I’ve been in Kigali for a couple of weeks and it’s starting to feel comfortable. The weather here is perfect everyday, people are nice, and I feel like there are lots of different levels of the place to explore. I thought I’d write a post about life here in case anyone is curious or considering a trip to the city. It’s not a typical stop on the expat trail so the more I can share about it, the better for others who are heading this way.
Accommodation
I moved into a house a few days ago with an American chick, her Namibian fiance, and two British guys and they’re all really nice. My initial plan was to try to get my own place but that was before I realized how expensive that would be. Rent for a room in this place is US$400 a month and I didn’t even see ads for apartments but my guess it it would have cost me over twice that price. But I’m realizing that living in a sharehouse is good for the social life and I’m happy I’ve made the choice. It’s not quite the crazy days of sharehouse living in London, but that’s a good thing because I think my body would break.
My room is simple but the bed is comfy. There’s a huge lounge with a table that I’ve decided to sprawl my stuff over as a workspace. Two of the other housemates work from home a lot of the time too so that could be a new twist to the online working thing. It’ll be nice to have people around to have water cooler conversations with. Plus we’ve discovered that we all love creating salads and could end up taking turns making elaborate lunches.
The best part for me is the view. Kigali is super hilly and it seems like every restaurant I’ve been to has an amazing view over some part of the city. The school I was staying at when I first arrived also had a great view. But the advantage of this house is that there’s some grass to kick back on or some comfy chairs to lounge in to either soak up the sun or enjoy looking at the city lights at night. There’s a nice garden and I can keep myself entertained by watching lizards wrestle with each other. At least I think they’re wrestling…
Expenses
Kigali is an expensive place, especially if you like frozen mocha drinks and hanging out in cafes. My rent is $400 which is more than I would have expected to pay for a place in Africa if you had asked me before I arrived. First I learned that Africa was cold, and now that it’s expensive! Why didn’t anyone tell me this before?
I pay 41,500 Rwandan francs which is about US$70 per month (ouch!) for an unlimited internet connection through my USB modem (that I also had to buy for Rwf20,000 because my other modem couldn’t be unlocked). The connection has been terrible so far, only working well about 25% of the time, not connecting at all another 25% and half the time it’s super slow. I asked them about it and they said something about fiber optic cable being busted, satellite not being as good blah blah blah. I said I don’t care… just make it work. He sent an email and told me it would be better and, miraculously, so far it has.
Because my internet connection has been poo I’ve had to spend a lot of time sponging free wifi from expat cafes. Having a drink and a meal there can cost $10 to $15 which sort of kills my budget. Having a some wine at a bar costs about $4 a glass but a beer is only about $1.70. Groceries are affordable if I can stay away from Western goodies. Veggies are super cheap but ice cream is $20 for a 2L tub. Ice cream will be off the menu but I still had to stock up on some basics like balsamic vinegar and olive oil which took a bit of a chunk out of the budget.
While there are a lot of expensive options here, there are also a lot of cheap choices for eating and shopping. I’ll be heading to the market on Friday to load up on cheap veggies. Brochettes (basically meat on a stick) and samosas are both cheap options that are popular with the locals so I’ll need to find some good spots around me to grab a quick bite. I’m looking forward to cooking now that I’ve got a kitchen so, with the cheap veggies in mind, that’ll mean a lot of stir fries.
Social Life
It’s been great having my Belgian friend here for the first while because she’s adopted me and taking me out with her to some cool bars and events. Then another volunteering friend of mine was in town so that was a fun night out at dinner. And then one of my Aussie friends I went to the World Cup with swung by and we had a couple of days doing the tourist thing. Now with my friends gone or leaving soon, I’m all moved in to my new house and it seems like they’re a sociable bunch.
Expats here in Kigali all seem to have some interesting work they’re doing whether it be volunteering, NGO work or some business. I went to a weekly quiz night last night and we joined up with another team of older guys who were friendly and have all been in Kigali for years and all had their stories to tell. There don’t seem to be a huge amount of social gatherings for the expat crowd besides the quiz night but that’s probably a good thing so I don’t get stuck into the expat trap.
Do-Gooding
I really want to find an interesting volunteering opportunity while I’m here (or even an uninteresting one). I found out about a woman’s organization through this website and they said they could use someone with web design skills (there’s also lots of opportunities teaching English or playing with orphans, but that’s not really my thing) and I’ve gotten in touch. It doesn’t seem like they have a website at all so if I could help them by building one, I would love to do that. Plus I really like the idea of training one or a few people on how to update the site and make simple changes using WordPress. They just emailed me back this morning and seem happy with my suggestion so I’ll meet up with them on Monday, hopefully.
Other Stuff
Rwanda is a really interesting place. Did you know that not only can you not get plastic bags anywhere… they’re actually illegal and if you’re found bringing them into the country you could be fined? Plus the morning of the last Saturday of every month is also set aside so that everyone can work together to clean up the streets. That explians why this city is so clean.
Then of course there’s the genocide thing. That. Besides going to the memorial (possibly one of the most depressing but important museums I’ve been to)and reading a bunch of books on the subject, I haven’t had any conversations with people here about it. I’m not really sure I want to… it’s such a huge, heavy, horrible thing and I’m not sure if it’s something people here discuss or if everyone just wants to forget about it and move on. I suppose I’ll find out if I can manage to make some local friends.
I’m heading off with my Belgian friend for a night or two in the DR Congo to have a look around Goma. It seems like an interesting place and I’m pretty fascinated by the Congo. Should be fun, speak to you soon!
I agree $400 for a room anywhere in Africa sounds very expensive. I envy your ability to pick up a social life so quickly in a new location, that’s something I often struggled with when I was on the road, even places where I stuck around for a while!
I’am so very proud of you and what you have accomplished so far, Keep up the good work. Also have a good rest day or two and enjoy the surroundings. You’re in my prayers and thoughts.
$70 for internet in kigali :O. I pay less than that in Australia.
Needs more pictures
Also, what are the top things to to in the city? The place looks a bit depressing on google maps, not much trees and parks…
Wow, who would have thought it would be so expensive. I’m quite surprised.
Your back yard view is amazing! Like the others, I am surprised about the high costs… is it maybe just that part of town? Sort of like a foreigner compound?
I was also surprised about how expensive that place is, until I looked it up on the map. Kigali looks quite remote and I imagine it’s a challenge getting things in and out of there. Perhaps that’s where all the cost comes from?
I, too, almost died when I saw the grocery store prices. An American brand of peanut butter at nearly $20! It’s crazy. They don’t seem to produce much packaged food there either, so it seems like everything is imported!
As for the genocide, I spoke to quite a few locals about it. It’s horrific but really impacted me hearing about it first hand. From people I’ve spoken with, I think at times they do get sick of talking about it (especially if they’re in the tourism industry where they talk about it a lot) but at the same time I got the impression that they wanted to educate people as well on what happened. Hearing personal accounts was one of the most fascinating and educational moments for me in Rwanda. Maybe fascinating is the wrong word to use as it seems like I’m thrilled to hear about it but it really was eye opening for me.
YOU BOTH RIGHT AND WRONG LAURA. DEAR, ITS AN EYE OPENER TO US ALL
AND HELPS US UNDERSTAND AND EMPOWERS US TO UNITE AND WORK TOGHER FOR ACOMMON GOAL.
A fellow traveler in Mexico gave me the book A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali by Gil Courtemanche. It was a very good read and I recommend it as both an entertaining read (yes, entertaining despite the subject matter) and a primer on the events leading up to the genocide.
Glad to here you’re enjoying my home country (minus the expensive part).
Speak any Kinyarwanda yet?
Glad to hear that you’re getting nicely settled in Kigali. I too am quite surprised to hear about the high cost of living there. It is quite the view though. I guess the high cost of living helps keep the city safe and clean. I do like the idea of the whole city coming together once a month to help clean the streets. It’s better than just making convicts pick up trash, making it seem like such a low class thing to do.
Saving the last Saturday of the month so everyone can help clean up the streets? Adorable. And so awesome. I’m really looking forward to reading more posts from Rwanda, especially about everyday life – it’s rare to hear anything not relating to the genocide, but refreshing to see a different take on the country.
Love hearing about your adventures! As you mentioned volunteering… I’m not sure if they’re in Kigali, but there is an ice cream shop here in Brooklyn called Blue Marble, that actually opened up a shop in Rwanda as a woman’s work training initiative. Blue Marble Dreams. It sounds really cool, perhaps they need volunteers? And maybe you could even get free ice cream!
Just a thought!
I’m impressed with the law against plastic bags. Even with all the “green” hype in N.America we can’t manage to pass such a simple law. I like hearing about these little-known facets of daily life in another country.
Lovely article really. I’am so very proud of you and what you have accomplished so far, Keep up the good work. Also have a good rest day or two and enjoy the surroundings. You’re in my prayers and thoughts. Keep updating like that.
Hey Kristy, Did you try to find out the reason, why it’s so expensive ? Is it due to expensive labor or what?
That’s some excellent information for those of us always looking for new places to spend some time! Although the cost of living is quite high I’m sure once you settle down into a more regular routine you’ll find ways to get around that. Things always seem more expensive at the start when we’re trying to figure out how to adjust.
Kigali definitely sounds like quite a peaceful, laid-back city though. And I’ve always wondered what expats around the world would do if there was no such thing as Quiz Nights!
Wow – definitely more expensive than I thought it would be. At least the internet is good now. I can see internet being expensive, but what about things like electricity, water and other charges? That must be quite costly. I suppose that is included in the cost of your rental. But, somebody has to pay it. Would you inquire? I’m really curious about all of that. And, since no plastic bags are allowed, how is weekly garbage collection pulled off? Do they come around and pick it up? Or do you have to take it somewhere to dump?
Good luck on the volunteering. Hopefully we’ll get a look at your work once it’s finished.
$400 so expensive. Cant imagine also. Even internet but that’s fine. And law against plastic bags is great. But why it is so expensive?
Well Kirsty besides some of the expensive aspects of Kigali, it seems like it’s a great place to be at, it’s great to hear that you are having a great time at Kigali, would love go out and do something like you are doing
Till then,
Jean
I like all coments posted on this article. However i would like to tell you that Kigali is one of the safest, cleanest and orderly city in Africa. Apart from the ugly houses posted on google, there are two sides of Kigali. Old kigali mostly before and post genocide with unplanned constructions and chaotic and, new kigali, planned with villas even more beautiful than americans. If you need more photos you can go on http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=387734&page=20 and see what kind of development is taking place. Of course there are many things to do but it is on the right track. you can also watch the youtube : africa you never see on Tv or again watch Rwanda renaissance. Thanks
What a wonderful adventure you are having! I think settling in to live somewhere really enhances the travel (or non-travel) experience. I spent a few days in Kigali on my trans-Africa trip. My main memory is that a French woman who was house-sitting there let me take a shower in her house a couple of times. It was a major treat compared to cold dirty showers or trying to bathe out of a half-full bucket that was the usual camping routine. That was in 1984, so I’m sure things have changed.
As for costs, poor countries are often very expensive for Westerners. Lagos, Nigeria used to be the most expensive city to live in. We tend to have a minimum standard that is much lower than what we are used to, but is still upper-middle class for the people who live there. A typical Kigali home, where Rwandans live, would probably be much cheaper.
And of course American peanut butter is expensive. Rwanda is in the middle of nowhere in a country with poor infrastructure and few people who can afford imported goods. Call UPS and ask what it would cost to ship a few jars of peanut butter to Kigali. As long as you want Western goods, you will pay a hefty premium. Packaged goods of any form are luxuries. And I think I remember getting newly ground, fresh peanut butter in the market. Or was that in Kenya?
@portvilahotels I think the social life thing depends a lot on your contacts in the city (I had a friend here already), the availability of events (that you don’t feel like a knob going to if you’re on your own), and who you end up living with.
@daniel The city is a funny place with not much to really do. There are loads of hills all over the place, many without any houses so I keep meaning to go exploring and tackle some of the larger ones. Otherwise there’s the Hash House Harriers, ultimate frisbee on Sundays, quiz nights on Tuesday at a pizza place, and I hang out in cafes working a lot. I’m going to check out the gym today or tomorrow.
@laura Ya it’s a heavy subject but I’m so curious about it. I watched a movie last night called ‘As We Forgive’. It’s really interesting and about the forgiveness process and how the country is hoping to move on after neighbours were killing neighbours.
@nicki Thanks for the tip, checking it out now… http://www.bluemarbledreams.org/
@steve Water was about 17,000 a month but then they suddenly got a bill for just over 50,000. They suspect that’s for two months but it’s still a big jump. But there hasn’t been any rain so it might be because plants are being watered. Electricity is pay-as-you-go but not sure how much, sorry. It’s all included in the rent. I’ll try to find out more and do a post about my house.
@sadiki Thanks for the link and the insight!
@stilloutthere Thanks for the info! Ya I imagine I’m living the life of an upper-middle class person in Kigali which probably explains the expense. I could certainly live a lot more cheaply but I would miss out on a lot of the comforts I look forward to when I stop to work for awhile. I’ll have my stint of living cheap once I head to the forest to volunteer in Uganda so, for the moment, I’m happy to live it up a bit, enjoy hot showers and cold iced mochas and then go on a budget once I leave. I often seem to fluctuate between spending a lot (often on airfares) for awhile and then spending virtually nothing for awhile. I like how that balance works for me.
Well Kirsty besides some of the expensive aspects of Kigali, it seems like it’s a great place to be at, it’s great to hear that you are having a great time at Kigali, would love go out and do something like you are doing
I’m really surprised about the high cost of living. About 8 years ago, I was working with a guy from South Africa and he told me that living is quit cheap there – he once mentioned, that you get a dream villa with pool for less than $50.000. But again, this was already quite a while ago and it was a different country.
Hi Kirsty,
Great article! I am moving to Kigali in about a month for a new job, and am curious about the average cost of living there. Would you be willing to make an estimate? And how did you go about finding housing, if I may ask? I have checked out some listings online, but they don’t seem very promising.
Thanks again for sharing your experiences– very helpful!
Hi Kirsty
Fascinating insight. Like everyone else I’m surprised at the expense and also that the society has managed to stabilize after the horrors of relatively recent years. From a research perspective I’m interested in your views of the police. Are they visible on the streets? What do people think of them? Are they to be trusted? Are they seen as corrupt? I’d be really interested in your perceptions. Thanks.
Paul
Wow! $400 for a room is really steep. Sounds like they have it down on keeping things clean though. I love the idea of community cleaning.
@Paul,i really assure u that Rwandan police is very polite and works well in all possible ways.Rwandese in general are polite and kind and they don’t like people who disrespect them.Once u show them love they reverse it to you….welcome to a lovely clean,small and orderly country from the heart of Africa.