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

Name: Tunisia
Address: TN

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,144 per month in South Africa vs $661 in Tunisia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,780 per month in South Africa vs $1,041 in Tunisia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,415 per month in South Africa vs $1,421 in Tunisia, rent included.

The cost of living in South Africa is about 73% higher than in Tunisia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both South Africa and Tunisia are more affordable than the global median – South Africa 17% lower, Tunisia 52% lower.

The regional cost range is wider in South Africa ($636–$1,831) than in Tunisia ($456–$853), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.96 R 176

$4.15 TND 12.05

164.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.98 R 707

$20.56 TND 59.7

113.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.02 R 96.7

$5.18 TND 15.04

16.22%

Cappuccino

$2.46 R 39.47

$0.94 TND 2.73

161.70%

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

$1.15 R 18.40

$0.66 TND 1.90

74.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.08

$0.30 TND 0.87

213.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 R 40.31

$1.70 TND 4.93

47.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 R 50.7

$2.01 TND 5.84

56.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 R 20.17

$0.48 TND 1.41

162.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 R 18.53

$0.21 TND 0.61

447.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 R 28.65

$1.52 TND 4.41

17.11%

Eggs

$2.63 R 42.26

$1.61 TND 4.68

63.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 R 133

$11.05 TND 32.06

-24.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 R 85.7

$5.77 TND 16.74

-7.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 R 125

$14.66 TND 42.56

-46.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 R 30.48

$1.88 TND 5.46

1.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.28

$3.36 TND 9.75

-49.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 R 27.61

$1.19 TND 3.47

44.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 R 30.01

$0.75 TND 2.18

149.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.47

$0.73 TND 2.12

108.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.10

$0.68 TND 1.98

120.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 R 20.13

$0.45 TND 1.30

177.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 18.70

$0.31 TND 0.90

274.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 R 53.4

$3.65 TND 10.60

-8.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.18 R 83.2

$6.74 TND 19.57

-23.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 R 25.04

$1.25 TND 3.62

24.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 R 32.49

$1.32 TND 3.85

53.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 R 29.55

$0.35 TND 1.03

425.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 R 985

$10.22 TND 29.66

500.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 R 18.20

$0.30 TND 0.87

276.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R 14.39

$0.35 TND 1.02

157.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 R 123

$4.12 TND 11.96

86.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 R 23.19

$0.89 TND 2.58

61.80%

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

$36.5K R 587.1K

$40.8K TND 118.4K

-10.37%

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

$32.1K R 515.2K

$35.9K TND 104.3K

-10.74%

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

$132 R 2,118

$55.5 TND 161

137.70%

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

$35.05 R 563

$10.17 TND 29.52

244.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.77 R 655

$20.07 TND 58.3

103.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.05 R 547

$26.79 TND 77.8

27.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.06 R 194

$12.21 TND 35.44

-1.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.44 R 119

$5.51 TND 15.99

35.03%

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

$232 R 3,727

$85.9 TND 249

170.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,509 R 88.5K

$2,765 TND 8,027

99.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 R 867

$42.60 TND 124

26.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.03 R 563

$55.6 TND 161

-37.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 R 1,674

$101 TND 294

3.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 R 1,430

$75.5 TND 219

17.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 R 8,003

$237 TND 688

110.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 R 6,718

$160 TND 466

160.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$991 R 15.9K

$392 TND 1,137

153.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 R 13.3K

$283 TND 823

192.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,136 R 18.3K

$1,034 TND 3,000

9.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$815 R 13.1K

$651 TND 1,890

25.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,548 R 24.9K

$331 TND 962

367.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.23

11.18

0.45%

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

Last update for South Africa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Tunisia: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $432 in South Africa vs $209 in Tunisia. For reference, capital cities sit at $333 in Bloemfontein and $381 in Tunis.

Average salary: $1,547 in South Africa vs $313 in Tunisia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 107% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 111% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 70% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 394% 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 Tunisia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tunisia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 88% 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 Tunisia, contributing to the overall 88% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Tunisia, but in South Africa it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Tunisia 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.