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: $533 in Rwanda versus $450 in Egypt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $836 in Rwanda versus $732 in Egypt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,139 in Rwanda versus $1,013 in Egypt.

Living in Rwanda is roughly 18% more expensive than in Egypt on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Rwanda 61% lower, Egypt 67% lower.

Rwanda ($375$870) and Egypt ($325$729) 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
$3.07 RWF 4,504
$4.04 E£207
-24.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.80 RWF 37.8K
$19.42 E£996
32.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.93 RWF 10.2K
$4.94 E£253
40.28%
Cappuccino
$2.35 RWF 3,449
$1.53 E£78.3
53.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 RWF 1,197
$0.34 E£17.65
141.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52 RWF 758
$0.13 E£6.59
300.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.01 RWF 1,482
$1.46 E£74.9
-30.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 RWF 2,911
$2.99 E£153
-33.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.75 RWF 1,100
$0.85 E£43.84
-11.76%
White Bread (500g)
$1.03 RWF 1,517
$0.70 E£36.14
47.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.23 RWF 1,804
$0.65 E£33.31
89.23%
Eggs
$1.60 RWF 2,354
$1.32 E£67.7
21.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.89 RWF 5,706
$3.45 E£177
12.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.06 RWF 5,952
$4.26 E£219
-4.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.08 RWF 5,991
$8.99 E£461
-54.62%
Apples (1kg)
$2.69 RWF 3,947
$1.57 E£80.3
71.34%
Banana (1kg)
$0.88 RWF 1,298
$0.68 E£34.83
29.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.59 RWF 2,328
$0.50 E£25.65
218.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.02 RWF 1,489
$0.41 E£21.19
148.78%
Potato (1kg)
$0.50 RWF 737
$0.38 E£19.33
31.58%
Onion (1kg)
$0.78 RWF 1,139
$0.38 E£19.70
105.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.46 RWF 678
$0.29 E£14.63
58.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 RWF 1,162
$0.20 E£10.25
295.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.97 RWF 2,890
$2.00 E£103
-1.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.01 RWF 14.7K
$7.05 E£362
41.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.06 RWF 1,551
$1.45 E£74.4
-26.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 RWF 2,338
$2.11 E£108
-24.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.33 RWF 484
$0.30 E£15.50
10.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.26 RWF 41.5K
$8.14 E£418
247.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.63 RWF 3,860
$0.38 E£19.25
592.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.07 RWF 3,037
$0.28 E£14.24
639.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.48 RWF 5,112
$1.81 E£93.0
92.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.75 RWF 2,573
$0.43 E£21.86
306.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.0K RWF 38.1M
$33.4K E£1.7M
-22.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6K RWF 34.7M
$28.4K E£1.5M
-16.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$86.7 RWF 127.2K
$22.40 E£1,149
287.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.86 RWF 11.5K
$7.19 E£369
9.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.19 RWF 29.6K
$13.44 E£689
50.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.40 RWF 44.6K
$17.79 E£913
70.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.32 RWF 6,335
$6.66 E£342
-35.14%
Cinema Ticket
$3.35 RWF 4,920
$2.90 E£149
15.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$134 RWF 197.2K
$94.0 E£4,821
43.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,343 RWF 13.7M
$2,482 E£127.3K
276.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$19.87 RWF 29.1K
$27.14 E£1,393
-26.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.34 RWF 25.4K
$44.76 E£2,296
-61.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$26.81 RWF 39.3K
$110 E£5,664
-75.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$35.26 RWF 51.7K
$50.5 E£2,589
-30.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$617 RWF 905.3K
$155 E£7,942
298.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$346 RWF 507.0K
$94.6 E£4,854
265.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,271 RWF 1.9M
$309 E£15.8K
311.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$788 RWF 1.2M
$196 E£10.0K
302.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,410 RWF 5.0M
$747 E£38.3K
356.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,005 RWF 4.4M
$455 E£23.3K
560.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rwanda
Egypt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$289 RWF 423.8K
$151 E£7,764
90.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.2
16.46
-1.58%

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

Last update for Rwanda: September 6, 2026

Last update for Egypt: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $210 in Rwanda, $146 in Egypt. Capital cities: $664 in Kigali vs $215 in Cairo.

National salary averages: $232 in Rwanda, $140 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 41% more in Rwanda.

Public transport is 267% more expensive in Rwanda.

Salaries are 66% 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 $527 per month in Egypt and $623 in Rwanda, there's a 18% 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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