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 $643 per month in Sao Tome And Principe vs $2,319 in Canada, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,135 per month in Sao Tome And Principe vs $3,378 in Canada, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,627 per month in Sao Tome And Principe vs $4,437 in Canada, rent included.

The cost of living in Sao Tome And Principe is roughly 72% lower than in Canada on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Sao Tome And Principe sits 52% below the global median, while Canada is 74% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($1,332$3,143) than in Sao Tome And Principe ($205$1,081), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.98 STN 428
$18.63 CA$26.11
7.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.33 STN 927
$74.0 CA$104
-41.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.55 STN 204
$10.92 CA$15.31
-12.55%
Cappuccino
$2.00 STN 42.80
$3.76 CA$5.28
-46.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 STN 40.30
$2.19 CA$3.07
-14.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 STN 22.14
$1.74 CA$2.43
-40.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.64 STN 35.03
$5.93 CA$8.31
-72.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 STN 39.80
$5.95 CA$8.35
-68.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 STN 29.15
$2.28 CA$3.20
-40.35%
White Bread (500g)
$1.56 STN 33.29
$2.67 CA$3.74
-41.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 STN 41.61
$3.78 CA$5.30
-48.68%
Eggs
$4.40 STN 94.2
$3.50 CA$4.90
25.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.26 STN 434
$11.70 CA$16.40
73.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$19.88 STN 425
$12.30 CA$17.24
61.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.18 STN 539
$15.44 CA$21.65
63.08%
Apples (1kg)
$4.50 STN 96.2
$4.28 CA$6.00
5.14%
Banana (1kg)
$1.13 STN 24.10
$1.45 CA$2.04
-22.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.99 STN 85.5
$4.01 CA$5.62
-0.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.41 STN 72.9
$4.27 CA$5.98
-20.14%
Potato (1kg)
$2.62 STN 56.1
$2.69 CA$3.77
-2.60%
Onion (1kg)
$2.08 STN 44.58
$2.65 CA$3.71
-21.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.67 STN 14.31
$2.64 CA$3.70
-74.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 STN 42.31
$1.89 CA$2.65
4.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.27 STN 48.66
$14.77 CA$20.71
-84.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.96 STN 170
$13.32 CA$18.67
-40.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 STN 27.20
$2.96 CA$4.15
-57.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 STN 27.52
$3.28 CA$4.59
-60.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.20 STN 25.77
$2.62 CA$3.67
-54.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$78.1 CA$110
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.42 CA$4.79
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.50 CA$2.10
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.20 STN 304
$29.07 CA$40.76
-51.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.70 STN 36.28
$1.20 CA$1.68
41.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$25.5K CA$35.7K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K STN 498.9K
$20.6K CA$28.8K
13.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$152 CA$212
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.12 STN 602
$46.70 CA$65.5
-39.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.6 STN 1,512
$61.8 CA$86.7
14.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.44 STN 780
$43.36 CA$60.8
-15.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37 STN 629
$18.05 CA$25.31
62.71%
Cinema Ticket
$20.81 STN 445
$11.51 CA$16.13
80.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$806 CA$1,130
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$12.1K CA$17.0K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$55.4 CA$77.6
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$41.80 CA$58.6
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$89.7 CA$126
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$18.70 STN 400
$106 CA$149
-82.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$275 STN 5,889
$1,329 CA$1,864
-79.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$188 STN 4,014
$1,207 CA$1,692
-84.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$659 STN 14.1K
$2,112 CA$2,961
-68.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$529 STN 11.3K
$1,833 CA$2,570
-71.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,889 STN 40.4K
$4,639 CA$6,503
-59.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,170 STN 25.0K
$3,849 CA$5,396
-69.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$442 STN 9,462
$2,948 CA$4,133
-85.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.38
6.33
16.59%

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

Last update for Sao Tome And Principe: July 12, 2026

Last update for Canada: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $177 in Sao Tome And Principe vs $1,281 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $353 in Sao Tome and $1,481 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $265 in Sao Tome And Principe vs $2,904 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 624% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 58% more in Canada.

Salaries are 996% 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 248% 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 248% 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

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