😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $648 in Sao Tome And Principe versus $453 in Egypt.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,129 in Sao Tome And Principe versus $729 in Egypt.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,609 in Sao Tome And Principe versus $1,005 in Egypt.
😐Living in Sao Tome And Principe is roughly 43% more expensive than Egypt on average.
📊Both countries sit below the global median: Sao Tome And Principe52% lower, Egypt66% lower.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Sao Tome And Principe: monthly costs span $209 to $1,087, compared to $315–$684 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
$20.34STN 427
$4.03E£209
404.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.40STN 890
$19.90E£1,031
113.07%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.95STN 209
$5.08E£263
95.87%
Cappuccino
$1.98STN 41.55
$1.45E£75.0
36.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93STN 40.45
$0.35E£18.26
451.43%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04STN 21.79
$0.14E£7.20
642.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.62STN 34.00
$1.42E£73.4
14.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84STN 38.62
$2.90E£150
-36.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38STN 29.07
$0.91E£47.07
51.65%
White Bread(500g)
$1.54STN 32.38
$0.62E£32.26
148.39%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.85STN 38.82
$0.67E£34.55
176.12%
Eggs
$4.37STN 91.9
$1.51E£78.0
189.40%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.68STN 413
$3.13E£162
528.75%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$20.28STN 426
$4.34E£225
367.28%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$25.30STN 531
$8.74E£453
189.47%
Apples(1kg)
$4.52STN 94.9
$1.53E£79.1
195.42%
Banana(1kg)
$1.14STN 23.96
$0.56E£29.24
103.57%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.95STN 83.0
$0.44E£22.79
797.73%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.52STN 74.0
$0.40E£20.98
780.00%
Potato(1kg)
$2.53STN 53.2
$0.44E£22.79
475.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99STN 41.76
$0.44E£23.01
352.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.72STN 15.17
$0.24E£12.43
200.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.91STN 40.15
$0.21E£11.06
809.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.35STN 49.26
$1.92E£99.2
22.40%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.19STN 172
$6.82E£353
20.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28STN 26.84
$1.27E£66.0
0.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33STN 27.86
$1.85E£96.0
-28.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.26STN 26.43
$0.27E£13.79
366.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$5.94E£307
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$0.38E£19.70
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$0.29E£14.82
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.25STN 299
$1.30E£67.2
996.15%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.63STN 34.15
$0.31E£15.93
425.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$34.3KE£1.8M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.1KSTN 484.8K
$31.6KE£1.6M
-26.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
-
$21.84E£1,131
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.67STN 602
$7.09E£367
304.37%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$72.6STN 1,524
$11.91E£617
509.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.58STN 789
$14.50E£751
159.17%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.44STN 597
$6.81E£353
317.62%
Cinema Ticket
$20.62STN 433
$2.93E£152
603.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$87.8E£4,546
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$1,934E£100.2K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$26.08E£1,351
-
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$43.77E£2,267
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
-
$109E£5,627
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$19.10STN 401
$51.8E£2,684
-63.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$266STN 5,579
$163E£8,434
63.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$192STN 4,025
$101E£5,237
89.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$671STN 14.1K
$320E£16.6K
109.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$512STN 10.7K
$188E£9,729
172.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,937STN 40.7K
$741E£38.4K
161.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,177STN 24.7K
$453E£23.5K
159.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sao Tome And Principe
Egypt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$457STN 9,595
$148E£7,642
209.69%
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: June 1, 2026
Last update for Egypt: May 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $171 in Sao Tome And Principe, $183 in Egypt. Capital cities: $342 in Sao Tome vs $205 in Cairo.
💰National salary averages: $272 in Sao Tome And Principe, $145 in Egypt. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 7% higher in Egypt.
⭐Dining out costs 169% more in Sao Tome And Principe.
⭐Salaries are 88% 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 $500 per month in Egypt and $648 in Sao Tome And Principe, there's a 30% 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?
Egypt is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 Sao Tome And Principe?
In Egypt, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In Sao Tome And Principe, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Egypt or 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