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

Name: South Africa
Address: ZA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $800 in Guinea versus $1,020 in South Africa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,316 in Guinea versus $1,598 in South Africa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,832 in Guinea versus $2,175 in South Africa.

Living in Guinea costs about 22% less than in South Africa on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Guinea 40% lower, South Africa 24% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Guinea: monthly costs span $206 to $1,394, compared to $819–$1,339 in South Africa. City choice carries more weight in Guinea.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.39 GNF 55.8K

$9.05 R 147

-29.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.47 GNF 274.8K

$39.48 R 642

-20.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.70 GNF 93.4K

$4.94 R 80.3

116.60%

Cappuccino

$3.38 GNF 29.5K

$2.06 R 33.47

64.08%

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

$1.59 GNF 13.9K

$0.95 R 15.40

67.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 GNF 10.2K

$0.81 R 13.13

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 GNF 22.4K

$2.21 R 35.90

15.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 GNF 35.2K

$2.48 R 40.33

62.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 GNF 18.6K

$1.11 R 18.07

91.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 GNF 13.5K

$1.02 R 16.64

51.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 GNF 13.2K

$1.56 R 25.28

-3.21%

Eggs

$2.86 GNF 25.0K

$2.34 R 38.05

22.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.57 GNF 162.2K

$7.73 R 126

140.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 GNF 55.0K

$4.49 R 73.1

40.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 GNF 87.1K

$6.73 R 109

48.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 GNF 21.2K

$1.56 R 25.40

55.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 GNF 21.5K

$1.43 R 23.22

72.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 GNF 21.8K

$1.44 R 23.48

73.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 GNF 22.9K

$1.51 R 24.55

73.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 GNF 17.0K

$1.22 R 19.81

59.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 GNF 16.2K

$1.28 R 20.74

45.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 GNF 9,330

$1.04 R 16.89

2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 GNF 9,681

$0.94 R 15.21

18.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.13 GNF 9,884

$2.99 R 48.55

-62.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 GNF 96.4K

$5.16 R 83.8

113.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 GNF 14.0K

$1.39 R 22.55

15.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 GNF 14.9K

$1.66 R 26.93

3.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 GNF 12.2K

$1.63 R 26.48

-14.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.98 GNF 253.0K

$45.05 R 732

-35.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 GNF 13.3K

$1.13 R 18.41

34.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 GNF 7,778

$1.10 R 17.93

-19.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.71 GNF 346.8K

$4.86 R 78.9

717.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 GNF 11.9K

$1.24 R 20.15

9.68%

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

$25.5K GNF 222.4M

$20.3K R 330.2K

25.37%

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

$23.3K GNF 203.9M

$23.5K R 381.4K

-0.51%

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

$172 GNF 1.5M

$113 R 1,843

51.55%

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

$75.9 GNF 662.9K

$32.36 R 526

134.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$185 GNF 1.6M

$41.45 R 674

346.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.9 GNF 767.7K

$31.59 R 513

178.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.56 GNF 249.4K

$9.61 R 156

197.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.08 GNF 35.6K

$6.83 R 111

-40.26%

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

$187 R 3,039

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,679 GNF 58.3M

$4,362 R 70.9K

53.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.29 GNF 177.2K

$49.50 R 804

-59.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.83 GNF 216.8K

$30.42 R 494

-18.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.90 GNF 261.1K

$91.7 R 1,489

-67.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.85 GNF 435.3K

$78.9 R 1,281

-36.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$630 GNF 5.5M

$442 R 7,175

42.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 GNF 2.7M

$367 R 5,963

-14.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 GNF 16.2M

$884 R 14.4K

109.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 GNF 8.8M

$723 R 11.8K

39.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$107 GNF 933.5K

$1,090 R 17.7K

-90.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$780 R 12.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,361 GNF 20.6M

$1,558 R 25.3K

51.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

11.55

-18.18%

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

Last update for Guinea: May 31, 2026

Last update for South Africa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $314 in Guinea, $368 in South Africa. Capital cities: $629 in Conakry vs $765 in Cape Town.

National salary averages: $1,832 in Guinea, $1,520 in South Africa. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 17% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 13% more in South Africa.

Salaries are 21% higher in Guinea, giving Guinea stronger purchasing power.

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

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

At $800 per month in Guinea and $1,079 in South Africa, there's a 35% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Guinea 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 Guinea across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

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