Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Benin Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Benin

Name: Benin
Address: BJ

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,020 per month in South Africa vs $859 in Benin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,598 per month in South Africa vs $1,277 in Benin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,175 per month in South Africa vs $1,695 in Benin, rent included.

South Africa costs about 19% more than Benin on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both South Africa and Benin are more affordable than the global median – South Africa 24% lower, Benin 36% lower.

South Africa has a wider regional cost range ($819–$1,339) than Benin ($748–$969), so location matters more when choosing where to live in South Africa.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 R 148

$3.49 F CFA 1,967

159.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.48 R 644

$26.82 F CFA 15.1K

47.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 R 80.6

$6.35 F CFA 3,585

-22.20%

Cappuccino

$2.06 R 33.60

$4.50 F CFA 2,541

-54.22%

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

$0.95 R 15.46

$1.03 F CFA 584

-7.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 R 13.19

$0.95 F CFA 536

-14.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 R 36.05

$1.38 F CFA 781

60.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R 40.50

$3.45 F CFA 1,945

-28.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R 18.14

$2.05 F CFA 1,159

-45.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 R 16.71

$1.02 F CFA 577

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.39

$1.99 F CFA 1,122

-21.61%

Eggs

$2.34 R 38.21

$2.31 F CFA 1,306

1.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.73 R 126

$9.66 F CFA 5,451

-19.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.49 R 73.4

$4.59 F CFA 2,589

-2.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.73 R 110

$5.45 F CFA 3,075

23.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.50

$2.70 F CFA 1,526

-42.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.32

$1.22 F CFA 687

17.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.58

$0.90 F CFA 507

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.65

$1.61 F CFA 907

-6.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 R 19.89

$1.15 F CFA 648

6.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 R 20.83

$1.14 F CFA 645

12.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 R 16.96

$0.68 F CFA 386

52.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.27

$1.12 F CFA 634

-16.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 R 48.75

$1.04 F CFA 587

187.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.16 R 84.2

$4.35 F CFA 2,456

18.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 22.65

$1.04 F CFA 584

33.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 R 27.04

$1.69 F CFA 955

-1.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 26.59

$1.73 F CFA 979

-5.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.05 R 735

$7.60 F CFA 4,287

492.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 R 18.48

$1.61 F CFA 909

-29.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 R 18.00

$1.56 F CFA 878

-29.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.86 R 79.3

$1.80 F CFA 1,017

170.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R 20.23

$1.05 F CFA 590

18.10%

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

$20.3K R 331.6K

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

$23.5K R 383.0K

$24.9K F CFA 14.0M

-5.67%

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

$113 R 1,851

$170 F CFA 96.2K

-33.46%

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

$32.36 R 528

$28.19 F CFA 15.9K

14.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.45 R 676

$62.8 F CFA 35.5K

-34.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.59 R 516

$42.73 F CFA 24.1K

-26.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.61 R 157

$5.20 F CFA 2,936

84.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 R 111

$6.11 F CFA 3,446

11.78%

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

$187 R 3,052

$184 F CFA 104.1K

1.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,362 R 71.2K

$6,487 F CFA 3.7M

-32.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.50 R 808

$17.82 F CFA 10.1K

177.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.42 R 496

$9.01 F CFA 5,084

237.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 R 1,496

$17.93 F CFA 10.1K

411.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 R 1,287

$40.64 F CFA 22.9K

94.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 R 7,205

$194 F CFA 109.4K

127.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 R 5,988

$144 F CFA 81.1K

155.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 R 14.4K

$523 F CFA 295.2K

68.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 R 11.8K

$311 F CFA 175.5K

132.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,090 R 17.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$780 R 12.7K

$2,681 F CFA 1.5M

-70.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,558 R 25.4K

$232 F CFA 131.0K

571.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

131.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for South Africa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Benin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $1,520 in South Africa vs $90.0 in Benin. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 142% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 30% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 300% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 1589% higher in South Africa, giving South Africa 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

South Africa vs Benin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Benin is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 26% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Benin, contributing to the overall 26% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Benin, but in South Africa it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Benin 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.