Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Helena and South Africa Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Helena and South Africa

Name: South Africa
Address: ZA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $887 in Saint Helena versus $1,016 in South Africa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,421 in Saint Helena versus $1,595 in South Africa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,955 in Saint Helena versus $2,173 in South Africa.

Living in Saint Helena costs about 13% less than in South Africa on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Saint Helena 34% lower, South Africa 24% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Saint Helena: monthly costs span $520 to $1,254, compared to $809–$1,338 in South Africa. City choice carries more weight in Saint Helena.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.27 SHP 12.04

$8.99 R 149

80.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.4 SHP 39.52

$39.97 R 662

33.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.20 SHP 9.02

$5.09 R 84.2

139.69%

Cappuccino

$3.11 SHP 2.30

$2.05 R 33.99

51.71%

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

$1.22 SHP 0.90

$1.02 R 16.86

19.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 SHP 0.87

$0.75 R 12.44

57.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.62 SHP 3.42

$2.23 R 36.87

107.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SHP 2.00

$2.47 R 40.87

9.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 SHP 1.39

$1.11 R 18.39

69.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 SHP 1.35

$1.03 R 17.10

76.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 SHP 1.03

$1.57 R 25.96

-11.46%

Eggs

$4.17 SHP 3.08

$2.26 R 37.48

84.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.23 SHP 6.09

$7.54 R 125

9.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 SHP 7.98

$4.73 R 78.3

127.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 SHP 8.03

$6.86 R 114

58.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 R 26.17

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 R 24.23

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.77

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.54

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 R 20.65

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R 21.27

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 SHP 2.05

$1.09 R 18.01

154.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 SHP 1.70

$0.91 R 14.99

152.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 SHP 8.50

$2.96 R 48.95

288.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.64 SHP 11.57

$4.96 R 82.1

215.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 R 22.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 R 27.92

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 27.01

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.39 SHP 30.63

$44.10 R 730

-6.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 SHP 1.99

$1.15 R 19.04

133.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 R 18.36

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 R 79.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.57 SHP 1.90

$1.28 R 21.26

100.78%

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

$20.5K R 339.8K

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

$24.0K R 397.3K

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

$112 R 1,852

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

$32.55 R 539

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$167 SHP 123

$41.61 R 689

300.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.57 SHP 10.04

$31.81 R 526

-57.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.65 R 160

Cinema Ticket

$6.79 R 112

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

$186 R 3,085

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,333 R 71.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.34 SHP 30.59

$49.30 R 816

-16.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.49 SHP 15.16

$31.10 R 515

-34.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.35 SHP 35.04

$92.6 R 1,533

-48.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.0 R 1,340

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 SHP 520

$439 R 7,261

60.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 SHP 461

$363 R 6,010

71.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$701 SHP 519

$876 R 14.5K

-20.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 SHP 479

$706 R 11.7K

-8.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,164 R 19.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$797 R 13.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$799 SHP 592

$1,427 R 23.6K

-43.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.2

11.55

-46.32%

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

Last update for Saint Helena: April 27, 2026

Last update for South Africa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $718 in Saint Helena, $367 in South Africa. Capital cities: $676 in Jamestown vs $297 in Bloemfontein.

National salary averages: $799 in Saint Helena, $1,456 in South Africa. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 96% higher in Saint Helena.

Dining out costs 66% more in Saint Helena.

Public transport is 156% more expensive in Saint Helena.

Salaries are 82% 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

Saint Helena vs South Africa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $887 per month in Saint Helena and $1,074 in South Africa, there's a 21% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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

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