😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $732 in Sao Tome And Principe versus $450 in Egypt.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,200 in Sao Tome And Principe versus $732 in Egypt.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,668 in Sao Tome And Principe versus $1,013 in Egypt.
🌍Living in Sao Tome And Principe is roughly 63% more expensive than in Egypt on average.
📊Both countries sit below the global median: Sao Tome And Principe 47% lower, Egypt 67% lower.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Sao Tome And Principe: monthly costs span $208 to $1,257, compared to $325–$729 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
$9.04STN 191
$4.04E£207
123.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.59STN 983
$19.42E£996
139.91%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.99STN 190
$4.94E£253
81.98%
Cappuccino
$2.42STN 51.0
$1.53E£78.3
58.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81STN 38.16
$0.34E£17.65
432.35%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12STN 23.55
$0.13E£6.59
761.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.84STN 38.79
$1.46E£74.9
26.03%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94STN 40.91
$2.99E£153
-35.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.59STN 33.45
$0.85E£43.84
87.06%
White Bread(500g)
$1.57STN 33.23
$0.70E£36.14
124.29%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.02STN 42.58
$0.65E£33.31
210.77%
Eggs
$4.68STN 98.7
$1.32E£67.7
254.55%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.88STN 419
$3.45E£177
476.23%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$20.46STN 432
$4.26E£219
380.28%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$22.06STN 465
$8.99E£461
145.38%
Apples(1kg)
$3.94STN 83.2
$1.57E£80.3
150.96%
Banana(1kg)
$1.77STN 37.26
$0.68E£34.83
160.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.75STN 79.1
$0.50E£25.65
650.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.50STN 73.8
$0.41E£21.19
753.66%
Potato(1kg)
$2.95STN 62.2
$0.38E£19.33
676.32%
Onion(1kg)
$2.52STN 53.1
$0.38E£19.70
563.16%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.52STN 10.87
$0.29E£14.63
79.31%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.14STN 45.24
$0.20E£10.25
970.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34STN 49.44
$2.00E£103
17.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.44STN 178
$7.05E£362
19.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.50STN 31.74
$1.45E£74.4
3.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69STN 35.61
$2.11E£108
-19.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41STN 29.67
$0.30E£15.50
370.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$8.14E£418
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.77STN 37.26
$0.38E£19.25
365.79%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.73STN 57.7
$0.28E£14.24
875.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.20STN 300
$1.81E£93.0
684.53%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.78STN 37.59
$0.43E£21.86
313.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.0KSTN 549.0K
$33.4KE£1.7M
-22.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.5KSTN 685.5K
$28.4KE£1.5M
14.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$241STN 5,090
$22.40E£1,149
977.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.16STN 700
$7.19E£369
361.20%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.4STN 1,463
$13.44E£689
416.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$34.80STN 734
$17.79E£913
95.62%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.33STN 556
$6.66E£342
295.35%
Cinema Ticket
$20.84STN 440
$2.90E£149
618.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$241STN 5,094
$94.0E£4,821
156.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,256STN 47.6K
$2,482E£127.3K
-9.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$27.14E£1,393
-
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$76.5STN 1,613
$44.76E£2,296
70.82%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
-
$110E£5,664
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$18.83STN 397
$50.5E£2,589
-62.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$291STN 6,132
$155E£7,942
87.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$204STN 4,297
$94.6E£4,854
115.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$984STN 20.8K
$309E£15.8K
219.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$468STN 9,865
$196E£10.0K
138.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,886STN 39.8K
$747E£38.3K
152.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,206STN 25.5K
$455E£23.3K
165.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$459STN 9,682
$151E£7,764
203.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.38
16.46
-55.16%
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 Egypt: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $147 in Sao Tome And Principe, $146 in Egypt. Capital cities: $293 in Sao Tome vs $215 in Cairo.
💰National salary averages: $273 in Sao Tome And Principe, $140 in Egypt. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Dining out costs 153% more in Sao Tome And Principe.
⭐Salaries are 95% higher 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 $527 per month in Egypt and $733 in Sao Tome And Principe, there's a 39% 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