Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Senegal Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Senegal

Name: Senegal
Address: SN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,020 in South Africa versus $746 in Senegal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,598 in South Africa versus $1,262 in Senegal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,175 in South Africa versus $1,778 in Senegal.

Living in South Africa is roughly 37% more expensive than Senegal on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: South Africa 24% lower, Senegal 44% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Senegal: monthly costs span $132 to $1,327, compared to $819–$1,339 in South Africa. City choice carries more weight in Senegal.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 R 147

$5.43 F CFA 3,064

66.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.48 R 642

$52.5 F CFA 29.6K

-24.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 R 80.3

$10.23 F CFA 5,771

-51.71%

Cappuccino

$2.06 R 33.47

$4.43 F CFA 2,497

-53.50%

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

$0.95 R 15.40

$1.05 F CFA 592

-9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 R 13.13

$0.94 F CFA 530

-13.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 R 35.90

$2.68 F CFA 1,514

-17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R 40.33

$4.51 F CFA 2,543

-45.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R 18.07

$2.56 F CFA 1,445

-56.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 R 16.64

$0.62 F CFA 352

64.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.28

$1.74 F CFA 979

-10.34%

Eggs

$2.34 R 38.05

$2.87 F CFA 1,619

-18.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.73 R 126

$12.67 F CFA 7,148

-38.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.49 R 73.1

$9.40 F CFA 5,299

-52.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.73 R 109

$10.89 F CFA 6,143

-38.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.40

$2.83 F CFA 1,594

-44.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.22

$2.09 F CFA 1,179

-31.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.48

$2.73 F CFA 1,542

-47.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.55

$2.08 F CFA 1,172

-27.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 R 19.81

$1.66 F CFA 935

-26.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 R 20.74

$1.34 F CFA 758

-4.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 R 16.89

$1.02 F CFA 575

1.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.21

$0.76 F CFA 427

23.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 R 48.55

$1.55 F CFA 872

92.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.16 R 83.8

$15.37 F CFA 8,666

-66.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 22.55

$1.09 F CFA 614

27.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 R 26.93

$2.25 F CFA 1,271

-26.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 26.48

$0.37 F CFA 206

340.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.05 R 732

$80.3 F CFA 45.3K

-43.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 R 18.41

$2.59 F CFA 1,462

-56.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 R 17.93

$2.84 F CFA 1,601

-61.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.86 R 78.9

$17.39 F CFA 9,806

-72.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R 20.15

$1.73 F CFA 974

-28.32%

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

$20.3K R 330.2K

$36.2K F CFA 20.4M

-43.80%

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

$23.5K R 381.4K

$48.5K F CFA 27.3M

-51.56%

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

$113 R 1,843

$140 F CFA 78.7K

-18.72%

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

$32.36 R 526

$10.11 F CFA 5,703

220.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.45 R 674

$50.5 F CFA 28.5K

-17.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.59 R 513

$56.1 F CFA 31.6K

-43.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.61 R 156

$21.68 F CFA 12.2K

-55.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 R 111

$8.87 F CFA 5,004

-23.00%

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

$187 R 3,039

$263 F CFA 148.5K

-29.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,362 R 70.9K

$7,186 F CFA 4.1M

-39.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.50 R 804

$67.1 F CFA 37.8K

-26.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.42 R 494

$44.50 F CFA 25.1K

-31.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 R 1,489

$104 F CFA 58.7K

-11.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 R 1,281

$131 F CFA 73.8K

-39.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 R 7,175

$859 F CFA 484.6K

-48.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 R 5,963

$375 F CFA 211.6K

-2.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 R 14.4K

$1,877 F CFA 1.1M

-52.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 R 11.8K

$892 F CFA 502.9K

-18.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,090 R 17.7K

$5,023 F CFA 2.8M

-78.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$780 R 12.7K

$1,500 F CFA 846.1K

-48.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,558 R 25.3K

$436 F CFA 245.7K

257.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

8.25

40.00%

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

Last update for South Africa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Senegal: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $368 in South Africa, $597 in Senegal. Capital cities: $765 in Cape Town vs $914 in Dakar.

National salary averages: $1,520 in South Africa, $431 in Senegal. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 62% higher in Senegal.

Public transport is 69% more expensive in Senegal.

Salaries are 253% 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 Senegal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $730 per month in Senegal and $1,079 in South Africa, there's a 48% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Senegal 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 Senegal across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Senegal, $1,000 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. Senegal wins on affordability; South Africa may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.