Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Tome And Principe and Canada Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Tome And Principe and Canada

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $732 per month in Sao Tome And Principe vs $2,217 in Canada, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,200 per month in Sao Tome And Principe vs $3,254 in Canada, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,668 per month in Sao Tome And Principe vs $4,291 in Canada, rent included.

The cost of living in Sao Tome And Principe is roughly 67% lower than in Canada on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Sao Tome And Principe sits 47% below the global median, while Canada is 61% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($912$3,779) than in Sao Tome And Principe ($208$1,257), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.04 STN 191
$18.28 CA$25.35
-50.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.59 STN 983
$71.2 CA$98.8
-34.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.99 STN 190
$10.96 CA$15.20
-17.97%
Cappuccino
$2.42 STN 51.0
$3.95 CA$5.47
-38.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 STN 38.16
$2.07 CA$2.88
-12.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 STN 23.55
$1.74 CA$2.42
-35.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.84 STN 38.79
$5.93 CA$8.23
-68.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 STN 40.91
$5.69 CA$7.89
-65.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.59 STN 33.45
$2.23 CA$3.09
-28.70%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 STN 33.23
$2.71 CA$3.76
-42.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.02 STN 42.58
$3.72 CA$5.16
-45.70%
Eggs
$4.68 STN 98.7
$3.61 CA$5.01
29.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.88 STN 419
$10.81 CA$14.99
83.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$20.46 STN 432
$12.22 CA$16.95
67.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.06 STN 465
$15.68 CA$21.75
40.69%
Apples (1kg)
$3.94 STN 83.2
$4.25 CA$5.89
-7.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.77 STN 37.26
$1.43 CA$1.98
23.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.75 STN 79.1
$4.02 CA$5.57
-6.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.50 STN 73.8
$4.09 CA$5.67
-14.43%
Potato (1kg)
$2.95 STN 62.2
$2.68 CA$3.72
10.07%
Onion (1kg)
$2.52 STN 53.1
$2.45 CA$3.40
2.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.52 STN 10.87
$2.67 CA$3.70
-80.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.14 STN 45.24
$1.80 CA$2.50
18.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34 STN 49.44
$14.46 CA$20.05
-83.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.44 STN 178
$13.58 CA$18.84
-37.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 STN 31.74
$2.84 CA$3.94
-47.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 STN 35.61
$3.26 CA$4.52
-48.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.41 STN 29.67
$2.46 CA$3.41
-42.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$75.2 CA$104
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.77 STN 37.26
$3.15 CA$4.37
-43.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.73 STN 57.7
$1.54 CA$2.14
77.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.20 STN 300
$27.55 CA$38.21
-48.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.78 STN 37.59
$1.16 CA$1.61
53.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.0K STN 549.0K
$28.4K CA$39.3K
-8.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.5K STN 685.5K
$19.5K CA$27.0K
66.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$241 STN 5,090
$155 CA$215
55.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.16 STN 700
$43.47 CA$60.3
-23.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.4 STN 1,463
$60.4 CA$83.8
14.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.80 STN 734
$41.15 CA$57.1
-15.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.33 STN 556
$19.79 CA$27.45
33.05%
Cinema Ticket
$20.84 STN 440
$11.53 CA$15.98
80.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$241 STN 5,094
$786 CA$1,089
-69.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,256 STN 47.6K
$14.8K CA$20.6K
-84.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$55.0 CA$76.3
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$76.5 STN 1,613
$41.25 CA$57.2
85.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$88.1 CA$122
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$18.83 STN 397
$106 CA$147
-82.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$291 STN 6,132
$1,295 CA$1,797
-77.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$204 STN 4,297
$1,168 CA$1,619
-82.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$984 STN 20.8K
$2,044 CA$2,835
-51.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$468 STN 9,865
$1,779 CA$2,467
-73.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,886 STN 39.8K
$4,786 CA$6,638
-60.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,206 STN 25.5K
$3,973 CA$5,510
-69.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$459 STN 9,682
$3,078 CA$4,270
-85.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.38
4.86
51.85%

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

Last update for Sao Tome And Principe: September 5, 2026

Last update for Canada: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $147 in Sao Tome And Principe vs $1,228 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $293 in Sao Tome and $1,496 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $273 in Sao Tome And Principe vs $2,981 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 735% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 53% more in Canada.

Salaries are 992% higher in Canada, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Canada.

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
Sao Tome And Principe vs Canada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Canada more expensive than Sao Tome And Principe?
Sao Tome And Principe is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 220% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Canada, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Canada consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Sao Tome And Principe, contributing to the overall 220% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget in Canada or in Sao Tome And Principe?
$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Sao Tome And Principe, but in Canada it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Canada or to Sao Tome And Principe?
Sao Tome And Principe 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.

Sao Tome And Principe vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries