😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $643 in Sao Tome And Principe versus $455 in Egypt.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,135 in Sao Tome And Principe versus $730 in Egypt.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,627 in Sao Tome And Principe versus $1,004 in Egypt.
🌍Living in Sao Tome And Principe is roughly 41% more expensive than in Egypt on average.
📊Both countries sit below the global median: Sao Tome And Principe 52% lower, Egypt 66% lower.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Sao Tome And Principe: monthly costs span $205 to $1,081, compared to $317–$705 in Egypt. City choice carries more weight in Sao Tome And Principe.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.98STN 428
$3.89E£197
413.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.33STN 927
$19.99E£1,010
116.76%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.55STN 204
$4.89E£247
95.30%
Cappuccino
$2.00STN 42.80
$1.42E£71.6
40.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88STN 40.30
$0.33E£16.56
469.70%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03STN 22.14
$0.14E£6.86
635.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.64STN 35.03
$1.37E£69.1
19.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86STN 39.80
$2.99E£151
-37.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.36STN 29.15
$0.85E£42.93
60.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.56STN 33.29
$0.63E£31.69
147.62%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.94STN 41.61
$0.66E£33.43
193.94%
Eggs
$4.40STN 94.2
$1.45E£73.4
203.45%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.26STN 434
$3.15E£159
543.17%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$19.88STN 425
$4.33E£219
359.12%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$25.18STN 539
$8.42E£425
199.05%
Apples(1kg)
$4.50STN 96.2
$1.45E£73.2
210.34%
Banana(1kg)
$1.13STN 24.10
$0.57E£28.77
98.25%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.99STN 85.5
$0.48E£24.14
731.25%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.41STN 72.9
$0.41E£20.52
731.71%
Potato(1kg)
$2.62STN 56.1
$0.48E£24.29
445.83%
Onion(1kg)
$2.08STN 44.58
$0.44E£22.46
372.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67STN 14.31
$0.24E£12.12
179.17%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.98STN 42.31
$0.19E£9.65
942.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.27STN 48.66
$1.99E£100
14.07%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.96STN 170
$6.79E£343
17.23%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27STN 27.20
$1.30E£65.7
-2.31%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29STN 27.52
$1.87E£94.3
-31.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.20STN 25.77
$0.29E£14.83
313.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$6.17E£311
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$0.39E£19.52
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$0.31E£15.74
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.20STN 304
$1.25E£63.2
1036.00%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.70STN 36.28
$0.31E£15.57
448.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$34.3KE£1.7M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KSTN 498.9K
$30.9KE£1.6M
-24.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
-
$21.05E£1,063
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.12STN 602
$7.02E£354
300.57%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.6STN 1,512
$11.61E£586
508.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$36.44STN 780
$14.78E£746
146.55%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37STN 629
$6.97E£352
321.38%
Cinema Ticket
$20.81STN 445
$2.89E£146
620.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$86.0E£4,344
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$1,931E£97.5K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$26.03E£1,315
-
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$43.67E£2,205
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
-
$107E£5,417
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$18.70STN 400
$51.4E£2,594
-63.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$275STN 5,889
$163E£8,208
69.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$188STN 4,014
$102E£5,138
84.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$659STN 14.1K
$319E£16.1K
106.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$529STN 11.3K
$189E£9,533
180.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,889STN 40.4K
$773E£39.0K
144.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,170STN 25.0K
$449E£22.7K
160.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$442STN 9,462
$155E£7,813
185.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.38
16.38
-54.95%
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 Egypt: July 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $177 in Sao Tome And Principe, $183 in Egypt. Capital cities: $353 in Sao Tome vs $207 in Cairo.
💰National salary averages: $265 in Sao Tome And Principe, $142 in Egypt. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Dining out costs 169% more in Sao Tome And Principe.
⭐Salaries are 87% higher in Sao Tome And Principe, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Sao Tome And Principe.
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 Egypt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Egypt and Sao Tome And Principe?
At $511 per month in Egypt and $643 in Sao Tome And Principe, there's a 26% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Egypt: 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.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Sao Tome And Principe is consistently higher than in Egypt across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in Egypt or in Sao Tome And Principe?
In Egypt, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Sao Tome And Principe it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Egypt or to Sao Tome And Principe?
It depends on what you're after: Egypt wins on affordability; Sao Tome And Principe may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.
Sao Tome And Principe vs other spots: cost of living compared