Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Tome And Principe and India Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Tome And Principe and India

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $732 in Sao Tome And Principe versus $366 in India.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,200 in Sao Tome And Principe versus $581 in India.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,668 in Sao Tome And Principe versus $795 in India.

Living in Sao Tome And Principe is roughly 100% more expensive than in India on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Sao Tome And Principe 47% lower, India 73% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Sao Tome And Principe: monthly costs span $208 to $1,257, compared to $228$810 in India. City choice carries more weight in Sao Tome And Principe.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sao Tome And Principe
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.04 STN 191
$2.15 ₹205
320.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.59 STN 983
$10.42 ₹996
347.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.99 STN 190
$3.59 ₹343
150.42%
Cappuccino
$2.42 STN 51.0
$1.67 ₹160
44.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 STN 38.16
$0.39 ₹37.26
364.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 STN 23.55
$0.17 ₹15.92
558.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.84 STN 38.79
$1.87 ₹179
-1.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 STN 40.91
$3.18 ₹304
-38.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sao Tome And Principe
India
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.59 STN 33.45
$0.64 ₹61.1
148.44%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 STN 33.23
$0.45 ₹42.66
248.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.02 STN 42.58
$0.63 ₹59.9
220.63%
Eggs
$4.68 STN 98.7
$0.87 ₹83.5
437.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.88 STN 419
$4.62 ₹442
330.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$20.46 STN 432
$2.86 ₹273
615.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.06 STN 465
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.94 STN 83.2
$1.95 ₹186
102.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.77 STN 37.26
$0.67 ₹64.3
164.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.75 STN 79.1
$0.99 ₹94.3
278.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.50 STN 73.8
$0.51 ₹48.45
586.27%
Potato (1kg)
$2.95 STN 62.2
$0.35 ₹33.23
742.86%
Onion (1kg)
$2.52 STN 53.1
$0.42 ₹39.69
500.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.52 STN 10.87
$0.44 ₹41.87
18.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.14 STN 45.24
$0.31 ₹29.80
590.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34 STN 49.44
$5.14 ₹491
-54.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.44 STN 178
$7.58 ₹724
11.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 STN 31.74
$1.67 ₹160
-10.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 STN 35.61
$2.79 ₹266
-39.43%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.36 ₹512
-
🚌 Getting Around
Sao Tome And Principe
India
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.41 STN 29.67
$0.25 ₹23.64
464.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$8.53 ₹815
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.77 STN 37.26
$0.94 ₹89.4
88.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.73 STN 57.7
$0.27 ₹25.96
911.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.20 STN 300
$1.60 ₹153
787.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.78 STN 37.59
$1.12 ₹107
58.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.0K STN 549.0K
$12.4K ₹1.2M
109.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.5K STN 685.5K
$20.2K ₹1.9M
61.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sao Tome And Principe
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$241 STN 5,090
$37.28 ₹3,562
547.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.16 STN 700
$3.49 ₹334
850.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.4 STN 1,463
$7.20 ₹688
863.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sao Tome And Principe
India
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.80 STN 734
$14.69 ₹1,403
136.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.33 STN 556
$7.31 ₹698
260.19%
Cinema Ticket
$20.84 STN 440
$3.08 ₹294
576.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sao Tome And Principe
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$241 STN 5,094
$59.1 ₹5,646
308.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,256 STN 47.6K
$1,693 ₹161.8K
33.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sao Tome And Principe
India
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$23.25 ₹2,221
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$76.5 STN 1,613
$24.03 ₹2,296
218.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$40.99 ₹3,917
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$18.83 STN 397
$30.46 ₹2,911
-38.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sao Tome And Principe
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$291 STN 6,132
$143 ₹13.7K
102.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$204 STN 4,297
$93.2 ₹8,902
118.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$984 STN 20.8K
$332 ₹31.7K
196.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$468 STN 9,865
$214 ₹20.4K
118.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,886 STN 39.8K
$1,203 ₹115.0K
56.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,206 STN 25.5K
$643 ₹61.5K
87.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sao Tome And Principe
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$459 STN 9,682
$441 ₹42.1K
4.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.38
8.93
-17.36%

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 India: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $147 in Sao Tome And Principe, $121 in India. Capital cities: $293 in Sao Tome vs $272 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $273 in Sao Tome And Principe, $410 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 21% higher in Sao Tome And Principe.

Dining out costs 330% more in Sao Tome And Principe.

Salaries are 50% higher in India, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.

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 India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Sao Tome And Principe?
At $519 per month in India and $733 in Sao Tome And Principe, there's a 41% 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 India: 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 India 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 India or in Sao Tome And Principe?
In India, $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 India or to Sao Tome And Principe?
It depends on what you're after: India 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.

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