Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Sao Tome And Principe Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Sao Tome And Principe

Name: Sao Tome And Principe
Address: ST

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,020 per month in South Africa vs $643 in Sao Tome And Principe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,587 per month in South Africa vs $1,135 in Sao Tome And Principe, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,154 per month in South Africa vs $1,627 in Sao Tome And Principe, rent included.

The cost of living in South Africa is about 59% higher than in Sao Tome And Principe on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both South Africa and Sao Tome And Principe are more affordable than the global median – South Africa 24% lower, Sao Tome And Principe 52% lower.

The regional cost range is wider in Sao Tome And Principe ($205–$1,081) than in South Africa ($803–$1,362), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.14 R 151

$19.98 STN 428

-54.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.14 R 648

$43.33 STN 927

-9.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 R 85.9

$9.55 STN 204

-45.65%

Cappuccino

$1.98 R 32.73

$2.00 STN 42.80

-1.00%

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

$1.00 R 16.57

$1.88 STN 40.30

-46.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 R 13.01

$1.03 STN 22.14

-23.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 R 36.61

$1.64 STN 35.03

34.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 R 42.58

$1.86 STN 39.80

38.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R 18.56

$1.36 STN 29.15

-17.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 R 16.01

$1.56 STN 33.29

-37.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.55

$1.94 STN 41.61

-20.62%

Eggs

$2.25 R 37.22

$4.40 STN 94.2

-48.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 R 130

$20.26 STN 434

-61.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 R 75.8

$19.88 STN 425

-76.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.68 R 111

$25.18 STN 539

-73.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R 26.06

$4.50 STN 96.2

-65.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.35

$1.13 STN 24.10

30.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.18

$3.99 STN 85.5

-61.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.98

$3.41 STN 72.9

-55.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R 20.85

$2.62 STN 56.1

-51.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 R 21.11

$2.08 STN 44.58

-38.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.99

$0.67 STN 14.31

62.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 R 16.04

$1.98 STN 42.31

-51.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 R 46.95

$2.27 STN 48.66

25.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.20 R 86.1

$7.96 STN 170

-34.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 R 22.91

$1.27 STN 27.20

8.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 R 28.44

$1.29 STN 27.52

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 R 28.50

$1.20 STN 25.77

43.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.22 R 732

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R 19.06

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 R 17.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.74 R 78.4

$14.20 STN 304

-66.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 21.24

$1.70 STN 36.28

-24.71%

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

$20.4K R 337.1K

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

$24.0K R 397.0K

$23.3K STN 498.9K

2.88%

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

$113 R 1,869

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

$32.35 R 536

$28.12 STN 602

15.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.46 R 686

$70.6 STN 1,512

-41.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.04 R 514

$36.44 STN 780

-14.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.72 R 161

$29.37 STN 629

-66.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 R 110

$20.81 STN 445

-67.95%

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

$186 R 3,072

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,399 R 72.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 R 830

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.37 R 503

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 R 1,546

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 R 1,332

$18.70 STN 400

330.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 R 7,261

$275 STN 5,889

59.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 R 6,155

$188 STN 4,014

98.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 R 14.9K

$659 STN 14.1K

36.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 R 11.7K

$529 STN 11.3K

33.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,116 R 18.5K

$1,889 STN 40.4K

-40.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$793 R 13.1K

$1,170 STN 25.0K

-32.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,506 R 24.9K

$442 STN 9,462

240.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

7.38

56.50%

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

Last update for South Africa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sao Tome And Principe: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $368 in South Africa vs $177 in Sao Tome And Principe. For reference, capital cities sit at $292 in Bloemfontein and $353 in Sao Tome.

Average salary: $1,513 in South Africa vs $265 in Sao Tome And Principe. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 108% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 23% more in Sao Tome And Principe.

Salaries are 471% 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 Sao Tome And Principe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Tome And Principe is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 68% 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 Sao Tome And Principe, contributing to the overall 68% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Sao Tome And Principe, but in South Africa it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Sao Tome And Principe 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.