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: $877 in Saint Helena versus $1,019 in South Africa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Saint Helena versus $1,583 in South Africa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,981 in Saint Helena versus $2,146 in South Africa.

Living in Saint Helena costs about 14% less than in South Africa on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Saint Helena 34% lower, South Africa 23% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Saint Helena: monthly costs span $514 to $1,240, compared to $804–$1,358 in South Africa. City choice carries more weight in Saint Helena.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.47 SHP 12.20

$8.89 R 146

85.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 SHP 39.85

$39.93 R 657

34.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.10 SHP 8.96

$4.90 R 80.7

146.94%

Cappuccino

$3.12 SHP 2.31

$2.03 R 33.48

53.69%

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

$1.22 SHP 0.90

$1.04 R 17.05

17.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 SHP 0.83

$0.74 R 12.17

51.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.68 SHP 3.47

$2.29 R 37.72

104.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SHP 1.92

$2.56 R 42.19

1.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 SHP 1.42

$1.07 R 17.53

79.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 SHP 1.36

$1.04 R 17.07

75.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 SHP 1.02

$1.56 R 25.65

-11.54%

Eggs

$4.33 SHP 3.21

$2.22 R 36.61

95.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.03 SHP 5.95

$7.93 R 131

1.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 SHP 7.95

$4.57 R 75.2

134.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 SHP 8.22

$6.63 R 109

67.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.73

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.17

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 R 23.83

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.83

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 R 19.73

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 R 21.12

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 SHP 2.04

$1.03 R 17.02

166.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 SHP 1.71

$0.93 R 15.35

147.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.42 SHP 8.46

$2.94 R 48.39

288.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.70 SHP 11.63

$5.14 R 84.7

205.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R 22.41

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 R 27.34

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 26.90

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.65 SHP 30.11

$44.21 R 728

-8.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 SHP 1.98

$1.15 R 18.95

132.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 R 18.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 R 78.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.57 SHP 1.91

$1.25 R 20.56

105.60%

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

$21.0K R 346.3K

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

$23.4K R 385.8K

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

$114 R 1,869

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

$32.92 R 542

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$164 SHP 122

$40.72 R 670

303.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.65 SHP 10.11

$31.49 R 518

-56.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.52 R 157

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 R 114

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

$188 R 3,088

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,300 R 70.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.16 SHP 30.49

$49.97 R 823

-17.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.65 SHP 15.30

$30.67 R 505

-32.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.39 SHP 35.85

$94.3 R 1,553

-48.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 R 1,315

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$713 SHP 528

$444 R 7,311

60.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 SHP 462

$374 R 6,158

66.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 SHP 524

$902 R 14.9K

-21.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 SHP 488

$720 R 11.9K

-8.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,102 R 18.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$756 R 12.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$784 SHP 581

$1,494 R 24.6K

-47.53%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for South Africa: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $715 in Saint Helena, $367 in South Africa. Capital cities: $673 in Jamestown vs $399 in Pretoria.

National salary averages: $764 in Saint Helena, $1,498 in South Africa. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 95% higher in Saint Helena.

Dining out costs 66% more in Saint Helena.

Public transport is 156% more expensive in Saint Helena.

Salaries are 96% 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

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

At $877 per month in Saint Helena and $1,081 in South Africa, there's a 23% 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 Saint Helena: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 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: 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.