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: $1,019 in South Africa versus $877 in Saint Helena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,583 in South Africa versus $1,429 in Saint Helena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,146 in South Africa versus $1,981 in Saint Helena.

Living in South Africa is roughly 16% more expensive than in Saint Helena on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: South Africa 23% lower, Saint Helena 34% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Saint Helena: monthly costs span $514 to $1,240, compared to $804–$1,358 in South Africa. City choice carries more weight in Saint Helena.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.89 R 146

$16.47 SHP 12.20

-46.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.93 R 657

$53.8 SHP 39.85

-25.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 R 80.7

$12.10 SHP 8.96

-59.50%

Cappuccino

$2.03 R 33.48

$3.12 SHP 2.31

-34.94%

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

$1.04 R 17.05

$1.22 SHP 0.90

-14.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 R 12.17

$1.12 SHP 0.83

-33.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 R 37.72

$4.68 SHP 3.47

-51.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 R 42.19

$2.59 SHP 1.92

-1.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R 17.53

$1.92 SHP 1.42

-44.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 R 17.07

$1.83 SHP 1.36

-43.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.65

$1.38 SHP 1.02

13.04%

Eggs

$2.22 R 36.61

$4.33 SHP 3.21

-48.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.93 R 131

$8.03 SHP 5.95

-1.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.57 R 75.2

$10.73 SHP 7.95

-57.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.63 R 109

$11.09 SHP 8.22

-40.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.73

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.17

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 R 23.83

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.83

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 R 19.73

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 R 21.12

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 R 17.02

$2.75 SHP 2.04

-62.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 15.35

$2.30 SHP 1.71

-59.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 R 48.39

$11.42 SHP 8.46

-74.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.14 R 84.7

$15.70 SHP 11.63

-67.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R 22.41

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 R 27.34

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 26.90

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.21 R 728

$40.65 SHP 30.11

8.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R 18.95

$2.67 SHP 1.98

-56.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 R 18.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 R 78.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.56

$2.57 SHP 1.91

-51.36%

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

$21.0K R 346.3K

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

$23.4K R 385.8K

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

$114 R 1,869

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

$32.92 R 542

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.72 R 670

$164 SHP 122

-75.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.49 R 518

$13.65 SHP 10.11

130.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.52 R 157

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 R 114

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

$188 R 3,088

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,300 R 70.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.97 R 823

$41.16 SHP 30.49

21.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 R 505

$20.65 SHP 15.30

48.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 R 1,553

$48.39 SHP 35.85

94.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 R 1,315

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 R 7,311

$713 SHP 528

-37.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 R 6,158

$623 SHP 462

-39.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 R 14.9K

$707 SHP 524

27.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$720 R 11.9K

$659 SHP 488

9.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,102 R 18.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$756 R 12.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,494 R 24.6K

$784 SHP 581

90.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

6.2

86.29%

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

Last update for South Africa: July 27, 2026

Last update for Saint Helena: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $367 in South Africa, $715 in Saint Helena. Capital cities: $399 in Pretoria vs $673 in Jamestown.

National salary averages: $1,498 in South Africa, $764 in Saint Helena. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 95% higher in Saint Helena.

Dining out costs 66% more in Saint Helena.

Public transport is 156% more expensive in Saint Helena.

Salaries are 96% 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 Saint Helena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $877 per month in Saint Helena and $1,081 in South Africa, there's a 23% 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, $1,500 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.