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 $648 per month in Sao Tome And Principe vs $2,316 in Canada, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,129 per month in Sao Tome And Principe vs $3,376 in Canada, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,609 per month in Sao Tome And Principe vs $4,436 in Canada, rent included.

Sao Tome And Principe is roughly 72% cheaper than 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 73% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Canada has a wider regional cost range ($1,310$3,100) than Sao Tome And Principe ($209$1,087), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Canada.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.34 STN 427
$18.44 CA$25.53
10.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.40 STN 890
$74.5 CA$103
-43.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.95 STN 209
$10.88 CA$15.07
-8.55%
Cappuccino
$1.98 STN 41.55
$3.90 CA$5.39
-49.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 STN 40.45
$2.16 CA$2.99
-10.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04 STN 21.79
$1.73 CA$2.40
-39.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.62 STN 34.00
$5.74 CA$7.94
-71.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 STN 38.62
$6.05 CA$8.37
-69.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 STN 29.07
$2.20 CA$3.05
-37.27%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 STN 32.38
$2.75 CA$3.81
-44.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.85 STN 38.82
$3.66 CA$5.07
-49.45%
Eggs
$4.37 STN 91.9
$3.63 CA$5.03
20.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.68 STN 413
$11.72 CA$16.22
67.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$20.28 STN 426
$12.28 CA$17.01
65.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.30 STN 531
$14.88 CA$20.60
70.03%
Apples (1kg)
$4.52 STN 94.9
$4.14 CA$5.73
9.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.14 STN 23.96
$1.45 CA$2.01
-21.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.95 STN 83.0
$3.79 CA$5.25
4.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.52 STN 74.0
$4.09 CA$5.66
-13.94%
Potato (1kg)
$2.53 STN 53.2
$2.73 CA$3.78
-7.33%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 STN 41.76
$2.77 CA$3.83
-28.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 STN 15.17
$2.62 CA$3.62
-72.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 STN 40.15
$1.87 CA$2.59
2.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.35 STN 49.26
$14.79 CA$20.48
-84.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.19 STN 172
$13.08 CA$18.11
-37.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 STN 26.84
$3.03 CA$4.19
-57.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 STN 27.86
$3.41 CA$4.72
-61.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.26 STN 26.43
$2.52 CA$3.49
-50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$77.9 CA$108
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.49 CA$4.83
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.48 CA$2.04
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.25 STN 299
$28.25 CA$39.12
-49.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.63 STN 34.15
$1.15 CA$1.59
41.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$25.4K CA$35.2K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.1K STN 484.8K
$20.6K CA$28.6K
11.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$155 CA$214
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.67 STN 602
$45.76 CA$63.4
-37.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$72.6 STN 1,524
$62.2 CA$86.1
16.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.58 STN 789
$43.67 CA$60.5
-13.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.44 STN 597
$18.14 CA$25.11
56.78%
Cinema Ticket
$20.62 STN 433
$11.38 CA$15.76
81.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$798 CA$1,104
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$12.1K CA$16.8K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$56.8 CA$78.7
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$42.19 CA$58.4
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$87.9 CA$122
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$19.10 STN 401
$106 CA$147
-82.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$266 STN 5,579
$1,359 CA$1,882
-80.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$192 STN 4,025
$1,204 CA$1,667
-84.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$671 STN 14.1K
$2,136 CA$2,957
-68.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$512 STN 10.7K
$1,860 CA$2,575
-72.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,937 STN 40.7K
$4,642 CA$6,427
-58.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,177 STN 24.7K
$3,852 CA$5,333
-69.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sao Tome And Principe
Canada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$457 STN 9,595
$3,029 CA$4,194
-84.92%
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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Canada: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $171 in Sao Tome And Principe vs $1,281 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $342 in Sao Tome and $1,500 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $272 in Sao Tome And Principe vs $2,972 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 649% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 58% more in Canada.

Salaries are 993% higher in Canada, giving Canada 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
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 240% 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 240% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget in Canada or 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 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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