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 $1,019 per month in South Africa vs $636 in Western Sahara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,584 per month in South Africa vs $1,010 in Western Sahara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,149 per month in South Africa vs $1,384 in Western Sahara, rent included.

The cost of living in South Africa is about 60% higher than in 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.

The regional cost range is wider in South Africa ($815–$1,351) than in Western Sahara ($636–$636), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.81 R 145

$3.88 MAD 36.10

127.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.61 R 651

$29.23 MAD 272

35.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 R 84.5

$4.74 MAD 44.20

8.44%

Cappuccino

$2.04 R 33.54

$1.66 MAD 15.42

22.89%

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

$0.98 R 16.06

$0.52 MAD 4.82

88.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 R 13.26

$0.31 MAD 2.93

161.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 R 36.06

$3.41 MAD 31.80

-35.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 R 42.37

$4.56 MAD 42.46

-43.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R 18.22

$0.80 MAD 7.41

38.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 R 15.75

$0.56 MAD 5.20

71.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.72

$1.86 MAD 17.33

-16.13%

Eggs

$2.25 R 36.95

$1.41 MAD 13.10

59.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 R 127

$11.80 MAD 110

-34.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 R 75.3

$3.40 MAD 31.70

34.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.85 R 113

$9.09 MAD 84.7

-24.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 R 25.07

$1.54 MAD 14.37

-0.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.28

$1.14 MAD 10.61

29.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.85

$0.66 MAD 6.19

128.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.91

$0.61 MAD 5.66

149.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 R 20.80

$0.45 MAD 4.18

182.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 R 20.97

$0.34 MAD 3.17

276.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.88

$0.90 MAD 8.35

21.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 R 16.27

$0.56 MAD 5.23

76.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 R 49.23

Wine (Bottle)

$5.28 R 86.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 22.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 R 28.69

$3.42 MAD 31.89

-48.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 R 28.44

$0.60 MAD 5.56

188.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.46 R 731

$11.71 MAD 109

279.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 R 18.67

$0.75 MAD 7.02

52.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 R 18.28

$0.65 MAD 6.02

70.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 R 75.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 21.24

$1.25 MAD 11.62

3.20%

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

$20.4K R 335.1K

$39.3K MAD 366.2K

-48.15%

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

$23.5K R 385.6K

$26.1K MAD 243.1K

-10.12%

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

$111 R 1,828

$32.32 MAD 301

244.09%

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

$32.18 R 529

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.42 R 681

$22.17 MAD 207

86.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.47 R 517

$23.00 MAD 214

36.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.74 R 160

$34.81 MAD 324

-72.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 R 110

$3.44 MAD 32.06

94.19%

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

$193 R 3,172

$288 MAD 2,679

-32.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,305 R 70.8K

$3,432 MAD 32.0K

25.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.29 R 810

$34.70 MAD 323

42.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.04 R 510

$56.9 MAD 530

-45.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 R 1,559

$73.8 MAD 688

28.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 R 1,300

$79.8 MAD 743

-0.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 R 7,418

$344 MAD 3,207

31.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 R 6,075

$173 MAD 1,611

113.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 R 14.8K

$699 MAD 6,510

28.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 R 11.8K

$292 MAD 2,724

144.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,084 R 17.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$786 R 12.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,534 R 25.2K

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: June 16, 2026

Last update for Western Sahara: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $369 in South Africa vs $354 in Western Sahara. For reference, capital cities sit at $299 in Bloemfontein and $354 in Laayoune.

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 25% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 33% 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 70% 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 70% 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.