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: $445 in Central African Republic versus $1,020 in South Africa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $694 in Central African Republic versus $1,598 in South Africa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $942 in Central African Republic versus $2,175 in South Africa.

Living in Central African Republic costs about 56% less than in South Africa on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Central African Republic 67% lower, South Africa 24% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Central African Republic: monthly costs span $445 to $445, compared to $819–$1,339 in South Africa. City choice carries more weight in Central African Republic.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 R 147

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.48 R 642

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 R 80.3

Cappuccino

$2.06 R 33.47

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

$0.95 R 15.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 FCFA 984

$0.81 R 13.13

114.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 FCFA 1,960

$2.21 R 35.90

57.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 FCFA 2,930

$2.48 R 40.33

109.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$5.36 FCFA 3,020

$1.11 R 18.07

382.88%

White Bread (500g)

$4.38 FCFA 2,468

$1.02 R 16.64

329.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.47 FCFA 2,520

$1.56 R 25.28

186.54%

Eggs

$5.31 FCFA 2,994

$2.34 R 38.05

126.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 FCFA 4,858

$7.73 R 126

11.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.89 FCFA 5,012

$4.49 R 73.1

98.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.44 FCFA 1,940

$6.73 R 109

-48.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.40

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.22

Oranges (1kg)

$7.00 FCFA 3,950

$1.44 R 23.48

386.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.36 FCFA 3,022

$1.51 R 24.55

254.97%

Potato (1kg)

$4.53 FCFA 2,553

$1.22 R 19.81

271.31%

Onion (1kg)

$6.22 FCFA 3,509

$1.28 R 20.74

385.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 FCFA 1,456

$1.04 R 16.89

148.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 FCFA 1,472

$0.94 R 15.21

177.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 FCFA 2,510

$2.99 R 48.55

48.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.96 FCFA 6,744

$5.16 R 83.8

131.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$6.15 FCFA 3,467

$1.39 R 22.55

342.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 FCFA 2,430

$1.66 R 26.93

159.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 26.48

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.8 FCFA 45.5K

$45.05 R 732

79.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 R 18.41

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.97 FCFA 1,675

$1.10 R 17.93

170.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.74 FCFA 8,311

$4.86 R 78.9

203.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.70 FCFA 1,525

$1.24 R 20.15

117.74%

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

$20.3K R 330.2K

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

$13.6K FCFA 7.7M

$23.5K R 381.4K

-41.88%

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

$113 R 1,843

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

$32.36 R 526

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.45 R 674

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.59 R 513

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.61 R 156

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 R 111

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

$187 R 3,039

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,362 R 70.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 FCFA 34.6K

$49.50 R 804

24.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$89.8 FCFA 50.6K

$30.42 R 494

195.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.81 FCFA 23.6K

$91.7 R 1,489

-54.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.1 FCFA 45.7K

$78.9 R 1,281

2.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,326 FCFA 747.6K

$442 R 7,175

200.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 R 5,963

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 R 14.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 R 11.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,412 FCFA 796.5K

$1,090 R 17.7K

29.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,711 FCFA 965.1K

$780 R 12.7K

119.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$820 FCFA 462.2K

$1,558 R 25.3K

-47.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

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

Last update for Central African Republic: May 31, 2026

Last update for South Africa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,298 in Central African Republic, $368 in South Africa. Capital cities: $1,298 in Bangui vs $765 in Cape Town.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 253% 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 $445 per month in Central African Republic and $1,079 in South Africa, there's a 142% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Central African Republic is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 works in regional areas but 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.