Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the Central African Republic and the United Kingdom

For one person, living is cheaper in the Central African Republic: $422 a month against $2,462 in the United Kingdom, rent and utilities included – about $24,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Central African Republic
United Kingdom
🇨🇫 Central African Republic
$422
/mo nomad
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,462
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the Central African Republic and in the United Kingdom

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 the United Kingdom actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $422 in the Central African Republic versus $2,462 in the United Kingdom.

  • Central African Republic $422
  • United Kingdom $2,462

Estimated couple costs with rent: $670 in the Central African Republic versus $3,600 in the United Kingdom.

  • Central African Republic $670
  • United Kingdom $3,600

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $919 in the Central African Republic versus $4,738 in the United Kingdom.

  • Central African Republic $919
  • United Kingdom $4,738

Internal cost variation is higher in the United Kingdom: monthly costs span $1,126 to $4,646, compared to $424–$424 in the Central African Republic. City choice carries more weight in the United Kingdom.

Living in the Central African Republic costs about 83% less than in the United Kingdom on average.

The Central African Republic (69% below) and the United Kingdom (81% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Central African Republic
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
-
$21.48 £16.15
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$85.7 £64.4
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$10.61 £7.98
-
Cappuccino
-
$4.91 £3.69
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.66 £2.00
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 FCFA 1,015
$1.87 £1.40
-8.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.35 FCFA 1,972
$6.63 £4.98
-49.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.00 FCFA 2,947
$6.84 £5.14
-26.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Central African Republic
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$5.03 FCFA 2,964
$1.68 £1.26
199.40%
White Bread (500g)
$4.37 FCFA 2,574
$1.72 £1.29
154.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.24 FCFA 2,497
$2.17 £1.63
95.39%
Eggs
$5.04 FCFA 2,966
$4.00 £3.01
26.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.43 FCFA 4,965
$9.42 £7.08
-10.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.40 FCFA 4,948
$9.19 £6.90
-8.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$3.51 FCFA 2,067
$14.77 £11.10
-76.24%
Apples (1kg)
-
$2.97 £2.23
-
Banana (1kg)
-
$1.62 £1.22
-
Oranges (1kg)
$6.82 FCFA 4,019
$2.85 £2.15
139.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.08 FCFA 2,994
$3.52 £2.65
44.32%
Potato (1kg)
$4.15 FCFA 2,444
$1.83 £1.38
126.78%
Onion (1kg)
$6.08 FCFA 3,579
$1.61 £1.21
277.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.49 FCFA 1,465
$1.25 £0.94
99.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.51 FCFA 1,480
$1.66 £1.25
51.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.33 FCFA 2,548
$23.65 £17.77
-81.69%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.69 FCFA 6,885
$10.50 £7.89
11.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.99 FCFA 3,531
$2.98 £2.24
101.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.29 FCFA 2,526
$3.51 £2.64
22.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Central African Republic
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$3.98 £2.99
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$107 £80.7
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.18 £3.89
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$2.35 £1.76
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$26.84 £20.17
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.60 FCFA 1,532
$1.99 £1.49
30.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$39.4K £29.6K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$40.5K £30.4K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Central African Republic
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$327 £246
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$18.21 £13.69
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$43.60 £32.77
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Central African Republic
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$42.36 £31.83
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.22 £13.69
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$13.85 £10.41
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Central African Republic
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$1,868 £1,404
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$22.6K £17.0K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Central African Republic
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$92.9 £69.8
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$45.92 £34.51
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$102 £76.4
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$102 £76.8
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Central African Republic
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,376 FCFA 810.6K
$1,342 £1,009
2.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,073 £807
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,231 £1,677
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,742 £1,309
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,351 FCFA 795.9K
$5,601 £4,210
-75.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,599 FCFA 941.9K
$4,265 £3,205
-62.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Central African Republic
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$847 FCFA 498.6K
$3,349 £2,517
-74.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
5.32
-

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 the United Kingdom: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Central African Republic
–
United Kingdom
$1.1K
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Central African Republic
–
United Kingdom
$389
Eating Out
Central African Republic
–
United Kingdom
$328
Groceries & Markets
Central African Republic
–
United Kingdom
$307
Clothing & Footwear
Central African Republic
–
United Kingdom
$154
Getting Around
Central African Republic
–
United Kingdom
$140
Sport & Entertainment
Central African Republic
–
United Kingdom
$70

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,353 in the Central African Republic, $1,287 in the United Kingdom. Capital cities: $1,353 in Bangui vs $2,811 in London.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 5% higher in the Central African Republic.

Good to know
🇨🇫 Central African Republic
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
🕒 Local time
11:23 11:23 AM
10:23 10:23 AM
1 h behind the Central African Republic
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,152,421
67,326,569
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

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).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.752 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.836 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Central African Republic United Kingdom 5,520 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Central African Republic
  • United Kingdom

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 United Kingdom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between the Central African Republic and the United Kingdom?
At $422 per month in the Central African Republic and $2,462 in the United Kingdom, there’s a 484% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Does the cost gap hold in every spending category?
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.
Should I move to the Central African Republic or to the United Kingdom?
It depends on what you’re after: the Central African Republic wins on affordability; the United Kingdom may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Central African Republic vs other spots: cost of living compared

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