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

Name: South Africa
Address: ZA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $236 per month in South Sudan vs $1,143 in South Africa, rent included.

A couple spends around $369 per month in South Sudan vs $1,781 in South Africa, rent included.

A family of three spends $502 per month in South Sudan vs $2,419 in South Africa, rent included.

The cost of living in South Sudan is roughly 79% lower than in South Africa on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both South Sudan and South Africa are more affordable than the global median – South Sudan 83% lower, South Africa 17% lower.

The regional cost range is wider in South Sudan ($236–$236) than in South Africa ($647–$1,815), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.20 SSP 56.9K

$11.30 R 182

78.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$171 SSP 480.0K

$44.51 R 717

283.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 SSP 21.3K

$5.90 R 95.0

28.31%

Cappuccino

$3.15 SSP 8,863

$2.44 R 39.22

29.10%

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

$1.49 SSP 4,188

$1.16 R 18.64

28.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 SSP 3,808

$0.96 R 15.39

40.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 R 41.29

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.19 SSP 34.3K

$3.08 R 49.60

295.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.57

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 R 18.15

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.55

Eggs

$2.55 R 41.12

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.27 SSP 20.5K

$8.35 R 134

-12.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.39 SSP 15.2K

$5.44 R 87.6

-0.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.68 SSP 32.9K

$7.88 R 127

48.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 R 30.61

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.36

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 R 29.14

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.23

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.76

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.03

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 R 21.45

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R 19.09

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 R 55.0

Wine (Bottle)

$5.08 R 81.7

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 R 24.28

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 R 32.64

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 R 28.39

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 R 1,016

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R 17.97

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 R 16.33

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 R 130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 R 23.53

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

$36.8K R 592.8K

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

$32.5K R 523.6K

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

$136 R 2,185

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

$35.72 R 575

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.40 R 667

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.96 R 563

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.46 R 201

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 R 123

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

$231 R 3,725

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,726 R 92.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 R 908

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.91 R 546

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 R 1,639

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.0 R 1,497

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 R 8,154

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 R 6,727

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 R 15.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$838 R 13.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,098 SSP 3.1M

$1,151 R 18.5K

-4.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$589 SSP 1.7M

$800 R 12.9K

-26.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SSP 5.8M

$1,554 R 25.0K

32.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.85

11.24

-21.26%

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

Last update for South Sudan: September 5, 2026

Last update for South Africa: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $1,801 in South Sudan vs $1,553 in South Africa. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Salaries are 16% higher in South Sudan, and purchasing power comes out stronger in South Sudan.

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 Sudan vs South Africa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

South Sudan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 422% 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 South Sudan, contributing to the overall 422% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

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

South 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.