Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and South Sudan

Name: South Sudan
Address: SS

For one person, living is cheaper in South Sudan: $337 a month against $1,203 in South Africa, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in South Africa
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South Africa Living Index

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🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,203

/mo nomad

🇸🇸 South Sudan

$337

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in South Africa and in South Sudan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in South Africa and in South Sudan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,203 per month in South Africa vs $337 in South Sudan, rent included.

South Africa $1,203
South Sudan $337

A couple spends around $1,893 per month in South Africa vs $960 in South Sudan, rent included.

South Africa $1,893
South Sudan $960

A family of three spends $2,583 per month in South Africa vs $1,582 in South Sudan, rent included.

South Africa $2,583
South Sudan $1,582

The regional cost range is wider in South Africa ($618–$1,556) than in South Sudan ($233–$233), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in South Africa is about 256% higher than in South Sudan on average.

Both South Africa and South Sudan are more affordable than the global median – South Africa 12% lower, South Sudan 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.67 R 177

$19.73 SSP 113.5K

-45.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.66 R 693

$168 SSP 965.0K

-75.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 R 96.5

$7.40 SSP 42.5K

-21.62%

Cappuccino

$2.36 R 39.23

$3.19 SSP 18.3K

-26.02%

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

$1.12 R 18.56

$1.53 SSP 8,811

-26.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R 15.00

$1.33 SSP 7,656

-32.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 R 40.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 R 50.9

$12.27 SSP 70.6K

-75.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 R 19.58

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 R 18.83

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 R 28.90

Eggs

$2.57 R 42.80

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.43 R 140

$7.19 SSP 41.4K

17.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 R 85.1

$5.22 SSP 30.0K

-1.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 R 126

$11.83 SSP 68.0K

-35.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 R 29.52

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 R 28.90

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 R 29.43

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 R 29.26

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.81

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.38

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 R 20.52

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R 18.25

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 R 54.0

Wine (Bottle)

$5.00 R 83.2

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 R 24.90

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 R 32.26

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 R 24.58

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.3 R 986

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 18.21

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 R 16.46

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.46 R 124

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 R 23.76

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

$35.3K R 587.4K

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

$32.4K R 539.7K

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

$133 R 2,208

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

$34.83 R 580

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.76 R 662

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.09 R 551

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.65 R 194

Cinema Ticket

$7.18 R 119

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

$224 R 3,728

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,462 R 90.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 R 902

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 R 568

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 R 1,699

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 R 1,472

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 R 8,189

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 R 6,617

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 R 15.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 R 13.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,099 R 18.3K

$1,089 SSP 6.3M

0.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$769 R 12.8K

$609 SSP 3.5M

26.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,502 R 25.0K

$2,015 SSP 11.6M

-25.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.23

8.85

26.89%

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

Last update for South Africa: October 26, 2026

Last update for South Sudan: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

South Africa

$398 33.1%

South Sudan

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

South Africa

$207 17.2%

South Sudan

–

Groceries & Markets

South Africa

$196 16.3%

South Sudan

–

Eating Out

South Africa

$157 13.1%

South Sudan

–

Clothing & Footwear

South Africa

$126 10.4%

South Sudan

–

Getting Around

South Africa

$71 5.9%

South Sudan

–

Sport & Entertainment

South Africa

$47 4%

South Sudan

–

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $1,488 in South Africa vs $1,743 in South Sudan. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Salaries are 17% higher in South Sudan, and purchasing power comes out stronger in South Sudan.

Good to know

🇿🇦 South Africa

🇸🇸 South Sudan

🕒 Local time

13:21 1:21 PM

Same time as South Africa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

62,027,503

12,575,714

💱 Currency

South African Rand ZAR R

South Sudanese Pound SSP £

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZAR = 6.01 USD

100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR

10,000 SSP = 1.74 USD

10,000 SSP = 1.56 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SSP, USD, EUR to ZAR – South African Rand Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇿🇦 South African Rand (R)

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 16.64 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.01 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

South Sudanese Pound exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 5,751 SSP (10,000 SSP = 1.74 USD). 1 EUR = 6,401 SSP (10,000 SSP = 1.56 EUR).

USD to ZAR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

South Africa South Sudan 3,820 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

South Africa
South Sudan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 South Sudan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

South Sudan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 72% lower on average.

Not necessarily. Overall, South Africa costs about 256% more, but the gap varies by category, and some expenses can be lower in South Africa. Compare the categories that matter most for your budget.

$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in South Sudan, but in South Africa it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

South Sudan is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.