Moving to Rwanda from Australia

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Australia to Rwanda — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Australia to Rwanda. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Kigali averages 80°F vs 67°F in Canberra, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Australia and Rwanda stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

AU
0.8
RW
3.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AU
4.5
RW
11.6

Australia performs better than Rwanda across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

AU
$7,691
RW
$177
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

AU
39.8
RW
1.2

Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Rwanda leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AU
10.0
RW
62.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AU
14.1t
RW
0.2t

Australia generally does better on environment, though Rwanda leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AU
35.1
RW
0.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AU
4.6%
RW
20.2%

Australia performs better than Rwanda across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AU
3.7%
RW
14.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AU
$59,500
RW
$3,000

Australia generally does better on employment & economy, though Rwanda leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AU
83.1 yrs
RW
65.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AU
3.0
RW
26.4

Australia performs better than Rwanda across all family life metrics.

Data: Australian Taxation Office, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Canberra Rain: 24.8 in/yr (629 mm)
67° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Kigali Rain: 37.4 in/yr (951 mm)
80° / 60°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Canberra Kigali
Jan–Mar 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) 80°/60°F (27°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) 79°/61°F (26°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) 82°/60°F (28°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) 80°/60°F (27°/16°C)
View all months
Month Canberra Kigali
Jan 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.6°C)
Feb 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) 81°/60°F (27.4°/15.8°C)
Mar 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C)
Apr 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) 79°/61°F (26.2°/16.1°C)
May 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.2°C)
Jun 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.3°C)
Jul 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) 81°/59°F (27.1°/15.0°C)
Aug 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.0°C)
Sep 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.0°C)
Oct 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) 81°/61°F (27.2°/15.9°C)
Nov 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) 79°/60°F (26.1°/15.5°C)
Dec 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.6°C)

Data: Bureau of Meteorology Bureau of Meteorology, Rwanda Meteorology Agency Rwanda Meteorology Agency

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia and Rwanda. To live, work, or study long-term in Rwanda, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Rwanda's immigration authority.

Australia passport

Australia passport holder visiting Rwanda

Visa Free
Australia passport holders can enter Rwanda without a visa.
Rwanda passport

Rwanda passport holder visiting Australia

Visa Required
Rwanda passport holders need a visa to enter Australia.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Rwanda?

With 0.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Rwanda can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Australia and Rwanda.

Is Rwanda safe for expats?

Australia performs better than Rwanda across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Rwanda is 3.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Australia.

How is healthcare in Rwanda compared to Australia?

Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Rwanda leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Rwanda, compared to 39.8 in Australia. Rwanda scores 49 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).

What's the weather like in Rwanda compared to Australia?

The average high temperature in Kigali is 80°F, compared to 67°F in Canberra. Kigali receives around 37.4 in of rainfall per year, while Canberra gets 24.8 in.

What language do they speak in Rwanda?

The official languages in Rwanda are English, French and Kinyarwanda. In Australia, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

AU RW
Population 26,141,369 13,173,730
Currency Australian Dollar (A$) Rwandan Franc (RWF)
Languages English English, French, Kinyarwanda
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +61 +250
Time zones 8 1
Emergency number 000 112