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: $643 in Sao Tome And Principe versus $388 in India.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,135 in Sao Tome And Principe versus $617 in India.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,627 in Sao Tome And Principe versus $846 in India.

Living in Sao Tome And Principe is roughly 66% more expensive than in India on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Sao Tome And Principe 52% lower, India 71% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Sao Tome And Principe: monthly costs span $205 to $1,081, compared to $265$913 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
$19.98 STN 428
$2.53 ₹244
689.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.33 STN 927
$13.73 ₹1,322
215.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.55 STN 204
$4.00 ₹385
138.75%
Cappuccino
$2.00 STN 42.80
$1.91 ₹184
4.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 STN 40.30
$0.43 ₹41.85
337.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 STN 22.14
$0.17 ₹16.11
505.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.64 STN 35.03
$1.93 ₹186
-15.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 STN 39.80
$3.54 ₹341
-47.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sao Tome And Principe
India
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 STN 29.15
$0.73 ₹69.9
86.30%
White Bread (500g)
$1.56 STN 33.29
$0.52 ₹50.1
200.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 STN 41.61
$0.73 ₹69.9
165.75%
Eggs
$4.40 STN 94.2
$0.95 ₹91.4
363.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.26 STN 434
$5.32 ₹512
280.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$19.88 STN 425
$3.10 ₹299
541.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.18 STN 539
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$4.50 STN 96.2
$2.16 ₹208
108.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.13 STN 24.10
$0.70 ₹67.7
61.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.99 STN 85.5
$1.05 ₹101
280.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.41 STN 72.9
$0.53 ₹50.8
543.40%
Potato (1kg)
$2.62 STN 56.1
$0.39 ₹37.66
571.79%
Onion (1kg)
$2.08 STN 44.58
$0.48 ₹46.64
333.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.67 STN 14.31
$0.52 ₹49.78
28.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 STN 42.31
$0.36 ₹34.33
450.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.27 STN 48.66
$4.02 ₹387
-43.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.96 STN 170
$7.28 ₹701
9.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 STN 27.20
$1.90 ₹183
-33.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 STN 27.52
$3.03 ₹292
-57.43%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.84 ₹562
-
🚌 Getting Around
Sao Tome And Principe
India
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.20 STN 25.77
$0.36 ₹34.66
233.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$9.84 ₹948
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$0.95 ₹91.8
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.30 ₹29.03
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.20 STN 304
$1.79 ₹172
693.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.70 STN 36.28
$1.21 ₹117
40.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$13.9K ₹1.3M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K STN 498.9K
$22.4K ₹2.2M
3.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sao Tome And Principe
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$40.16 ₹3,867
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.12 STN 602
$3.76 ₹362
647.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.6 STN 1,512
$8.04 ₹774
778.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sao Tome And Principe
India
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.44 STN 780
$16.25 ₹1,565
124.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37 STN 629
$7.56 ₹728
288.49%
Cinema Ticket
$20.81 STN 445
$3.43 ₹330
506.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sao Tome And Principe
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$69.7 ₹6,713
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$1,852 ₹178.3K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sao Tome And Principe
India
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$25.59 ₹2,463
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$26.30 ₹2,532
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$44.89 ₹4,322
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$18.70 STN 400
$33.20 ₹3,197
-43.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sao Tome And Principe
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$275 STN 5,889
$174 ₹16.8K
57.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$188 STN 4,014
$112 ₹10.8K
66.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$659 STN 14.1K
$405 ₹39.0K
63.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$529 STN 11.3K
$258 ₹24.8K
105.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,889 STN 40.4K
$1,263 ₹121.6K
49.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,170 STN 25.0K
$653 ₹62.8K
79.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sao Tome And Principe
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$442 STN 9,462
$424 ₹40.8K
4.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.38
9.02
-18.18%

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 India: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $177 in Sao Tome And Principe, $127 in India. Capital cities: $353 in Sao Tome vs $242 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $265 in Sao Tome And Principe, $398 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 39% higher in Sao Tome And Principe.

Dining out costs 291% 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 $589 per month in India and $643 in Sao Tome And Principe, there's a 9% 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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