Last update: Oct 2026

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

Name: South Africa
Address: ZA

For one person, living is cheaper in the Central African Republic: $422 a month against $1,203 in South Africa, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in South Africa
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South Africa Living Index

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🇨🇫 Central African Republic

$422

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🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,203

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the Central African Republic and in South Africa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the Central African Republic and in South Africa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $422 in the Central African Republic versus $1,203 in South Africa.

Central African Republic $422
South Africa $1,203

Estimated couple costs with rent: $670 in the Central African Republic versus $1,893 in South Africa.

Central African Republic $670
South Africa $1,893

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $919 in the Central African Republic versus $2,583 in South Africa.

Central African Republic $919
South Africa $2,583

Internal cost variation is higher in South Africa: monthly costs span $618 to $1,556, compared to $424–$424 in the Central African Republic. City choice carries more weight in South Africa.

Living in the Central African Republic costs about 65% less than in South Africa on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: the Central African Republic 69% lower, South Africa 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.67 R 177

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.66 R 693

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 R 96.5

Cappuccino

$2.36 R 39.23

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

$1.12 R 18.56

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 FCFA 1,015

$0.90 R 15.00

91.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 FCFA 1,972

$2.42 R 40.20

38.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 FCFA 2,947

$3.06 R 50.9

63.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$5.03 FCFA 2,964

$1.18 R 19.58

326.27%

White Bread (500g)

$4.37 FCFA 2,574

$1.13 R 18.83

286.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.24 FCFA 2,497

$1.74 R 28.90

143.68%

Eggs

$5.04 FCFA 2,966

$2.57 R 42.80

96.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.43 FCFA 4,965

$8.43 R 140

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.40 FCFA 4,948

$5.12 R 85.1

64.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.51 FCFA 2,067

$7.59 R 126

-53.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 R 29.52

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 R 28.90

Oranges (1kg)

$6.82 FCFA 4,019

$1.77 R 29.43

285.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 FCFA 2,994

$1.76 R 29.26

188.64%

Potato (1kg)

$4.15 FCFA 2,444

$1.49 R 24.81

178.52%

Onion (1kg)

$6.08 FCFA 3,579

$1.47 R 24.38

313.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 FCFA 1,465

$1.23 R 20.52

102.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 FCFA 1,480

$1.10 R 18.25

128.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 FCFA 2,548

$3.24 R 54.0

33.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.69 FCFA 6,885

$5.00 R 83.2

133.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.99 FCFA 3,531

$1.50 R 24.90

299.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 FCFA 2,526

$1.94 R 32.26

121.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 R 24.58

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.3 R 986

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 18.21

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 R 16.46

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.46 R 124

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.60 FCFA 1,532

$1.43 R 23.76

81.82%

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

$35.3K R 587.4K

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

$32.4K R 539.7K

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

$133 R 2,208

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

$34.83 R 580

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.76 R 662

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.09 R 551

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.65 R 194

Cinema Ticket

$7.18 R 119

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

$224 R 3,728

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,462 R 90.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 R 902

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 R 568

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 R 1,699

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 R 1,472

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,376 FCFA 810.6K

$492 R 8,189

179.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 R 6,617

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 R 15.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 R 13.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,351 FCFA 795.9K

$1,099 R 18.3K

22.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,599 FCFA 941.9K

$769 R 12.8K

108.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$847 FCFA 498.6K

$1,502 R 25.0K

-43.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.23

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

Last update for the Central African Republic: October 25, 2026

Last update for South Africa: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Central African Republic

–

South Africa

$398 33.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Central African Republic

–

South Africa

$207 17.2%

Groceries & Markets

Central African Republic

–

South Africa

$196 16.3%

Eating Out

Central African Republic

–

South Africa

$157 13.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Central African Republic

–

South Africa

$126 10.4%

Getting Around

Central African Republic

–

South Africa

$71 5.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Central African Republic

–

South Africa

$47 4%

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,353 in the Central African Republic, $422 in South Africa. Capital cities: $1,353 in Bangui vs $450 in Pretoria.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 221% higher in the Central African Republic.

Good to know

🇨🇫 Central African Republic

🇿🇦 South Africa

🕒 Local time

10:31 10:31 AM

11:31 11:31 AM

1 h ahead of the Central African Republic

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,152,421

62,027,503

💱 Currency

Central African CFA Franc XAF Fr

South African Rand ZAR R

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 XAF = 1.7 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR

100 ZAR = 6.01 USD

100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to XAF – Central African CFA Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🌐 Central African CFA Franc (Fr)

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 589 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.7 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 16.64 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.01 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

USD to XAF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Central African Republic South Africa 3,810 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Central African Republic
South Africa

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 $422 per month in the Central African Republic and $1,203 in South Africa, there’s a 185% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Overall, the Central African Republic is the cheaper option, but not in every category: rent, groceries, transport, and eating out each follow their own pattern. Check the categories you spend the most on before deciding.

In the 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: the 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.