Cost of Living Comparison Between Central African Republic and South Africa Cost of Living Comparison Between Central African Republic and South Africa

Name: South Africa
Address: ZA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $436 in Central African Republic versus $1,143 in South Africa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $700 in Central African Republic versus $1,781 in South Africa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $963 in Central African Republic versus $2,419 in South Africa.

Living in Central African Republic costs about 62% less than in South Africa on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Central African Republic 68% lower, South Africa 17% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Central African Republic: monthly costs span $436 to $436, compared to $647–$1,815 in South Africa. City choice carries more weight in Central African Republic.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.30 R 182

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.51 R 717

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 R 95.0

Cappuccino

$2.44 R 39.22

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

$1.16 R 18.64

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 FCFA 1,012

$0.96 R 15.39

86.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 FCFA 2,034

$2.56 R 41.29

40.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.41 FCFA 3,059

$3.08 R 49.60

75.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$5.24 FCFA 2,958

$1.28 R 20.57

309.38%

White Bread (500g)

$4.40 FCFA 2,489

$1.13 R 18.15

289.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.39 FCFA 2,480

$1.83 R 29.55

139.89%

Eggs

$5.19 FCFA 2,934

$2.55 R 41.12

103.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 FCFA 5,112

$8.35 R 134

8.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.91 FCFA 5,032

$5.44 R 87.6

63.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.48 FCFA 1,965

$7.88 R 127

-55.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 R 30.61

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.36

Oranges (1kg)

$6.96 FCFA 3,931

$1.81 R 29.14

284.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 FCFA 3,053

$1.88 R 30.23

187.23%

Potato (1kg)

$4.33 FCFA 2,449

$1.54 R 24.76

181.17%

Onion (1kg)

$6.07 FCFA 3,432

$1.49 R 24.03

307.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 FCFA 1,527

$1.33 R 21.45

103.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 FCFA 1,529

$1.19 R 19.09

127.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 FCFA 2,546

$3.41 R 55.0

32.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.73 FCFA 6,626

$5.08 R 81.7

130.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$6.07 FCFA 3,432

$1.51 R 24.28

301.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 FCFA 2,527

$2.03 R 32.64

120.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 R 28.39

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 R 1,016

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R 17.97

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 R 16.33

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 R 130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.61 FCFA 1,474

$1.46 R 23.53

78.77%

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)

$32.5K R 523.6K

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

$136 R 2,185

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

$35.72 R 575

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.40 R 667

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.96 R 563

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.46 R 201

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 R 123

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

$231 R 3,725

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,726 R 92.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 R 908

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.91 R 546

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 R 1,639

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.0 R 1,497

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,408 FCFA 795.8K

$506 R 8,154

178.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 R 6,727

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 R 15.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$838 R 13.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,435 FCFA 811.1K

$1,151 R 18.5K

24.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 FCFA 961.3K

$800 R 12.9K

112.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$829 FCFA 468.6K

$1,554 R 25.0K

-46.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

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

Last update for Central African Republic: September 7, 2026

Last update for South Africa: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,419 in Central African Republic, $445 in South Africa. Capital cities: $1,419 in Bangui vs $324 in Bloemfontein.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 219% higher in Central African Republic.

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

Central African Republic vs South Africa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $436 per month in Central African Republic and $1,231 in South Africa, there's a 182% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Central African Republic: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in South Africa is consistently higher than in Central African Republic across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Central African Republic, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in South Africa it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: Central African Republic wins on affordability; South Africa may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.