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: $1,137 in South Africa versus $832 in Senegal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,773 in South Africa versus $1,329 in Senegal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,408 in South Africa versus $1,826 in Senegal.

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

Both countries sit below the global median: South Africa 17% lower, Senegal 39% lower.

South Africa ($633–$1,817) and Senegal ($159–$1,463) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.22 R 182

$4.71 F CFA 2,676

138.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.86 R 697

$56.6 F CFA 32.2K

-24.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.77 R 93.8

$11.61 F CFA 6,593

-50.30%

Cappuccino

$2.41 R 39.24

$3.43 F CFA 1,948

-29.74%

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

$1.19 R 19.41

$1.41 F CFA 802

-15.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.22

$0.73 F CFA 412

19.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 R 39.08

$2.58 F CFA 1,463

-6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 R 48.68

$4.37 F CFA 2,480

-31.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.33

$2.72 F CFA 1,547

-54.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 R 17.84

$0.67 F CFA 381

64.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 R 28.73

$1.62 F CFA 922

9.26%

Eggs

$2.51 R 40.84

$2.51 F CFA 1,427

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.46 R 138

$17.92 F CFA 10.2K

-52.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.41 R 88.0

$9.32 F CFA 5,293

-41.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 R 129

$11.52 F CFA 6,541

-31.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 R 29.56

$3.32 F CFA 1,885

-45.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.41

$2.08 F CFA 1,179

-18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 R 28.15

$3.07 F CFA 1,742

-43.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 R 28.79

$1.70 F CFA 968

4.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 R 23.91

$1.54 F CFA 876

-4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 R 23.83

$1.04 F CFA 593

40.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 R 20.41

$1.16 F CFA 662

7.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 18.82

$0.70 F CFA 398

65.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 R 53.9

$2.17 F CFA 1,234

52.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.88 R 79.3

$17.30 F CFA 9,824

-71.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 R 24.85

$1.54 F CFA 873

-0.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R 33.30

$3.47 F CFA 1,970

-40.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 R 27.43

$0.36 F CFA 206

369.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.8 R 1,021

$79.7 F CFA 45.3K

-21.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 R 17.52

$1.81 F CFA 1,028

-40.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.35

$2.22 F CFA 1,259

-57.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.90 R 128

$17.79 F CFA 10.1K

-55.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 R 23.22

$1.66 F CFA 945

-13.86%

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

$36.6K R 595.6K

$51.6K F CFA 29.3M

-29.07%

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

$31.1K R 506.2K

$49.8K F CFA 28.3M

-37.56%

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

$131 R 2,133

$208 F CFA 118.2K

-37.02%

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

$35.38 R 576

$12.36 F CFA 7,022

186.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.24 R 671

$48.28 F CFA 27.4K

-14.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.46 R 561

$32.88 F CFA 18.7K

4.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 R 193

$24.21 F CFA 13.8K

-51.05%

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 R 123

$9.00 F CFA 5,112

-15.78%

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

$231 R 3,766

$333 F CFA 189.1K

-30.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,534 R 90.0K

$9,139 F CFA 5.2M

-39.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 R 895

$60.2 F CFA 34.2K

-8.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.73 R 549

$46.40 F CFA 26.4K

-27.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 R 1,631

$87.4 F CFA 49.6K

14.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 R 1,488

$101 F CFA 57.3K

-9.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 R 8,154

$795 F CFA 451.8K

-36.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 R 6,807

$452 F CFA 256.7K

-7.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 R 15.5K

$1,816 F CFA 1.0M

-47.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$826 R 13.4K

$894 F CFA 507.9K

-7.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,158 R 18.8K

$5,072 F CFA 2.9M

-77.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$788 R 12.8K

$1,585 F CFA 900.0K

-50.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,542 R 25.1K

$350 F CFA 199.0K

340.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

8.75

28.46%

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

Last update for South Africa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Senegal: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $444 in South Africa, $581 in Senegal. Capital cities: $320 in Bloemfontein vs $848 in Dakar.

National salary averages: $1,543 in South Africa, $344 in Senegal. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 31% higher in Senegal.

Public transport is 59% more expensive in Senegal.

Salaries are 349% 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 Senegal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $811 per month in Senegal and $1,225 in South Africa, there's a 51% 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 Senegal: 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 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 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: Senegal wins on affordability; South Africa may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.