Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rwanda and Spain

For one person, living is cheaper in Rwanda: $811 a month against $1,775 in Spain, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Rwanda
Spain
🇷🇼 Rwanda
$811
/mo nomad
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,775
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rwanda and in Spain

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rwanda and in Spain actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $811 in Rwanda versus $1,775 in Spain.

  • Rwanda $811
  • Spain $1,775

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,311 in Rwanda versus $2,606 in Spain.

  • Rwanda $1,311
  • Spain $2,606

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,810 in Rwanda versus $3,438 in Spain.

  • Rwanda $1,810
  • Spain $3,438

Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $931 to $2,610, compared to $369–$881 in Rwanda. City choice carries more weight in Spain.

Living in Rwanda costs about 54% less than in Spain on average.

Rwanda (40% below) and Spain (30% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rwanda
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.02 RWF 4,448
$16.69 €14.98
-81.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.94 RWF 36.7K
$55.7 €49.98
-55.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.87 RWF 10.1K
$11.37 €10.20
-39.58%
Cappuccino
$2.27 RWF 3,336
$2.42 €2.17
-6.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 RWF 1,176
$2.68 €2.40
-70.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54 RWF 793
$1.79 €1.61
-69.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.98 RWF 1,445
$3.42 €3.07
-71.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 RWF 3,030
$3.88 €3.48
-46.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rwanda
Spain
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.85 RWF 1,247
$1.20 €1.08
-29.17%
White Bread (500g)
$1.03 RWF 1,512
$1.48 €1.33
-30.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.24 RWF 1,831
$1.67 €1.50
-25.75%
Eggs
$1.59 RWF 2,333
$3.42 €3.07
-53.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.02 RWF 5,914
$14.17 €12.72
-71.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.35 RWF 6,407
$8.33 €7.47
-47.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.15 RWF 6,111
$16.20 €14.54
-74.38%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 RWF 4,065
$2.45 €2.20
12.65%
Banana (1kg)
$0.84 RWF 1,229
$2.03 €1.82
-58.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.56 RWF 2,288
$2.08 €1.86
-25.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.98 RWF 1,446
$2.58 €2.32
-62.02%
Potato (1kg)
$0.47 RWF 686
$1.83 €1.64
-74.32%
Onion (1kg)
$0.80 RWF 1,178
$2.00 €1.80
-60.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.49 RWF 727
$1.31 €1.17
-62.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 RWF 1,179
$0.77 €0.69
3.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.00 RWF 2,944
$6.36 €5.71
-68.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 RWF 14.6K
$5.64 €5.06
76.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 RWF 1,640
$1.30 €1.17
-14.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 RWF 2,243
$2.09 €1.87
-27.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Rwanda
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.36 RWF 524
$1.64 €1.47
-78.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.57 RWF 39.1K
$32.91 €29.53
-19.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.79 RWF 4,106
$4.43 €3.97
-37.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.98 RWF 2,911
$1.47 €1.32
34.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.44 RWF 5,067
$24.98 €22.42
-86.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.80 RWF 2,648
$1.77 €1.59
1.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.2K RWF 38.5M
$35.5K €31.9K
-26.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2K RWF 34.2M
$30.6K €27.5K
-24.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rwanda
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.3 RWF 122.5K
$149 €134
-44.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.62 RWF 11.2K
$17.67 €15.86
-56.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.87 RWF 30.7K
$31.88 €28.61
-34.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rwanda
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.13 RWF 45.8K
$44.24 €39.69
-29.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.13 RWF 6,079
$15.29 €13.72
-72.99%
Cinema Ticket
$3.31 RWF 4,875
$9.66 €8.67
-65.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rwanda
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$133 RWF 195.2K
$544 €488
-75.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,517 RWF 14.0M
$10.6K €9,517
-10.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rwanda
Spain
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$20.58 RWF 30.3K
$84.9 €76.2
-75.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.16 RWF 25.2K
$37.11 €33.30
-53.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$27.09 RWF 39.9K
$89.2 €80.0
-69.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$35.62 RWF 52.4K
$106 €94.9
-66.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rwanda
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$601 RWF 883.9K
$1,056 €948
-43.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$340 RWF 500.0K
$808 €725
-57.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,290 RWF 1.9M
$1,621 €1,454
-20.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$802 RWF 1.2M
$1,246 €1,118
-35.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,440 RWF 5.1M
$4,135 €3,711
-16.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,986 RWF 4.4M
$2,633 €2,362
13.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rwanda
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$290 RWF 426.8K
$1,999 €1,794
-85.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.2
3.3
390.91%

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

Last update for Rwanda: October 25, 2026

Last update for Spain: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rwanda
$340
Spain
$808 138% $468
Groceries & Markets
Rwanda
$149
Spain
$272 81.8% $122
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rwanda
$112
Spain
$199 77.9% $87
Eating Out
Rwanda
$86
Spain
$239 177% $153
Clothing & Footwear
Rwanda
$45
Spain
$143 216% $97
Getting Around
Rwanda
$41
Spain
$51 26% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Rwanda
$38
Spain
$64 68.3% $26

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $354 in Rwanda, $920 in Spain. Capital cities: $672 in Kigali vs $1,508 in Madrid.

National salary averages: $232 in Rwanda, $1,972 in Spain. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 160% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 138% more in Spain.

Salaries are about 8.5 times higher in Spain, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Spain.

Good to know
🇷🇼 Rwanda
🇪🇸 Spain
🕒 Local time
17:38 5:38 PM
16:38 4:38 PM
1 h behind Rwanda
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
13,246,394
47,415,750
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to RWF – Rwandan Franc Converter

Rwandan Franc exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1,471 RWF (10,000 RWF = 6.8 USD). 1 EUR = 1,642 RWF (10,000 RWF = 6.09 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.897 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rwanda Spain 5,820 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Rwanda
  • Spain

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Rwanda compare to the cost in Spain?
At $811 per month in Rwanda and $1,775 in Spain, Rwanda comes out about 54% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do daily expenses compare in Rwanda vs Spain?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in Rwanda: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Is rent more expensive in Rwanda or in Spain?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $920 in Spain and $354 in Rwanda. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Which country is better for expats: Rwanda or Spain?
It depends on what you’re after: Rwanda wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.

Rwanda vs other spots: cost of living compared

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