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 $889 in Saint Helena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,585 in South Africa versus $1,421 in Saint Helena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,150 in South Africa versus $1,953 in Saint Helena.

Living in South Africa is roughly 15% more expensive than Saint Helena on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: South Africa 24% lower, Saint Helena 34% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Saint Helena: monthly costs span $506 to $1,273, compared to $806–$1,361 in South Africa. City choice carries more weight in Saint Helena.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.88 R 144

$16.24 SHP 12.10

-45.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.40 R 637

$53.7 SHP 40.01

-26.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 R 79.6

$12.19 SHP 9.08

-59.64%

Cappuccino

$2.00 R 32.28

$3.04 SHP 2.26

-34.21%

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

$1.03 R 16.58

$1.20 SHP 0.90

-14.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 R 12.15

$1.17 SHP 0.87

-35.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 R 36.50

$4.73 SHP 3.52

-52.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R 40.00

$2.62 SHP 1.95

-5.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 R 17.42

$1.84 SHP 1.37

-41.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 R 16.78

$1.79 SHP 1.34

-41.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.45

$1.33 SHP 0.99

18.05%

Eggs

$2.28 R 36.86

$4.15 SHP 3.09

-45.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.73 R 125

$8.32 SHP 6.19

-7.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 R 73.8

$10.71 SHP 7.98

-57.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.72 R 109

$10.93 SHP 8.14

-38.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.31

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 R 22.87

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.38

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.51

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R 20.44

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 R 20.95

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.62

$2.73 SHP 2.03

-60.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 R 15.99

$2.19 SHP 1.63

-54.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 R 48.20

$11.61 SHP 8.65

-74.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.12 R 82.9

$15.63 SHP 11.65

-67.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 R 21.37

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 26.68

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 R 27.60

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.13 R 730

$40.56 SHP 30.22

11.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R 17.93

$2.76 SHP 2.06

-59.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 R 17.91

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 R 76.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.74

$2.51 SHP 1.87

-49.00%

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

$20.8K R 335.8K

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

$23.5K R 379.4K

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

$111 R 1,792

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

$32.41 R 524

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.64 R 673

$163 SHP 122

-74.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.24 R 505

$13.52 SHP 10.07

131.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.78 R 158

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 R 110

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

$189 R 3,048

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,394 R 71.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.42 R 799

$41.21 SHP 30.70

19.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.39 R 491

$20.44 SHP 15.23

48.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 R 1,522

$47.89 SHP 35.67

96.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 R 1,283

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 R 7,171

$690 SHP 514

-35.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 R 5,948

$613 SHP 457

-40.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 R 14.2K

$723 SHP 539

21.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 R 11.5K

$654 SHP 487

9.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,061 R 17.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$782 R 12.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,505 R 24.3K

$764 SHP 569

97.17%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Saint Helena: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $368 in South Africa, $721 in Saint Helena. Capital cities: $764 in Cape Town vs $689 in Jamestown.

National salary averages: $1,501 in South Africa, $777 in Saint Helena. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 96% higher in Saint Helena.

Dining out costs 66% more in Saint Helena.

Public transport is 156% more expensive in Saint Helena.

Salaries are 93% 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 Saint Helena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $890 per month in Saint Helena and $1,084 in South Africa, there's a 22% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Saint Helena is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 works in regional areas but 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.