Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Saint Helena

Name: Saint Helena
Address: SH

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Helena: $574 a month against $1,203 in South Africa, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in South Africa
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South Africa Living Index

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🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,203

/mo nomad

🇸🇭 Saint Helena

$574

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in South Africa and in Saint Helena

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in South Africa and in Saint Helena actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,203 in South Africa versus $574 in Saint Helena.

South Africa $1,203
Saint Helena $574

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,893 in South Africa versus $1,194 in Saint Helena.

South Africa $1,893
Saint Helena $1,194

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,583 in South Africa versus $1,814 in Saint Helena.

South Africa $2,583
Saint Helena $1,814

Internal cost variation is higher in South Africa: monthly costs span $618 to $1,556, compared to $90–$500 in Saint Helena. City choice carries more weight in South Africa.

Living in South Africa is roughly 110% more expensive than in Saint Helena on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: South Africa 12% lower, Saint Helena 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.67 R 177

$15.85 SHP 11.81

-32.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.66 R 692

$65.5 SHP 48.80

-36.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 R 96.3

$13.08 SHP 9.75

-55.66%

Cappuccino

$2.36 R 39.15

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

$1.12 R 18.53

$1.21 SHP 0.90

-7.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R 14.97

$1.02 SHP 0.76

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 R 40.12

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 R 50.8

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 R 19.55

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 R 18.79

$2.00 SHP 1.49

-43.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 R 28.85

Eggs

$2.57 R 42.72

$5.39 SHP 4.02

-52.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.43 R 140

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 R 85.0

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 R 126

$10.83 SHP 8.08

-29.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 R 29.46

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 R 28.84

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 R 29.37

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 R 29.21

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.76

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.33

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 R 20.48

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R 18.22

$1.30 SHP 0.97

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 R 53.9

$11.73 SHP 8.74

-72.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.00 R 83.0

$15.67 SHP 11.68

-68.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 R 24.85

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 R 32.20

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 R 24.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.3 R 984

$39.60 SHP 29.52

49.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 18.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 R 16.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.46 R 124

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 R 23.72

$2.49 SHP 1.86

-42.57%

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

$35.3K R 586.2K

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

$32.4K R 538.6K

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

$133 R 2,204

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

$34.83 R 578

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.76 R 660

$218 SHP 163

-81.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.09 R 549

$19.68 SHP 14.67

68.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.65 R 193

Cinema Ticket

$7.18 R 119

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

$224 R 3,721

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,462 R 90.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 R 900

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 R 567

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 R 1,695

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 R 1,469

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 R 8,173

$723 SHP 539

-31.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 R 6,605

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 R 15.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 R 13.7K

$515 SHP 384

60.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,099 R 18.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$769 R 12.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,502 R 24.9K

$765 SHP 570

96.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.23

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

Last update for South Africa: October 26, 2026

Last update for Saint Helena: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

South Africa

$398 33.1%

Saint Helena

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

South Africa

$207 17.2%

Saint Helena

–

Groceries & Markets

South Africa

$196 16.3%

Saint Helena

–

Eating Out

South Africa

$157 13.1%

Saint Helena

–

Clothing & Footwear

South Africa

$126 10.4%

Saint Helena

–

Getting Around

South Africa

$71 5.9%

Saint Helena

–

Sport & Entertainment

South Africa

$47 4%

Saint Helena

–

Cost Breakdown

National salary averages: $1,488 in South Africa, $791 in Saint Helena. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 71% higher in Saint Helena.

Dining out costs 69% more in Saint Helena.

Public transport is 53% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 88% higher in South Africa, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Saint Helena.

Good to know

🇿🇦 South Africa

🇸🇭 Saint Helena

🕒 Local time

07:27 7:27 AM

05:27 5:27 AM

2 h behind South Africa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

62,027,503

5,633

💱 Currency

South African Rand ZAR R

Saint Helena Pound SHP £

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZAR = 6.02 USD

100 ZAR = 5.37 EUR

1 SHP = 1.34 USD

1 SHP = 1.2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SHP, USD, EUR to ZAR – South African Rand Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇿🇦 South African Rand (R)

South African Rand exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 16.61 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.02 USD). 1 EUR = 18.61 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.37 EUR).

Saint Helena Pound exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.746 SHP (1 SHP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.836 SHP (1 SHP = 1.2 EUR).

USD to ZAR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

South Africa Saint Helena 3,580 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

South Africa
Saint Helena

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Saint Helena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $574 per month in Saint Helena and $1,203 in South Africa, Saint Helena comes out about 52% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Overall, Saint Helena is the cheaper option, but not in every category: rent, groceries, transport, and eating out each follow their own pattern. Check the categories you spend the most on before deciding.

In Saint Helena, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in South Africa it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you’re after: Saint Helena wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.