What if you were born in Rwanda?

If you had grown up in Rwanda instead of Pakistan, here is what your money, your home and your day in Kigali could look like.

Try it with my numbers

Savanna with antelope in Akagera National Park. Photo: Emery045, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Rwanda

Each person keeps the same place on the income ladder they have in Pakistan. Amounts are per month, after tax, in RWF and in rupees at today’s rate.

Single, starting out

Earns Rs 60,000 a month in Pakistan, on your own.

Take-home in Rwanda: RWF 136,000Rs 25,500
Rent (city centre): RWF 39,200
Transport (public transport): RWF 9,230
Food: RWF 19,600
Saved: RWF 20,400

Family of four

Earns Rs 120,000 a month in Pakistan, as a family of four.

Take-home in Rwanda: RWF 312,000Rs 58,500
Rent (suburbs): RWF 79,500
Transport (public transport): RWF 21,200
Food: RWF 53,000
Saved: RWF 46,800

High-earning couple

Earns Rs 300,000 a month in Pakistan, as a couple.

Take-home in Rwanda: RWF 506,000Rs 94,800
Rent (city centre): RWF 124,000
Transport (car): RWF 47,300
Food: RWF 61,900
Saved: RWF 142,000

Try it with my own income

A day in Kigali

The family of four above, with one parent working as an engineer.

Morning
You wake up in Kigali, a city of mild winters around 19°C and cool summers around 21°C.
Commute
Public transport is limited here, so you share rides or use taxis and buses for a longer commute.
Work
As an engineer: You spend the morning on site and the afternoon on drawings and calls with suppliers.
Language
You speak Kinyarwanda at home, and English works almost everywhere.
Lunch
Lunch might be isombe: cassava leaves cooked with peanuts.
Evening
You get home with RWF 46,800 saved each month. You stay alert in some areas at night.
Weekend
Weekends are for the mountains.

Rwanda compared with Pakistan

	Rwanda	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	1.1× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	68 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	36 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	11.4%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	20°C	26°C
Languages	Kinyarwanda, English, French	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	RWF	PKR

Sources: World Bank (price levels, household spending, life expectancy, PM2.5, unemployment), NASA POWER (climate), Dareecha’s daily exchange rates.

Thinking of really moving? See Pakistan vs Rwanda, living in Rwanda and the visa checker.

Questions

How much would I earn if I was born in Rwanda?

It depends on where you are on the ladder. A family earning Rs 120,000 a month in Pakistan, above the national average, would take home around RWF 312,000 a month at the same level in Rwanda (about Rs 58,500 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Rwanda more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 1.1 times as much as in Pakistan (World Bank price levels), but incomes there are higher too, so what matters is how far your pay goes.

What language would I speak in Rwanda?

Mainly Kinyarwanda, English, French. English is an official language.

Can I actually move to Rwanda?

This page imagines being born there. For a real move, compare costs, safety and jobs on the Pakistan vs Rwanda page, and check visa rules in the visa checker.