Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Saint Helena Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Saint Helena

Name: Saint Helena
Address: SH

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,137 in South Africa versus $299 in Saint Helena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,773 in South Africa versus $623 in Saint Helena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,408 in South Africa versus $947 in Saint Helena.

Living in South Africa is roughly 280% more expensive than in Saint Helena on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: South Africa 17% lower, Saint Helena 78% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in South Africa: monthly costs span $633 to $1,817, compared to $90.0–$508 in Saint Helena. City choice carries more weight in South Africa.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.22 R 182

$15.89 SHP 11.86

-29.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.86 R 696

$68.6 SHP 51.2

-37.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.77 R 93.7

$13.67 SHP 10.20

-57.79%

Cappuccino

$2.41 R 39.19

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

$1.19 R 19.39

$1.25 SHP 0.93

-4.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.20

$1.03 SHP 0.77

-15.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 R 39.03

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 R 48.62

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.30

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 R 17.81

$1.95 SHP 1.45

-43.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 R 28.69

Eggs

$2.51 R 40.78

$5.29 SHP 3.95

-52.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.46 R 138

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.41 R 87.9

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 R 129

$11.00 SHP 8.21

-27.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 R 29.52

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.38

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 R 28.11

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 R 28.75

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 R 23.88

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 R 23.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 R 20.38

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 18.80

$1.36 SHP 1.02

-14.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 R 53.8

$11.77 SHP 8.78

-71.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.88 R 79.2

$15.83 SHP 11.81

-69.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 R 24.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R 33.26

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 R 27.40

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.8 R 1,019

$40.08 SHP 29.91

56.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 R 17.50

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.33

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.90 R 128

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 R 23.19

$2.59 SHP 1.94

-44.79%

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

$36.6K R 594.8K

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

$31.1K R 505.5K

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

$131 R 2,130

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

$35.38 R 575

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.24 R 670

$219 SHP 163

-81.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.46 R 560

$20.18 SHP 15.06

70.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 R 193

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 R 123

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

$231 R 3,761

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,534 R 89.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 R 894

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.73 R 548

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 R 1,629

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 R 1,486

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 R 8,143

$741 SHP 553

-32.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 R 6,798

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 R 15.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$826 R 13.4K

$520 SHP 388

58.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,158 R 18.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$788 R 12.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,542 R 25.1K

$777 SHP 580

98.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

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

Last update for South Africa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Saint Helena: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National salary averages: $1,543 in South Africa, $781 in Saint Helena. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 19% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 14% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 18% more expensive in Saint Helena.

Salaries are 98% higher in South Africa, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Saint Helena.

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 $299 per month in Saint Helena and $1,225 in South Africa, there's a 310% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Saint Helena: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in South Africa is consistently higher than in Saint Helena across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

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; South Africa may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.