Meals, coffee and beer, hotels, museums, transport and a SIM card: a 2026 price list for your first days in the city.
← Part of our Rwanda travel guide
Kigali is affordable for everyday things and pricier for anything aimed at visitors. A local lunch costs about RWF 3,000 and a city bus ride a few hundred francs, while museum entry runs to RWF 10,000–20,000 and most hotels price in dollars.
| Item | Typical price | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Lunch at a local restaurant | RWF 3,000 | RWF 2,000–8,000 |
| Dinner for two, mid-range, three courses | RWF 40,000 | RWF 30,000–80,000 |
| Fast-food combo meal | RWF 10,000 | RWF 8,500–12,000 |
| Cappuccino | About RWF 3,500 | RWF 2,000–7,000 |
| Local draught beer | RWF 1,500 | RWF 1,000–2,000 |
| Imported beer, small bottle | About RWF 3,750 | RWF 2,000–5,000 |
| Soft drink, small bottle | About RWF 1,300 | RWF 1,000–3,000 |
| Bottled water, 1.5 litres (shop) | About RWF 1,200 | RWF 1,000–2,000 |
| Type | Per night | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Hostel dorm bed | From about $10 | Shared rooms, often with breakfast |
| Budget hotel | $35–60 | Private room and breakfast |
| Mid-range hotel | $80–160 | Pool or garden, restaurant, good location |
| Top hotel | $250–600 and up | International brands and boutique hotels |
Typical ranges from Hello and Living in Kigali; prices vary by season and neighbourhood.
| Place | International adult | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Kigali Genocide Memorial | Free | Audio guide $30. Allow at least two hours. |
| Campaign Against Genocide Museum | RWF 20,000 | In the Parliament building |
| Kandt House Museum | RWF 15,000 | Natural history and Kigali's early days |
| Rwanda Art Museum | RWF 15,000 | Contemporary Rwandan art |
| Kwigira Museum | RWF 10,000 | Smaller national museum |
| Free walking tours | Tip-based | City-centre walks led by local guides |
National museums open daily from 9:00 to 17:00, from 12:00 on the last Saturday of the month (Umuganda), and close on 7 April, 25 December and 1 January. Tickets are paid through Irembo. Museum prices from Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy; memorial from Kigali Genocide Memorial.
| Item | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| City bus, 5 km | About RWF 300 | RURA tariff, April 2026 |
| Moto-taxi, 5 km | About RWF 750 | RURA tariff |
| Ride app (Yego, Move), 5 km | About RWF 2,500 | Reported, October 2026 |
| Airport to city by taxi | About RWF 7,800–9,200 | RURA tariff |
| MTN SIM card | RWF 500 | Bring your passport |
| Mobile data, 10 GB for a week (MTN) | RWF 5,000 | Reported, 2026 |
Details on every option: getting around Kigali and Kigali Airport to the city. SIM prices from What's Dave Doing; registration takes about half an hour, and tourists can register one SIM per network per passport.
Per person, not counting park permits, tours or flights. Our own estimates, built from the prices above.
A hostel bed, two local meals, buses and motos, and bottled water.
Sit-down meals, a coffee or two, ride apps and a museum.
Restaurant dinners, private drivers and guided visits.
Hotels and smart restaurants take cards; markets, motos and small shops want cash or mobile money.
Many hotels, lodges and tour operators quote prices in US dollars.
National museum entry is paid through Irembo, Rwanda's government payments portal.
A local SIM is cheap but takes time to register; an eSIM works the moment you land.
eSIM optionsChecked 31 October 2026. Prices change; confirm before you pay.
Gorillas, chimpanzees, Akagera and Lake Kivu, with permit prices and a 7-day route.
Rwanda travel guide