Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Western Sahara Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Western Sahara

Name: Western Sahara
Address: EH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,016 per month in South Africa vs $642 in Western Sahara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,595 per month in South Africa vs $1,014 in Western Sahara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,173 per month in South Africa vs $1,385 in Western Sahara, rent included.

South Africa costs about 58% more than Western Sahara on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both South Africa and Western Sahara are more affordable than the global median – South Africa 24% lower, Western Sahara 52% lower.

South Africa has a wider regional cost range ($809–$1,338) than Western Sahara ($642–$642), so location matters more when choosing where to live in South Africa.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.99 R 151

$3.75 MAD 34.70

139.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.97 R 670

$28.66 MAD 265

39.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 R 85.3

$4.51 MAD 41.74

12.86%

Cappuccino

$2.05 R 34.44

$1.67 MAD 15.47

22.75%

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

$1.02 R 17.08

$0.52 MAD 4.79

96.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 R 12.60

$0.34 MAD 3.15

120.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 R 37.36

$3.52 MAD 32.58

-36.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R 41.41

$4.68 MAD 43.27

-47.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R 18.63

$0.82 MAD 7.63

35.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 R 17.33

$0.56 MAD 5.22

83.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 R 26.30

$1.87 MAD 17.32

-16.04%

Eggs

$2.26 R 37.98

$1.37 MAD 12.67

64.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 R 126

$11.60 MAD 107

-35.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 R 79.3

$3.42 MAD 31.61

38.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.86 R 115

$9.11 MAD 84.3

-24.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 R 26.52

$1.49 MAD 13.74

6.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 R 24.55

$1.18 MAD 10.95

23.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 R 25.09

$0.72 MAD 6.63

108.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.88

$0.60 MAD 5.53

156.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 R 20.92

$0.44 MAD 4.12

184.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R 21.55

$0.37 MAD 3.39

248.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 18.25

$0.98 MAD 9.02

11.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 R 15.19

$0.57 MAD 5.25

59.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 R 49.60

Wine (Bottle)

$4.96 R 83.2

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 R 23.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 R 28.29

$3.54 MAD 32.74

-52.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 27.37

$0.56 MAD 5.15

191.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.10 R 740

$11.48 MAD 106

284.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R 19.29

$0.73 MAD 6.74

57.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 R 18.60

$0.70 MAD 6.47

58.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 R 80.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 21.54

$1.25 MAD 11.52

2.40%

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

$20.5K R 344.3K

$40.1K MAD 370.9K

-48.80%

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

$24.0K R 402.6K

$26.8K MAD 247.5K

-10.29%

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

$112 R 1,877

$33.35 MAD 308

235.56%

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

$32.55 R 546

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.61 R 698

$22.51 MAD 208

84.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.81 R 533

$23.04 MAD 213

38.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.65 R 162

$35.33 MAD 327

-72.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.79 R 114

$3.57 MAD 33.03

90.20%

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

$186 R 3,126

$290 MAD 2,682

-35.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,333 R 72.7K

$3,486 MAD 32.2K

24.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.30 R 827

$34.85 MAD 322

41.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.10 R 522

$58.6 MAD 542

-46.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 R 1,554

$75.0 MAD 693

23.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.0 R 1,358

$81.7 MAD 755

-0.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 R 7,358

$348 MAD 3,217

26.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 R 6,090

$172 MAD 1,595

110.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 R 14.7K

$687 MAD 6,354

27.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$706 R 11.8K

$289 MAD 2,672

144.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,164 R 19.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$797 R 13.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,427 R 23.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

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

Last update for South Africa: April 27, 2026

Last update for Western Sahara: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $367 in South Africa vs $354 in Western Sahara. For reference, capital cities sit at $297 in Bloemfontein and $354 in Laayoune.

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 21% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 45% more expensive 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 Western Sahara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Western Sahara is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 67% 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 Western Sahara, contributing to the overall 67% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

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

Western Sahara 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.