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

Name: South Africa
Address: ZA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $249 in Mali versus $1,021 in South Africa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $415 in Mali versus $1,594 in South Africa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $580 in Mali versus $2,167 in South Africa.

Living in Mali costs about 76% less than in South Africa on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Mali 81% lower, South Africa 24% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Mali: monthly costs span $0 to $910, compared to $804–$1,352 in South Africa. City choice carries more weight in Mali.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.54 F CFA 3,669

$9.20 R 152

-28.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.26 F CFA 20.9K

$38.46 R 637

-3.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 F CFA 3,577

$5.11 R 84.7

24.66%

Cappuccino

$1.87 F CFA 1,049

$2.03 R 33.58

-7.88%

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

$0.79 F CFA 442

$0.95 R 15.69

-16.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 F CFA 312

$0.79 R 13.13

-29.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 F CFA 1,320

$2.31 R 38.20

1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$21.40 F CFA 12.0K

$2.46 R 40.72

769.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 F CFA 1,300

$1.08 R 17.88

114.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 F CFA 1,883

$0.96 R 15.95

250.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 R 26.57

Eggs

$4.63 F CFA 2,596

$2.32 R 38.51

99.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.57 F CFA 9,860

$7.48 R 124

134.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.93 F CFA 9,499

$4.57 R 75.7

270.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.51 F CFA 7,582

$6.56 R 109

105.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 F CFA 1,789

$1.58 R 26.21

101.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 F CFA 794

$1.45 R 24.04

-2.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 F CFA 1,627

$1.50 R 24.93

93.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 F CFA 1,341

$1.55 R 25.60

54.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 F CFA 926

$1.26 R 20.95

30.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 F CFA 1,028

$1.29 R 21.36

41.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.10 F CFA 54.7

$1.07 R 17.74

-90.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 F CFA 1,321

$0.90 R 14.96

161.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.94 F CFA 530

$2.92 R 48.41

-67.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.99 R 82.7

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 F CFA 822

$1.39 R 23.01

5.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 F CFA 760

$1.68 R 27.79

-19.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.65 F CFA 2,610

$1.72 R 28.50

170.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.17 R 749

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R 18.38

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 F CFA 689

$1.06 R 17.59

16.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 R 80.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 F CFA 669

$1.24 R 20.60

-4.03%

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

$21.0K R 348.5K

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

$24.1K R 399.0K

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

$150 F CFA 83.9K

$112 R 1,857

33.47%

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

$31.87 R 528

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 F CFA 32.4K

$40.80 R 676

41.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.1 F CFA 37.1K

$31.46 R 521

110.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.96 F CFA 2,219

$9.71 R 161

-59.22%

Cinema Ticket

$5.58 F CFA 3,132

$6.68 R 111

-16.47%

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

$77.5 F CFA 43.5K

$192 R 3,178

-59.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,306 R 71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.12 R 814

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.89 R 512

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 R 1,545

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.6 R 1,302

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 F CFA 99.2K

$451 R 7,471

-60.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$81.2 F CFA 45.6K

$366 R 6,070

-77.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 F CFA 232.1K

$888 R 14.7K

-53.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 F CFA 171.5K

$709 R 11.8K

-56.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,983 F CFA 5.6M

$1,148 R 19.0K

769.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$853 F CFA 478.6K

$807 R 13.4K

5.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$258 F CFA 144.9K

$1,467 R 24.3K

-82.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

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

Last update for Mali: April 20, 2026

Last update for South Africa: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $44 in Mali, $368 in South Africa. Capital cities: $176 in Bamako vs $762 in Cape Town.

National salary averages: $266 in Mali, $1,458 in South Africa. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 736% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 289% more in South Africa.

Salaries are 448% higher in South Africa, giving South Africa 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

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

At $455 per month in Mali and $1,078 in South Africa, there's a 137% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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

In Mali, $1,200 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. Mali wins on affordability; South Africa may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.