Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Togo

For one person, living is cheaper in Togo: $680 a month against $1,203 in South Africa, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

South Africa
Togo
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,203
/mo nomad
🇹🇬 Togo
$680
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Togo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,203 per month in South Africa vs $680 in Togo, rent included.

  • South Africa $1,203
  • Togo $680

A couple spends around $1,893 per month in South Africa vs $1,073 in Togo, rent included.

  • South Africa $1,893
  • Togo $1,073

A family of three spends $2,583 per month in South Africa vs $1,466 in Togo, rent included.

  • South Africa $2,583
  • Togo $1,466

The regional cost range is wider in South Africa ($618–$1,556) than in Togo ($128–$560), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in South Africa is about 77% higher than in Togo on average.

Both South Africa and Togo are more affordable than the global median – South Africa 12% lower, Togo 50% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
South Africa
Togo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.67 R 178
$2.89 F CFA 1,699
269.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.66 R 696
$31.11 F CFA 18.3K
33.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.80 R 96.9
$5.63 F CFA 3,305
3.02%
Cappuccino
$2.36 R 39.39
$5.71 F CFA 3,355
-58.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 R 18.64
$4.16 F CFA 2,442
-73.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 R 15.06
$0.69 F CFA 406
30.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.42 R 40.36
$0.95 F CFA 561
154.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 R 51.1
$1.73 F CFA 1,014
76.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
South Africa
Togo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.18 R 19.67
$2.26 F CFA 1,327
-47.79%
White Bread (500g)
$1.13 R 18.91
$1.20 F CFA 702
-5.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 R 29.02
$1.48 F CFA 872
17.57%
Eggs
$2.57 R 42.98
$1.94 F CFA 1,138
32.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.43 R 141
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.12 R 85.5
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.59 R 127
$5.60 F CFA 3,289
35.54%
Apples (1kg)
$1.77 R 29.64
$2.96 F CFA 1,739
-40.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 R 29.02
$1.69 F CFA 990
2.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 R 29.55
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$1.76 R 29.38
$2.64 F CFA 1,548
-33.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.49 R 24.91
$1.74 F CFA 1,023
-14.37%
Onion (1kg)
$1.47 R 24.48
$1.20 F CFA 706
22.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 R 20.61
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.10 R 18.33
$0.87 F CFA 513
26.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.24 R 54.2
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$5.00 R 83.5
$4.81 F CFA 2,823
3.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 R 25.01
$1.13 F CFA 666
32.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 R 32.40
$1.49 F CFA 874
30.20%
🚌 Getting Around
South Africa
Togo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.48 R 24.69
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$59.3 R 990
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.09 R 18.29
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.99 R 16.53
$1.22 F CFA 718
-18.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.46 R 125
$4.30 F CFA 2,527
73.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.43 R 23.86
$1.19 F CFA 701
20.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3K R 589.8K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.4K R 541.9K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
South Africa
Togo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$133 R 2,218
$147 F CFA 86.2K
-9.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.83 R 582
$21.64 F CFA 12.7K
60.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.76 R 664
$43.36 F CFA 25.5K
-8.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
South Africa
Togo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.09 R 553
$60.4 F CFA 35.5K
-45.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.65 R 195
$8.35 F CFA 4,903
39.52%
Cinema Ticket
$7.18 R 120
$4.19 F CFA 2,463
71.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
South Africa
Togo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$224 R 3,744
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,462 R 91.3K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
South Africa
Togo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.2 R 906
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.13 R 570
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 R 1,706
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5 R 1,478
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
South Africa
Togo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$492 R 8,223
$261 F CFA 153.1K
88.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$398 R 6,645
$118 F CFA 69.1K
238.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$946 R 15.8K
$992 F CFA 582.4K
-4.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$827 R 13.8K
$332 F CFA 195.2K
148.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,099 R 18.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$769 R 12.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
South Africa
Togo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,502 R 25.1K
$293 F CFA 171.9K
413.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.23
0
-

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

Last update for South Africa: October 26, 2026

Last update for Togo: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
South Africa
$398
Togo
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
South Africa
$207
Togo
–
Groceries & Markets
South Africa
$196
Togo
–
Eating Out
South Africa
$157
Togo
–
Clothing & Footwear
South Africa
$126
Togo
–
Getting Around
South Africa
$71
Togo
–
Sport & Entertainment
South Africa
$47
Togo
–

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $1,488 in South Africa vs $295 in Togo. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 63% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 26% more in South Africa.

Salaries are about 5 times higher in South Africa, and purchasing power comes out stronger in South Africa.

Good to know
🇿🇦 South Africa
🇹🇬 Togo
🕒 Local time
03:54 3:54 AM
01:54 1:54 AM
2 h behind South Africa
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
62,027,503
7,797,694
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

South African Rand exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 16.71 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.99 USD). 1 EUR = 18.66 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.36 EUR).

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 587 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.7 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.52 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • South Africa Togo 4,740 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • South Africa
  • Togo

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 Togo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is South Africa more expensive than Togo?
Togo is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 43% lower on average.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in South Africa: a central one-bedroom averages $422 versus $259 in Togo.
Is $800 a realistic budget in South Africa or in Togo?
$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Togo, but in South Africa it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to South Africa or to Togo?
Togo is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

South Africa vs other spots: cost of living compared

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