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

Name: Sudan
Address: SD

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,020 per month in South Africa vs $254 in Sudan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,587 per month in South Africa vs $425 in Sudan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,154 per month in South Africa vs $595 in Sudan, rent included.

The cost of living in South Africa is about 302% higher than in Sudan on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both South Africa and Sudan are more affordable than the global median – South Africa 24% lower, Sudan 81% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.14 R 151

$7.45 SDG 4,459

22.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.14 R 648

$33.23 SDG 19.9K

17.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 R 85.9

$8.07 SDG 4,830

-35.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 SDG 1,222

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 SDG 2,021

Cappuccino

$1.98 R 32.73

$2.37 SDG 1,418

-16.46%

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

$1.00 R 16.57

$0.58 SDG 348

72.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 R 13.01

$0.44 SDG 263

79.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 R 36.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 R 42.58

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R 18.56

$1.56 SDG 937

-28.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 R 16.01

$1.26 SDG 751

-23.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.55

$2.93 SDG 1,756

-47.44%

Eggs

$2.25 R 37.22

$3.02 SDG 1,805

-25.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 R 130

$12.28 SDG 7,351

-35.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 R 75.8

$7.64 SDG 4,575

-40.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.68 R 111

$7.97 SDG 4,768

-16.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R 26.06

$4.87 SDG 2,918

-67.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.35

$1.51 SDG 902

-2.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.18

$2.29 SDG 1,369

-33.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.98

$1.97 SDG 1,178

-23.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R 20.85

$1.56 SDG 931

-19.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 R 21.11

$1.19 SDG 713

6.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 R 16.04

$0.61 SDG 367

59.02%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.98 SDG 2,384

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 SDG 2,419

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 R 46.95

$1.48 SDG 884

91.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.20 R 86.1

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 R 22.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 R 28.44

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 R 28.50

$0.44 SDG 264

290.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.22 R 732

$24.65 SDG 14.8K

79.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R 19.06

$2.78 SDG 1,663

-58.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 R 17.64

$0.99 SDG 592

8.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.74 R 78.4

$9.85 SDG 5,894

-51.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 21.24

$1.30 SDG 776

-1.54%

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

$17.9K SDG 10.7M

33.68%

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

$113 R 1,869

$50.7 SDG 30.4K

122.61%

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

$32.35 R 536

$9.34 SDG 5,590

246.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.46 R 686

$71.3 SDG 42.6K

-41.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.04 R 514

$33.66 SDG 20.1K

-7.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.72 R 161

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 R 110

$3.88 SDG 2,324

71.91%

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

$186 R 3,072

$62.6 SDG 37.5K

196.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,399 R 72.8K

$1,871 SDG 1.1M

135.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 R 830

$14.87 SDG 8,900

237.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.37 R 503

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 R 1,546

$55.0 SDG 32.9K

69.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 R 1,332

$52.5 SDG 31.4K

53.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 R 7,261

$685 SDG 410.0K

-35.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 R 6,155

$340 SDG 203.6K

9.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 R 14.9K

$1,339 SDG 801.5K

-32.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 R 11.7K

$634 SDG 379.7K

11.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,116 R 18.5K

$1,368 SDG 818.7K

-18.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$793 R 13.1K

$1,079 SDG 645.8K

-26.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,506 R 24.9K

$198 SDG 118.5K

660.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

-55.58%

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

Last update for South Africa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sudan: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $368 in South Africa vs $229 in Sudan. For reference, capital cities sit at $292 in Bloemfontein and $636 in Khartoum.

Average salary: $1,513 in South Africa vs $201 in Sudan. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 61% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 483% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 300% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 653% 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 Sudan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sudan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 144% 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 Sudan, contributing to the overall 144% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Sudan, but in South Africa it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Sudan 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.