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 $528 in Chad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,587 per month in South Africa vs $726 in Chad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,154 per month in South Africa vs $923 in Chad, rent included.

The cost of living in South Africa is about 93% 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 24% lower, Chad 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.14 R 151

$8.71 FCFA 4,999

4.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.14 R 646

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 R 85.6

Cappuccino

$1.98 R 32.63

$0.91 FCFA 520

117.58%

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

$1.00 R 16.52

$0.84 FCFA 484

19.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 R 12.97

$0.85 FCFA 486

-7.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 R 36.50

$1.35 FCFA 774

63.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 R 42.45

$1.72 FCFA 989

49.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R 18.50

$3.74 FCFA 2,149

-70.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 R 15.96

$0.34 FCFA 193

185.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.47

$3.57 FCFA 2,047

-56.86%

Eggs

$2.25 R 37.10

$2.08 FCFA 1,192

8.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 R 130

$3.63 FCFA 2,085

116.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 R 75.6

$7.13 FCFA 4,095

-35.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.68 R 110

$3.61 FCFA 2,075

85.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.98

$4.84 FCFA 2,776

-67.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.27

$2.26 FCFA 1,297

-34.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.10

$2.69 FCFA 1,543

-43.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.91

$2.56 FCFA 1,467

-41.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R 20.79

$1.62 FCFA 933

-22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 R 21.04

$1.67 FCFA 956

-23.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.93

$0.55 FCFA 317

98.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 R 16.00

$2.10 FCFA 1,206

-53.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 R 46.81

$1.02 FCFA 586

178.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.20 R 85.9

$8.01 FCFA 4,600

-35.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 R 22.84

$1.42 FCFA 815

-2.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 R 28.36

$1.77 FCFA 1,016

-2.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 R 28.42

$0.42 FCFA 241

309.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.22 R 730

$86.8 FCFA 49.8K

-49.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R 19.01

$0.46 FCFA 262

150.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 R 17.59

$0.42 FCFA 240

154.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.74 R 78.2

$5.43 FCFA 3,120

-12.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 21.18

$1.10 FCFA 631

16.36%

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

$20.4K R 336.1K

$12.2K FCFA 7.0M

67.18%

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

$24.0K R 395.8K

$11.1K FCFA 6.4M

116.49%

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

$113 R 1,864

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

$32.35 R 534

$26.32 FCFA 15.1K

22.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.46 R 684

$444 FCFA 255.1K

-90.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.04 R 512

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.72 R 160

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 R 110

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

$186 R 3,063

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,399 R 72.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 R 828

$26.82 FCFA 15.4K

87.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.37 R 501

$35.85 FCFA 20.6K

-15.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 R 1,541

$44.89 FCFA 25.8K

108.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 R 1,327

$88.3 FCFA 50.7K

-8.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 R 7,239

$1,490 FCFA 855.4K

-70.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 R 6,136

$87.8 FCFA 50.4K

323.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 R 14.9K

$266 FCFA 152.4K

239.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 R 11.6K

$177 FCFA 101.8K

297.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,116 R 18.4K

$188 FCFA 108.1K

492.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$793 R 13.1K

$183 FCFA 105.1K

333.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,506 R 24.9K

$353 FCFA 202.7K

326.60%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chad: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $368 in South Africa vs $740 in Chad. For reference, capital cities sit at $292 in Bloemfontein and $1,479 in N'Djamena.

Average salary: $1,513 in South Africa vs $343 in Chad. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 101% higher in Chad.

Public transport is 169% more expensive in Chad.

Salaries are 341% 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 105% 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 105% 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.