Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Tome And Principe and United States Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Tome And Principe and United States

Name: United States
Address: US

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $648 per month in Sao Tome And Principe vs $2,643 in United States, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,129 per month in Sao Tome And Principe vs $3,857 in United States, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,609 per month in Sao Tome And Principe vs $5,070 in United States, rent included.

Sao Tome And Principe is roughly 75% cheaper than United States on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Sao Tome And Principe sits 52% below the global median, while United States is 97% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

United States has a wider regional cost range ($1,343–$5,081) than Sao Tome And Principe ($209–$1,087), so location matters more when choosing where to live in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.34 STN 427

$20.04 $20.04

1.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.40 STN 890

$76.0 $76.0

-44.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 STN 209

$11.42 $11.42

-12.87%

Cappuccino

$1.98 STN 41.55

$5.39 $5.39

-63.27%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 STN 40.45

$2.55 $2.55

-24.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 STN 21.79

$2.04 $2.04

-49.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 STN 34.00

$6.14 $6.14

-73.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 STN 38.62

$7.18 $7.18

-74.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 STN 29.07

$1.04 $1.04

32.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 STN 32.38

$3.65 $3.65

-57.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 STN 38.82

$4.73 $4.73

-60.89%

Eggs

$4.37 STN 91.9

$4.38 $4.38

-0.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.68 STN 413

$12.76 $12.76

54.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.28 STN 426

$12.42 $12.42

63.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.30 STN 531

$16.41 $16.41

54.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 STN 94.9

$5.42 $5.42

-16.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 STN 23.96

$1.65 $1.65

-30.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 STN 83.0

$4.59 $4.59

-13.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 STN 74.0

$4.91 $4.91

-28.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 STN 53.2

$2.92 $2.92

-13.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 STN 41.76

$3.13 $3.13

-36.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 STN 15.17

$2.26 $2.26

-68.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 STN 40.15

$2.30 $2.30

-16.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 STN 49.26

$9.89 $9.89

-76.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.19 STN 172

$15.10 $15.10

-45.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 STN 26.84

$1.91 $1.91

-32.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 STN 27.86

$3.66 $3.66

-63.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 STN 26.43

$2.48 $2.48

-49.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.25 STN 299

$30.58 $30.58

-53.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 STN 34.15

$0.96 $0.96

69.79%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.5K $30.5K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.1K STN 484.8K

$26.4K $26.4K

-12.48%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$204 $204

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$28.67 STN 602

$57.3 $57.3

-49.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.6 STN 1,524

$71.2 $71.2

1.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.58 STN 789

$46.67 $46.67

-19.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.44 STN 597

$22.12 $22.12

28.57%

Cinema Ticket

$20.62 STN 433

$13.84 $13.84

48.99%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,384 $1,384

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.10 STN 401

$114 $114

-83.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 STN 5,579

$1,766 $1,766

-84.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 STN 4,025

$1,459 $1,459

-86.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$671 STN 14.1K

$2,832 $2,832

-76.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 STN 10.7K

$2,411 $2,411

-78.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,937 STN 40.7K

$3,287 $3,287

-41.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,177 STN 24.7K

$2,650 $2,650

-55.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$457 STN 9,595

$4,379 $4,379

-89.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.38

6.51

13.36%

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 United States: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $171 in Sao Tome And Principe vs $1,637 in United States. For reference, capital cities sit at $342 in Sao Tome and $2,591 in Washington, DC.

Average salary: $272 in Sao Tome And Principe vs $4,500 in United States. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 857% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 70% more in United States.

Salaries are 1554% higher in United States, giving United States stronger purchasing power.

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 United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Tome And Principe is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 396% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in United States, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but United States consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Sao Tome And Principe, contributing to the overall 396% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Sao Tome And Principe, but in United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Sao Tome And Principe is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.