Cost of Living Comparison Between Benin and South Africa Cost of Living Comparison Between Benin and South Africa

Name: South Africa
Address: ZA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $839 per month in Benin vs $1,143 in South Africa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,326 per month in Benin vs $1,781 in South Africa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,813 per month in Benin vs $2,419 in South Africa, rent included.

The cost of living in Benin is roughly 27% lower than in South Africa on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Benin and South Africa are more affordable than the global median – Benin 39% lower, South Africa 17% lower.

The regional cost range is wider in South Africa ($647–$1,815) than in Benin ($745–$933), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.22 F CFA 2,948

$11.30 R 182

-53.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.90 F CFA 20.9K

$44.51 R 717

-17.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 F CFA 5,553

$5.90 R 95.0

66.61%

Cappuccino

$5.66 F CFA 3,196

$2.44 R 39.22

131.97%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 F CFA 689

$1.16 R 18.64

5.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 F CFA 749

$0.96 R 15.39

38.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.91 F CFA 513

$2.56 R 41.29

-64.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 F CFA 2,281

$3.08 R 49.60

31.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 F CFA 1,371

$1.28 R 20.57

89.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 F CFA 514

$1.13 R 18.15

-19.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 F CFA 1,084

$1.83 R 29.55

4.92%

Eggs

$2.18 F CFA 1,230

$2.55 R 41.12

-14.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.46 F CFA 4,216

$8.35 R 134

-10.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 F CFA 2,596

$5.44 R 87.6

-15.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.54 F CFA 3,132

$7.88 R 127

-29.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 F CFA 1,715

$1.90 R 30.61

60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 F CFA 710

$1.70 R 27.36

-25.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 F CFA 686

$1.81 R 29.14

-33.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.60 F CFA 1,468

$1.88 R 30.23

38.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 F CFA 781

$1.54 R 24.76

-10.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 F CFA 686

$1.49 R 24.03

-18.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 F CFA 288

$1.33 R 21.45

-61.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 F CFA 502

$1.19 R 19.09

-25.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 F CFA 1,111

$3.41 R 55.0

-42.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.47 F CFA 2,525

$5.08 R 81.7

-12.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 F CFA 709

$1.51 R 24.28

-16.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 F CFA 1,009

$2.03 R 32.64

-11.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 F CFA 742

$1.76 R 28.39

-25.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.57 F CFA 4,279

$63.1 R 1,016

-88.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 F CFA 873

$1.12 R 17.97

38.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 F CFA 913

$1.01 R 16.33

60.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 R 130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 F CFA 711

$1.46 R 23.53

-13.70%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.8K R 592.8K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.3K F CFA 14.3M

$32.5K R 523.6K

-22.24%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$153 F CFA 86.2K

$136 R 2,185

12.49%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$32.84 F CFA 18.6K

$35.72 R 575

-8.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 F CFA 32.2K

$41.40 R 667

37.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.20 F CFA 22.7K

$34.96 R 563

14.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.50 F CFA 2,541

$12.46 R 201

-63.88%

Cinema Ticket

$8.64 F CFA 4,883

$7.62 R 123

13.39%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$136 F CFA 76.8K

$231 R 3,725

-41.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,815 F CFA 3.3M

$5,726 R 92.2K

1.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.28 F CFA 12.6K

$56.4 R 908

-60.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.92 F CFA 5,041

$33.91 R 546

-73.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$30.56 F CFA 17.3K

$102 R 1,639

-69.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.48 F CFA 28.0K

$93.0 R 1,497

-46.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$120 F CFA 67.7K

$506 R 8,154

-76.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$122 F CFA 68.8K

$418 R 6,727

-70.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 F CFA 239.5K

$979 R 15.8K

-56.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 F CFA 222.2K

$838 R 13.5K

-53.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,151 R 18.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,606 F CFA 1.5M

$800 R 12.9K

225.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$294 F CFA 166.2K

$1,554 R 25.0K

-81.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

-64.41%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Benin: September 6, 2026

Last update for South Africa: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $176 in Benin vs $1,553 in South Africa. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 211% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 25% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 325% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 782% higher in South Africa, and purchasing power comes out stronger in South Africa.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Benin vs South Africa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Benin is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 47% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in South Africa, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but South Africa consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Benin, contributing to the overall 47% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Benin, but in South Africa it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Benin is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.