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

Name: Chad
Address: TD

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,144 per month in South Africa vs $552 in Chad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,780 per month in South Africa vs $741 in Chad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,415 per month in South Africa vs $929 in Chad, rent included.

The cost of living in South Africa is about 107% higher than in Chad on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both South Africa and Chad are more affordable than the global median – South Africa 17% lower, Chad 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.96 R 175

$8.66 FCFA 4,889

26.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.98 R 702

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.02 R 96.0

Cappuccino

$2.46 R 39.20

$0.85 FCFA 480

189.41%

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

$1.15 R 18.27

$0.87 FCFA 489

32.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 14.97

$0.87 FCFA 492

8.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 R 40.03

$1.31 FCFA 741

91.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 R 50.3

$1.81 FCFA 1,024

74.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 R 20.03

$3.77 FCFA 2,130

-66.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 R 18.40

$0.33 FCFA 189

248.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 R 28.45

$3.47 FCFA 1,956

-48.70%

Eggs

$2.63 R 41.97

$2.19 FCFA 1,238

20.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 R 133

$3.57 FCFA 2,013

132.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 R 85.1

$6.91 FCFA 3,901

-22.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 R 125

$3.63 FCFA 2,047

115.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 R 30.27

$4.74 FCFA 2,675

-59.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.09

$2.26 FCFA 1,278

-24.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 R 27.42

$2.74 FCFA 1,546

-37.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 R 29.81

$2.47 FCFA 1,395

-24.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.30

$1.62 FCFA 912

-6.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 R 23.93

$1.67 FCFA 945

-10.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 R 19.99

$0.55 FCFA 311

127.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 18.57

$2.16 FCFA 1,218

-46.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 R 53.1

$1.04 FCFA 584

220.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.18 R 82.6

$8.19 FCFA 4,624

-36.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 R 24.87

$1.17 FCFA 663

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 R 32.27

$1.80 FCFA 1,013

12.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 R 29.34

$0.43 FCFA 242

327.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 R 978

$87.1 FCFA 49.1K

-29.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 R 18.08

$0.45 FCFA 255

151.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R 14.29

$0.43 FCFA 241

109.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 R 122

$5.38 FCFA 3,037

42.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 R 23.03

$1.29 FCFA 731

11.63%

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

$36.5K R 583.0K

$12.0K FCFA 6.8M

203.39%

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

$32.1K R 511.7K

$11.3K FCFA 6.4M

184.43%

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

$132 R 2,103

$44.47 FCFA 25.1K

196.45%

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

$35.05 R 559

$26.23 FCFA 14.8K

33.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.77 R 650

$439 FCFA 247.9K

-90.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.05 R 543

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.06 R 192

Cinema Ticket

$7.44 R 119

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

$232 R 3,701

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,509 R 87.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 R 861

$26.26 FCFA 14.8K

105.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.03 R 559

$35.18 FCFA 19.9K

-0.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 R 1,662

$44.92 FCFA 25.4K

131.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 R 1,420

$88.1 FCFA 49.7K

0.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 R 7,947

$1,771 FCFA 999.6K

-71.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 R 6,671

$89.5 FCFA 50.5K

367.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$991 R 15.8K

$270 FCFA 152.3K

267.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 R 13.2K

$180 FCFA 101.8K

359.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,136 R 18.1K

$188 FCFA 105.9K

505.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$815 R 13.0K

$188 FCFA 105.8K

334.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,548 R 24.7K

$354 FCFA 199.7K

337.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.23

3.5

220.86%

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

Last update for South Africa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chad: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $432 in South Africa vs $871 in Chad. For reference, capital cities sit at $333 in Bloemfontein and $1,742 in N'Djamena.

Average salary: $1,547 in South Africa vs $357 in Chad. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 102% higher in Chad.

Public transport is 159% more expensive in Chad.

Salaries are 333% higher in South Africa, and purchasing power comes out stronger in South Africa.

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 Chad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chad is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 123% 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 Chad, contributing to the overall 123% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Chad, but in South Africa it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Chad 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.