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

Name: Eritrea
Address: ER

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,143 per month in South Africa vs $689 in Eritrea, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,781 per month in South Africa vs $1,083 in Eritrea, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,419 per month in South Africa vs $1,477 in Eritrea, rent included.

The cost of living in South Africa is about 66% higher than in Eritrea on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both South Africa and Eritrea are more affordable than the global median – South Africa 17% lower, Eritrea 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.30 R 182

$21.04 ERN 316

-46.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.51 R 717

$34.65 ERN 520

28.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 R 95.0

$5.48 ERN 82.3

7.66%

Cappuccino

$2.44 R 39.22

$0.73 ERN 10.94

234.25%

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

$1.16 R 18.64

$0.97 ERN 14.58

19.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.39

$0.99 ERN 14.85

-3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 R 41.29

$0.96 ERN 14.37

166.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 R 49.60

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.57

$1.56 ERN 23.43

-17.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 R 18.15

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.55

$2.33 ERN 35.02

-21.46%

Eggs

$2.55 R 41.12

$4.47 ERN 67.1

-42.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 R 134

$2.98 ERN 44.72

180.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 R 87.6

$26.38 ERN 396

-79.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 R 127

$10.09 ERN 152

-21.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 R 30.61

$12.07 ERN 181

-84.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.36

$1.31 ERN 19.75

29.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 R 29.14

$2.04 ERN 30.63

-11.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.23

$1.14 ERN 17.16

64.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.76

$1.78 ERN 26.74

-13.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.03

$0.90 ERN 13.55

65.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 R 21.45

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R 19.09

$2.15 ERN 32.35

-44.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 R 55.0

Wine (Bottle)

$5.08 R 81.7

$12.23 ERN 184

-58.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 R 24.28

$1.02 ERN 15.25

48.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 R 32.64

$1.02 ERN 15.26

99.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 R 28.39

$0.12 ERN 1.78

1366.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 R 1,016

$8.10 ERN 122

679.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R 17.97

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 R 16.33

$0.58 ERN 8.72

74.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 R 130

$10.08 ERN 151

-19.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 R 23.53

$2.57 ERN 38.65

-43.19%

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

$36.8K R 592.8K

$66.9K ERN 1.0M

-44.99%

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

$32.5K R 523.6K

$69.4K ERN 1.0M

-53.13%

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

$136 R 2,185

$25.13 ERN 377

439.91%

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

$35.72 R 575

$67.5 ERN 1,014

-47.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.40 R 667

$199 ERN 2,983

-79.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.96 R 563

$27.35 ERN 411

27.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.46 R 201

$4.86 ERN 73.0

156.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 R 123

$1.22 ERN 18.32

524.59%

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

$231 R 3,725

$25.50 ERN 383

807.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,726 R 92.2K

$2,585 ERN 38.8K

121.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 R 908

$138 ERN 2,067

-59.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.91 R 546

$122 ERN 1,835

-72.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 R 1,639

$200 ERN 3,001

-49.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.0 R 1,497

$150 ERN 2,256

-38.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 R 8,154

$255 ERN 3,828

98.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 R 6,727

$200 ERN 3,003

108.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 R 15.8K

$453 ERN 6,808

115.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$838 R 13.5K

$424 ERN 6,364

97.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,151 R 18.5K

$1,256 ERN 18.9K

-8.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 R 12.9K

$2,293 ERN 34.4K

-65.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,554 R 25.0K

$492 ERN 7,383

216.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

18.5

-39.24%

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

Last update for South Africa: September 8, 2026

Last update for Eritrea: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $445 in South Africa vs $123 in Eritrea. For reference, capital cities sit at $324 in Bloemfontein and $247 in Asmara.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 262% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 135% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 325% more expensive 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 Eritrea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Eritrea is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 79% 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 Eritrea, contributing to the overall 79% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Eritrea, but in South Africa it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Eritrea 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.