Moving to New York from Rwanda

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Rwanda to New York? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Rwanda to New York. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Albany averages 58°F vs 80°F in Kigali, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Rwanda to New York.

Moved in 2023
1,560 ↑ 16% vs 2022

people moved from Rwanda to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in New York compared to Rwanda.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

RW
5.8%
NY
29.9%

Rwanda performs better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

RW
30.0%
NY
89.7%

New York performs significantly better than Rwanda across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

RW
14.9%
NY
4.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

RW
$3,000
NY
$91,992

New York performs significantly better than Rwanda across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

RW
65.8 yrs
NY
77.7 yrs

New York performs significantly better than Rwanda across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Albany Rain: 39.4 in/yr (1000 mm)
58° / 39°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kigali Albany
Jan–Mar 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) 37°/19°F (2°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 79°/61°F (26°/16°C) 68°/47°F (20°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/60°F (28°/16°C) 78°/58°F (26°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Kigali Albany
Jan 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.6°C) 31°/15°F (-0.8°/-9.7°C)
Feb 81°/60°F (27.4°/15.8°C) 35°/17°F (1.4°/-8.2°C)
Mar 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C) 44°/26°F (6.9°/-3.5°C)
Apr 79°/61°F (26.2°/16.1°C) 58°/37°F (14.6°/2.9°C)
May 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.2°C) 69°/47°F (20.8°/8.4°C)
Jun 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.3°C) 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.6°C)
Jul 81°/59°F (27.1°/15.0°C) 82°/61°F (27.9°/16.3°C)
Aug 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.0°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.5°C)
Sep 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.0°C) 72°/52°F (22.3°/10.9°C)
Oct 81°/61°F (27.2°/15.9°C) 60°/40°F (15.4°/4.2°C)
Nov 79°/60°F (26.1°/15.5°C) 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.3°C)
Dec 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.6°C) 36°/21°F (2.1°/-6.0°C)

Data: Rwanda Meteorology Agency Rwanda Meteorology Agency, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Rwanda passport

Rwanda passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Rwanda passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Rwanda

Visa on Arrival
United States passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Rwanda.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from New York?

From major New York cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Rwanda and New York are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in New York compared to Rwanda?

Rwanda performs better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in New York compared to Rwanda?

The average high temperature in Albany is 58°F, compared to 80°F in Kigali. Albany receives around 39.4 in of rainfall per year, while Kigali gets 37.4 in.

What language do they speak in New York?

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

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At a Glance

RW
Population 13,173,730 19,378,102
Currency Rwandan Franc (RWF) United States Dollar ($)
Languages English, French, Kinyarwanda English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +250 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 112 911