Cost of Living Comparison Between Rwanda and Egypt Cost of Living Comparison Between Rwanda and Egypt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $500 in Rwanda versus $453 in Egypt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $799 in Rwanda versus $729 in Egypt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,098 in Rwanda versus $1,005 in Egypt.

Living in Rwanda is roughly 10% more expensive than Egypt on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Rwanda 63% lower, Egypt 66% lower.

Rwanda ($366$781) and Egypt ($315$684) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.39 RWF 4,951
$4.03 E£209
-15.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.47 RWF 40.1K
$19.90 E£1,031
38.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.04 RWF 8,814
$5.08 E£263
18.90%
Cappuccino
$2.17 RWF 3,162
$1.45 E£75.0
49.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 RWF 1,232
$0.35 E£18.26
140.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 RWF 721
$0.14 E£7.20
250.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.06 RWF 1,543
$1.42 E£73.4
-25.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 RWF 2,903
$2.90 E£150
-31.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.66 RWF 967
$0.91 E£47.07
-27.47%
White Bread (500g)
$1.04 RWF 1,511
$0.62 E£32.26
67.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.21 RWF 1,770
$0.67 E£34.55
80.60%
Eggs
$1.60 RWF 2,334
$1.51 E£78.0
5.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.87 RWF 5,643
$3.13 E£162
23.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.02 RWF 5,861
$4.34 E£225
-7.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$3.58 RWF 5,216
$8.74 E£453
-59.04%
Apples (1kg)
$2.68 RWF 3,915
$1.53 E£79.1
75.16%
Banana (1kg)
$0.88 RWF 1,280
$0.56 E£29.24
57.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.46 RWF 2,129
$0.44 E£22.79
231.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.00 RWF 1,465
$0.40 E£20.98
150.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.47 RWF 681
$0.44 E£22.79
6.82%
Onion (1kg)
$0.81 RWF 1,179
$0.44 E£23.01
84.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.40 RWF 587
$0.24 E£12.43
66.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 RWF 1,136
$0.21 E£11.06
271.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.70 RWF 2,476
$1.92 E£99.2
-11.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.24 RWF 14.9K
$6.82 E£353
50.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.97 RWF 1,408
$1.27 E£66.0
-23.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 RWF 2,378
$1.85 E£96.0
-11.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 RWF 496
$0.27 E£13.79
25.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.67 RWF 40.4K
$5.94 E£307
365.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.70 RWF 3,937
$0.38 E£19.70
610.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.22 RWF 1,777
$0.29 E£14.82
320.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.26 RWF 6,217
$1.30 E£67.2
227.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.13 RWF 1,647
$0.31 E£15.93
264.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.1K RWF 35.2M
$34.3K E£1.8M
-29.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.6K RWF 32.9M
$31.6K E£1.6M
-28.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$50.1 RWF 73.1K
$21.84 E£1,131
129.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.44 RWF 13.8K
$7.09 E£367
33.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.31 RWF 31.1K
$11.91 E£617
78.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.45 RWF 45.9K
$14.50 E£751
116.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.28 RWF 6,249
$6.81 E£353
-37.15%
Cinema Ticket
$3.54 RWF 5,159
$2.93 E£152
20.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$138 RWF 201.1K
$87.8 E£4,546
57.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,359 RWF 6.4M
$1,934 E£100.2K
125.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.98 RWF 27.7K
$26.08 E£1,351
-27.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.10 RWF 33.7K
$43.77 E£2,267
-47.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$27.73 RWF 40.5K
$109 E£5,627
-74.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$34.43 RWF 50.2K
$51.8 E£2,684
-33.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$425 RWF 620.5K
$163 E£8,434
161.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$291 RWF 425.1K
$101 E£5,237
188.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$886 RWF 1.3M
$320 E£16.6K
176.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$566 RWF 825.5K
$188 E£9,729
201.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,367 RWF 4.9M
$741 E£38.4K
354.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,036 RWF 4.4M
$453 E£23.5K
570.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$281 RWF 409.7K
$148 E£7,642
90.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.43
16.38
0.31%

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

Last update for Rwanda: May 30, 2026

Last update for Egypt: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $264 in Rwanda, $183 in Egypt. Capital cities: $568 in Kigali vs $205 in Cairo.

National salary averages: $244 in Rwanda, $145 in Egypt. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 44% higher in Rwanda.

Dining out costs 25% more in Rwanda.

Public transport is 600% more expensive in Rwanda.

Salaries are 68% higher in Rwanda, giving Rwanda 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 Egypt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Egypt and Rwanda?
At $500 per month in Egypt and $574 in Rwanda, there's a 15% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Egypt is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Rwanda beats Egypt across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in Egypt or Rwanda?
In Egypt, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In Rwanda, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Egypt or Rwanda?
It depends on what you're after. Egypt wins on affordability; Rwanda may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Rwanda vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries