Cost of Living Comparison Between Equatorial Guinea and South Africa Cost of Living Comparison Between Equatorial Guinea and South Africa

Name: South Africa
Address: ZA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,121 in Equatorial Guinea versus $1,020 in South Africa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,801 in Equatorial Guinea versus $1,587 in South Africa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,480 in Equatorial Guinea versus $2,154 in South Africa.

Living in Equatorial Guinea is roughly 10% more expensive than in South Africa on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Equatorial Guinea 16% lower, South Africa 24% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Equatorial Guinea: monthly costs span $589 to $1,654, compared to $803–$1,362 in South Africa. City choice carries more weight in Equatorial Guinea.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.81 FCFA 9,630

$9.14 R 150

83.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 FCFA 40.3K

$39.14 R 643

79.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 FCFA 5,124

$5.19 R 85.3

72.25%

Cappuccino

$3.99 FCFA 2,283

$1.98 R 32.50

101.52%

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

$0.99 FCFA 566

$1.00 R 16.45

-1.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 FCFA 495

$0.79 R 12.92

8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 FCFA 2,054

$2.21 R 36.36

62.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 FCFA 2,547

$2.57 R 42.28

73.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 FCFA 1,566

$1.12 R 18.43

143.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 FCFA 1,972

$0.97 R 15.90

254.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 FCFA 1,477

$1.54 R 25.37

67.53%

Eggs

$2.86 FCFA 1,636

$2.25 R 36.96

27.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 FCFA 4,924

$7.86 R 129

9.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 FCFA 3,977

$4.58 R 75.3

51.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.37 FCFA 4,797

$6.68 R 110

25.30%

Apples (1kg)

$7.45 FCFA 4,270

$1.57 R 25.88

374.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 FCFA 1,016

$1.47 R 24.18

20.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.21 FCFA 4,133

$1.52 R 25.00

374.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 FCFA 2,227

$1.51 R 24.81

157.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 FCFA 1,753

$1.26 R 20.71

142.86%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 FCFA 1,798

$1.27 R 20.96

147.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 FCFA 489

$1.09 R 17.86

-22.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 FCFA 1,153

$0.97 R 15.93

107.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.84 FCFA 2,775

$2.84 R 46.62

70.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.13 FCFA 3,515

$5.20 R 85.5

17.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 FCFA 1,429

$1.38 R 22.74

80.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 R 28.24

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 FCFA 764

$1.72 R 28.30

-22.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.56 FCFA 15.2K

$44.22 R 727

-39.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 FCFA 510

$1.15 R 18.93

-22.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 FCFA 459

$1.07 R 17.51

-25.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.68 FCFA 4,975

$4.74 R 77.8

83.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 FCFA 623

$1.28 R 21.09

-14.84%

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

$33.9K FCFA 19.4M

$20.4K R 334.8K

66.22%

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

$29.8K FCFA 17.1M

$24.0K R 394.3K

24.14%

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

$353 FCFA 202.4K

$113 R 1,856

212.82%

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

$17.38 FCFA 9,959

$32.35 R 532

-46.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$139 FCFA 79.4K

$41.46 R 682

234.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.0 FCFA 53.8K

$31.04 R 510

202.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.51 FCFA 8,315

$9.72 R 160

49.28%

Cinema Ticket

$5.35 FCFA 3,065

$6.67 R 110

-19.79%

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

$186 R 3,051

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$347 FCFA 199.0K

$4,399 R 72.3K

-92.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 FCFA 34.3K

$50.2 R 824

19.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$95.5 FCFA 54.7K

$30.37 R 499

214.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$164 FCFA 93.9K

$93.4 R 1,535

75.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 FCFA 78.3K

$80.4 R 1,322

69.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 FCFA 199.8K

$439 R 7,210

-20.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 FCFA 105.8K

$372 R 6,112

-50.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$718 FCFA 411.4K

$903 R 14.8K

-20.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 FCFA 256.6K

$705 R 11.6K

-36.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$833 FCFA 477.4K

$1,116 R 18.3K

-25.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$648 FCFA 371.2K

$793 R 13.0K

-18.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$789 FCFA 452.2K

$1,506 R 24.8K

-47.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

11.55

-41.13%

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

Last update for Equatorial Guinea: July 13, 2026

Last update for South Africa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $329 in Equatorial Guinea, $368 in South Africa. Capital cities: $267 in Malabo vs $292 in Bloemfontein.

National salary averages: $785 in Equatorial Guinea, $1,513 in South Africa. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 12% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 80% more in Equatorial Guinea.

Public transport is 23% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 93% 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

Equatorial Guinea vs South Africa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,122 per month in Equatorial Guinea and $1,083 in South Africa, there's a 4% 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 South Africa: 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 Equatorial Guinea is consistently higher than in South Africa across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In South Africa, $1,500 covers most cities easily; in Equatorial Guinea 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: South Africa wins on affordability; Equatorial Guinea may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.