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 $1,020 per month in South Africa vs $531 in Chad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,598 per month in South Africa vs $712 in Chad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,175 per month in South Africa vs $893 in Chad, rent included.

South Africa costs about 92% more than 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 24% lower, Chad 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 R 150

$9.04 FCFA 5,143

0.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.48 R 654

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 R 81.8

Cappuccino

$2.06 R 34.09

$0.90 FCFA 515

128.89%

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

$0.95 R 15.68

$0.85 FCFA 482

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 R 13.38

$0.89 FCFA 508

-8.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 R 36.57

$1.31 FCFA 744

68.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R 41.09

$1.74 FCFA 988

42.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R 18.41

$3.81 FCFA 2,170

-70.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 R 16.95

$0.34 FCFA 192

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.75

$3.61 FCFA 2,055

-56.79%

Eggs

$2.34 R 38.76

$2.15 FCFA 1,225

8.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.73 R 128

$3.49 FCFA 1,988

121.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.49 R 74.4

$6.88 FCFA 3,914

-34.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.73 R 111

$3.69 FCFA 2,102

82.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.87

$4.96 FCFA 2,820

-68.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.66

$2.27 FCFA 1,294

-37.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.92

$2.63 FCFA 1,494

-45.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 R 25.00

$2.48 FCFA 1,413

-39.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 R 20.18

$1.68 FCFA 958

-27.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 R 21.13

$1.63 FCFA 929

-21.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 R 17.21

$0.51 FCFA 292

103.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.49

$2.11 FCFA 1,199

-55.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 R 49.46

$1.03 FCFA 584

190.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.16 R 85.4

$8.11 FCFA 4,615

-36.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 22.97

$1.35 FCFA 769

2.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 R 27.43

$1.74 FCFA 991

-4.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 26.98

$0.42 FCFA 239

288.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.05 R 746

$89.9 FCFA 51.2K

-49.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 R 18.75

$0.46 FCFA 262

145.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 R 18.26

$0.42 FCFA 236

161.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.86 R 80.4

$5.19 FCFA 2,954

-6.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R 20.52

$1.13 FCFA 646

9.73%

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

$20.3K R 336.4K

$12.2K FCFA 6.9M

66.95%

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

$23.5K R 388.5K

$11.5K FCFA 6.6M

103.77%

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

$113 R 1,878

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

$32.36 R 536

$26.80 FCFA 15.2K

20.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.45 R 686

$434 FCFA 247.2K

-90.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.59 R 523

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.61 R 159

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 R 113

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

$187 R 3,096

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,362 R 72.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.50 R 819

$26.73 FCFA 15.2K

85.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.42 R 504

$34.59 FCFA 19.7K

-12.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 R 1,517

$44.64 FCFA 25.4K

105.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 R 1,305

$87.3 FCFA 49.6K

-9.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 R 7,309

$1,508 FCFA 857.7K

-70.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 R 6,074

$87.4 FCFA 49.7K

319.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 R 14.6K

$264 FCFA 150.4K

234.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 R 12.0K

$180 FCFA 102.3K

302.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,090 R 18.1K

$187 FCFA 106.5K

482.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$780 R 12.9K

$189 FCFA 107.5K

312.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,558 R 25.8K

$353 FCFA 200.9K

340.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

3.5

230.00%

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

Last update for South Africa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chad: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $368 in South Africa vs $751 in Chad. For reference, capital cities sit at $765 in Cape Town and $1,501 in N'Djamena.

Average salary: $1,520 in South Africa vs $351 in Chad. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 104% higher in Chad.

Public transport is 175% more expensive in Chad.

Salaries are 333% 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 Chad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chad is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 103% 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 103% 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.