Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Ivory Coast Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Ivory Coast

Name: Ivory Coast
Address: CI

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,019 per month in South Africa vs $753 in Ivory Coast, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,585 per month in South Africa vs $1,180 in Ivory Coast, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,150 per month in South Africa vs $1,606 in Ivory Coast, rent included.

South Africa costs about 35% more than Ivory Coast on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both South Africa and Ivory Coast are more affordable than the global median – South Africa 24% lower, Ivory Coast 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.88 R 144

$3.57 F CFA 2,018

148.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.40 R 637

$62.8 F CFA 35.5K

-37.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 R 79.6

$10.51 F CFA 5,938

-53.19%

Cappuccino

$2.00 R 32.28

$2.08 F CFA 1,176

-3.85%

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

$1.03 R 16.58

$0.80 F CFA 450

28.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 R 12.15

$0.91 F CFA 512

-17.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 R 36.50

$1.09 F CFA 615

107.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R 40.00

$1.79 F CFA 1,011

37.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 R 17.42

$2.32 F CFA 1,308

-53.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 R 16.78

$0.64 F CFA 361

62.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.45

$1.18 F CFA 668

33.05%

Eggs

$2.28 R 36.86

$2.30 F CFA 1,299

-0.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.73 R 125

$17.51 F CFA 9,888

-55.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 R 73.8

$8.33 F CFA 4,705

-45.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.72 R 109

$6.45 F CFA 3,641

4.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.31

$3.58 F CFA 2,024

-58.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 R 22.87

$1.05 F CFA 595

34.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.38

$1.98 F CFA 1,116

-23.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.51

$1.91 F CFA 1,081

-20.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R 20.44

$1.55 F CFA 875

-18.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 R 20.95

$1.70 F CFA 960

-23.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.62

$0.84 F CFA 473

29.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 R 15.99

$0.90 F CFA 507

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 R 48.20

$1.74 F CFA 983

71.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.12 R 82.9

$6.27 F CFA 3,544

-18.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 R 21.37

$1.06 F CFA 600

24.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 26.68

$1.37 F CFA 772

20.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 R 27.60

$0.86 F CFA 485

98.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.13 R 730

$48.14 F CFA 27.2K

-6.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R 17.93

$1.74 F CFA 982

-36.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 R 17.91

$1.60 F CFA 904

-30.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 R 76.1

$26.84 F CFA 15.2K

-82.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.74

$1.50 F CFA 847

-14.67%

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

$20.8K R 335.8K

$31.2K F CFA 17.6M

-33.52%

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

$23.5K R 379.4K

$28.7K F CFA 16.2M

-18.12%

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

$111 R 1,792

$182 F CFA 102.6K

-39.01%

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

$32.41 R 524

$35.44 F CFA 20.0K

-8.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.64 R 673

$48.14 F CFA 27.2K

-13.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.24 R 505

$79.0 F CFA 44.6K

-60.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.78 R 158

$21.66 F CFA 12.2K

-54.85%

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 R 110

$8.62 F CFA 4,870

-21.35%

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

$189 R 3,048

$293 F CFA 165.6K

-35.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,394 R 71.0K

$3,222 F CFA 1.8M

36.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.42 R 799

$89.0 F CFA 50.2K

-44.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.39 R 491

$54.2 F CFA 30.6K

-43.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 R 1,522

$85.3 F CFA 48.2K

10.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 R 1,283

$146 F CFA 82.5K

-45.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 R 7,171

$579 F CFA 326.9K

-23.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 R 5,948

$355 F CFA 200.4K

3.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 R 14.2K

$1,827 F CFA 1.0M

-51.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 R 11.5K

$929 F CFA 524.7K

-23.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,061 R 17.2K

$2,326 F CFA 1.3M

-54.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$782 R 12.6K

$681 F CFA 384.8K

14.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,505 R 24.3K

$227 F CFA 128.1K

563.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

14.5

-20.34%

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

Last update for South Africa: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ivory Coast: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $1,501 in South Africa vs $221 in Ivory Coast. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 141% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 20% more in Ivory Coast.

Public transport is 60% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 579% 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 Ivory Coast: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ivory Coast is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 62% 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 Ivory Coast, contributing to the overall 62% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

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

Ivory Coast 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.