Cost of Living Comparison Between Eritrea and South Africa Cost of Living Comparison Between Eritrea and South Africa

Name: South Africa
Address: ZA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $689 per month in Eritrea vs $1,143 in South Africa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,083 per month in Eritrea vs $1,781 in South Africa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,477 per month in Eritrea vs $2,419 in South Africa, rent included.

The cost of living in Eritrea is roughly 40% lower than in South Africa on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Eritrea and South Africa are more affordable than the global median – Eritrea 50% lower, South Africa 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.04 ERN 316

$11.30 R 182

86.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.65 ERN 520

$44.51 R 717

-22.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ERN 82.3

$5.90 R 95.0

-7.12%

Cappuccino

$0.73 ERN 10.94

$2.44 R 39.22

-70.08%

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

$0.97 ERN 14.58

$1.16 R 18.64

-16.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 ERN 14.85

$0.96 R 15.39

3.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 ERN 14.37

$2.56 R 41.29

-62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 R 49.60

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ERN 23.43

$1.28 R 20.57

21.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 R 18.15

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 ERN 35.02

$1.83 R 29.55

27.32%

Eggs

$4.47 ERN 67.1

$2.55 R 41.12

75.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.98 ERN 44.72

$8.35 R 134

-64.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.38 ERN 396

$5.44 R 87.6

384.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.09 ERN 152

$7.88 R 127

28.05%

Apples (1kg)

$12.07 ERN 181

$1.90 R 30.61

535.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ERN 19.75

$1.70 R 27.36

-22.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 ERN 30.63

$1.81 R 29.14

12.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ERN 17.16

$1.88 R 30.23

-39.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 ERN 26.74

$1.54 R 24.76

15.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ERN 13.55

$1.49 R 24.03

-39.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 R 21.45

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ERN 32.35

$1.19 R 19.09

80.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 R 55.0

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 ERN 184

$5.08 R 81.7

140.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ERN 15.25

$1.51 R 24.28

-32.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 ERN 15.26

$2.03 R 32.64

-49.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 ERN 1.78

$1.76 R 28.39

-93.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.10 ERN 122

$63.1 R 1,016

-87.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R 17.97

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ERN 8.72

$1.01 R 16.33

-42.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.08 ERN 151

$8.07 R 130

24.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.57 ERN 38.65

$1.46 R 23.53

76.03%

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

$66.9K ERN 1.0M

$36.8K R 592.8K

81.77%

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

$69.4K ERN 1.0M

$32.5K R 523.6K

113.34%

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

$25.13 ERN 377

$136 R 2,185

-81.48%

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

$67.5 ERN 1,014

$35.72 R 575

89.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$199 ERN 2,983

$41.40 R 667

379.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.35 ERN 411

$34.96 R 563

-21.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.86 ERN 73.0

$12.46 R 201

-61.00%

Cinema Ticket

$1.22 ERN 18.32

$7.62 R 123

-83.99%

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

$25.50 ERN 383

$231 R 3,725

-88.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,585 ERN 38.8K

$5,726 R 92.2K

-54.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 ERN 2,067

$56.4 R 908

144.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$122 ERN 1,835

$33.91 R 546

260.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$200 ERN 3,001

$102 R 1,639

96.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 ERN 2,256

$93.0 R 1,497

61.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 ERN 3,828

$506 R 8,154

-49.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 ERN 3,003

$418 R 6,727

-52.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 ERN 6,808

$979 R 15.8K

-53.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 ERN 6,364

$838 R 13.5K

-49.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,256 ERN 18.9K

$1,151 R 18.5K

9.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 ERN 34.4K

$800 R 12.9K

186.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 ERN 7,383

$1,554 R 25.0K

-68.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

11.24

64.59%

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

Last update for Eritrea: September 5, 2026

Last update for South Africa: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $123 in Eritrea vs $445 in South Africa. For reference, capital cities sit at $247 in Asmara and $324 in Bloemfontein.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 262% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 135% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 325% more expensive 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

Eritrea vs South Africa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Eritrea is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 79% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in South Africa, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but South Africa consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Eritrea, contributing to the overall 79% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Eritrea, but in South Africa it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Eritrea is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.