.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.2

4.86

233.33%

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

Last update for Rwanda: September 6, 2026

Last update for Canada: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $210 in Rwanda vs $1,228 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $664 in Kigali and $1,496 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $232 in Rwanda vs $2,981 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 485% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 175% more in Canada.

Public transport is 445% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 1185% higher in Canada, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Canada.

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 Canada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rwanda is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 277% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Canada, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Canada consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Rwanda, contributing to the overall 277% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Rwanda, but in Canada 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.