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 $500 per month in Rwanda vs $2,316 in Canada, rent included.

A couple spends around $799 per month in Rwanda vs $3,376 in Canada, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,098 per month in Rwanda vs $4,436 in Canada, rent included.

Rwanda is roughly 78% cheaper than Canada on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Rwanda sits 63% below the global median, while Canada is 73% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Canada has a wider regional cost range ($1,310–$3,100) than Rwanda ($366–$781), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Canada.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.39 RWF 4,951

$18.44 CA$25.53

-81.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.47 RWF 40.1K

$74.5 CA$103

-63.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.04 RWF 8,814

$10.88 CA$15.07

-44.49%

Cappuccino

$2.17 RWF 3,162

$3.90 CA$5.39

-44.36%

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

$0.84 RWF 1,232

$2.16 CA$2.99

-61.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 RWF 721

$1.73 CA$2.40

-71.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 RWF 1,543

$5.74 CA$7.94

-81.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 RWF 2,903

$6.05 CA$8.37

-67.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 RWF 967

$2.20 CA$3.05

-70.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 RWF 1,511

$2.75 CA$3.81

-62.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 RWF 1,770

$3.66 CA$5.07

-66.94%

Eggs

$1.60 RWF 2,334

$3.63 CA$5.03

-55.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.87 RWF 5,643

$11.72 CA$16.22

-66.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.02 RWF 5,861

$12.28 CA$17.01

-67.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.58 RWF 5,216

$14.88 CA$20.60

-75.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 RWF 3,915

$4.14 CA$5.73

-35.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 RWF 1,280

$1.45 CA$2.01

-39.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 RWF 2,129

$3.79 CA$5.25

-61.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 RWF 1,465

$4.09 CA$5.66

-75.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 RWF 681

$2.73 CA$3.78

-82.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 RWF 1,179

$2.77 CA$3.83

-70.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 RWF 587

$2.62 CA$3.62

-84.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RWF 1,136

$1.87 CA$2.59

-58.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.70 RWF 2,476

$14.79 CA$20.48

-88.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.24 RWF 14.9K

$13.08 CA$18.11

-21.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 RWF 1,408

$3.03 CA$4.19

-67.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 RWF 2,378

$3.41 CA$4.72

-52.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 RWF 496

$2.52 CA$3.49

-86.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.67 RWF 40.4K

$77.9 CA$108

-64.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 RWF 3,937

$3.49 CA$4.83

-22.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 RWF 1,777

$1.48 CA$2.04

-17.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 RWF 6,217

$28.25 CA$39.12

-84.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 RWF 1,647

$1.15 CA$1.59

-1.74%

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

$24.1K RWF 35.2M

$25.4K CA$35.2K

-5.13%

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

$22.6K RWF 32.9M

$20.6K CA$28.6K

9.44%

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

$50.1 RWF 73.1K

$155 CA$214

-67.64%

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

$9.44 RWF 13.8K

$45.76 CA$63.4

-79.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.31 RWF 31.1K

$62.2 CA$86.1

-65.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.45 RWF 45.9K

$43.67 CA$60.5

-27.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.28 RWF 6,249

$18.14 CA$25.11

-76.41%

Cinema Ticket

$3.54 RWF 5,159

$11.38 CA$15.76

-68.89%

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

$138 RWF 201.1K

$798 CA$1,104

-82.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,359 RWF 6.4M

$12.1K CA$16.8K

-64.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.98 RWF 27.7K

$56.8 CA$78.7

-66.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.10 RWF 33.7K

$42.19 CA$58.4

-45.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$27.73 RWF 40.5K

$87.9 CA$122

-68.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.43 RWF 50.2K

$106 CA$147

-67.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 RWF 620.5K

$1,359 CA$1,882

-68.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 RWF 425.1K

$1,204 CA$1,667

-75.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 RWF 1.3M

$2,136 CA$2,957

-58.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 RWF 825.5K

$1,860 CA$2,575

-69.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,367 RWF 4.9M

$4,642 CA$6,427

-27.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,036 RWF 4.4M

$3,852 CA$5,333

-21.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$281 RWF 409.7K

$3,029 CA$4,194

-90.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.43

6.33

159.56%

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

Last update for Rwanda: May 30, 2026

Last update for Canada: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $264 in Rwanda vs $1,281 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $568 in Kigali and $1,500 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $244 in Rwanda vs $2,972 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 385% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 240% more in Canada.

Public transport is 364% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 1118% higher in Canada, giving Canada 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 Canada: 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 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 284% 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.