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: $503 in Rwanda versus $455 in Egypt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $802 in Rwanda versus $730 in Egypt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,101 in Rwanda versus $1,004 in Egypt.

Living in Rwanda is roughly 11% more expensive than in Egypt on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Rwanda 62% lower, Egypt 66% lower.

Rwanda ($369$788) and Egypt ($317$705) 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
$3.44 RWF 5,029
$3.89 E£197
-11.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.85 RWF 40.7K
$19.99 E£1,010
39.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.16 RWF 9,007
$4.89 E£247
25.97%
Cappuccino
$2.25 RWF 3,293
$1.42 E£71.6
58.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86 RWF 1,253
$0.33 E£16.56
160.61%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 RWF 778
$0.14 E£6.86
278.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.03 RWF 1,501
$1.37 E£69.1
-24.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 RWF 2,945
$2.99 E£151
-32.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.69 RWF 1,010
$0.85 E£42.93
-18.82%
White Bread (500g)
$1.03 RWF 1,506
$0.63 E£31.69
63.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.21 RWF 1,764
$0.66 E£33.43
83.33%
Eggs
$1.62 RWF 2,367
$1.45 E£73.4
11.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.92 RWF 5,733
$3.15 E£159
24.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.98 RWF 5,822
$4.33 E£219
-8.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$3.47 RWF 5,079
$8.42 E£425
-58.79%
Apples (1kg)
$2.64 RWF 3,865
$1.45 E£73.2
82.07%
Banana (1kg)
$0.82 RWF 1,206
$0.57 E£28.77
43.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 RWF 2,016
$0.48 E£24.14
187.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.04 RWF 1,527
$0.41 E£20.52
153.66%
Potato (1kg)
$0.46 RWF 672
$0.48 E£24.29
-4.17%
Onion (1kg)
$0.76 RWF 1,116
$0.44 E£22.46
72.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.41 RWF 592
$0.24 E£12.12
70.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 RWF 1,139
$0.19 E£9.65
310.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.70 RWF 2,492
$1.99 E£100
-14.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.29 RWF 15.0K
$6.79 E£343
51.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 RWF 1,492
$1.30 E£65.7
-21.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71 RWF 2,500
$1.87 E£94.3
-8.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.33 RWF 488
$0.29 E£14.83
13.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.12 RWF 41.1K
$6.17 E£311
355.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.70 RWF 3,953
$0.39 E£19.52
592.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.23 RWF 1,796
$0.31 E£15.74
296.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.19 RWF 6,133
$1.25 E£63.2
235.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.14 RWF 1,667
$0.31 E£15.57
267.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.3K RWF 35.6M
$34.3K E£1.7M
-29.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K RWF 32.9M
$30.9K E£1.6M
-27.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$48.81 RWF 71.4K
$21.05 E£1,063
131.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.29 RWF 13.6K
$7.02 E£354
32.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.17 RWF 31.0K
$11.61 E£586
82.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.33 RWF 45.8K
$14.78 E£746
111.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.35 RWF 6,365
$6.97 E£352
-37.59%
Cinema Ticket
$3.38 RWF 4,950
$2.89 E£146
16.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$138 RWF 201.4K
$86.0 E£4,344
60.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,312 RWF 6.3M
$1,931 E£97.5K
123.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.96 RWF 27.7K
$26.03 E£1,315
-27.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.13 RWF 33.8K
$43.67 E£2,205
-47.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$28.23 RWF 41.3K
$107 E£5,417
-73.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$34.21 RWF 50.0K
$51.4 E£2,594
-33.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$427 RWF 624.8K
$163 E£8,208
162.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$281 RWF 410.9K
$102 E£5,138
176.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$853 RWF 1.2M
$319 E£16.1K
167.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$559 RWF 817.1K
$189 E£9,533
196.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,429 RWF 5.0M
$773 E£39.0K
343.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,974 RWF 4.3M
$449 E£22.7K
562.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$284 RWF 415.8K
$155 E£7,813
83.79%
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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Egypt: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $266 in Rwanda, $183 in Egypt. Capital cities: $573 in Kigali vs $207 in Cairo.

National salary averages: $242 in Rwanda, $142 in Egypt. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 45% higher in Rwanda.

Dining out costs 25% more in Rwanda.

Public transport is 600% more expensive in Rwanda.

Salaries are 70% higher in Rwanda, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Rwanda.

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 $511 per month in Egypt and $579 in Rwanda, there's a 13% 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?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Egypt: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 in Rwanda?
In Egypt, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Rwanda it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Egypt or to 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.

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