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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $256 per month in Sudan vs $1,020 in South Africa, rent included.

A couple spends around $425 per month in Sudan vs $1,598 in South Africa, rent included.

A family of three spends $594 per month in Sudan vs $2,175 in South Africa, rent included.

Sudan is roughly 75% cheaper than South Africa on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Sudan and South Africa are more affordable than the global median – Sudan 81% lower, South Africa 24% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sudan
South Africa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.48 SDG 4,478
$9.05 R 147
-17.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.83 SDG 20.2K
$39.48 R 642
-14.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.83 SDG 4,690
$4.94 R 80.3
58.50%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.02 SDG 1,208
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.43 SDG 2,052
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.40 SDG 1,438
$2.06 R 33.47
16.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 SDG 373
$0.95 R 15.40
-34.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 SDG 262
$0.81 R 13.13
-45.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.21 R 35.90
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.48 R 40.33
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sudan
South Africa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.54 SDG 922
$1.11 R 18.07
38.74%
White Bread (500g)
$1.19 SDG 712
$1.02 R 16.64
16.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.91 SDG 1,741
$1.56 R 25.28
86.54%
Eggs
$3.01 SDG 1,804
$2.34 R 38.05
28.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.66 SDG 7,577
$7.73 R 126
63.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.56 SDG 4,525
$4.49 R 73.1
68.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.19 SDG 4,901
$6.73 R 109
21.69%
Apples (1kg)
$4.87 SDG 2,914
$1.56 R 25.40
212.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 SDG 894
$1.43 R 23.22
4.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 SDG 1,395
$1.44 R 23.48
61.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 SDG 1,216
$1.51 R 24.55
34.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.62 SDG 970
$1.22 R 19.81
32.79%
Onion (1kg)
$1.19 SDG 711
$1.28 R 20.74
-7.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.04 R 16.89
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61 SDG 364
$0.94 R 15.21
-35.11%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$3.98 SDG 2,385
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.06 SDG 2,429
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.48 SDG 883
$2.99 R 48.55
-50.50%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$5.16 R 83.8
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.39 R 22.55
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.66 R 26.93
-
🚌 Getting Around
Sudan
South Africa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.48 SDG 285
$1.63 R 26.48
-70.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$24.82 SDG 14.9K
$45.05 R 732
-44.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.75 SDG 1,647
$1.13 R 18.41
143.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 SDG 612
$1.10 R 17.93
-7.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.85 SDG 5,898
$4.86 R 78.9
102.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 SDG 785
$1.24 R 20.15
5.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$20.3K R 330.2K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.5K SDG 10.5M
$23.5K R 381.4K
-25.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sudan
South Africa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$52.6 SDG 31.5K
$113 R 1,843
-53.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.45 SDG 5,654
$32.36 R 526
-70.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$71.2 SDG 42.6K
$41.45 R 674
71.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sudan
South Africa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.01 SDG 19.8K
$31.59 R 513
4.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$9.61 R 156
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.10 SDG 2,454
$6.83 R 111
-39.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sudan
South Africa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$62.6 SDG 37.4K
$187 R 3,039
-66.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,858 SDG 1.1M
$4,362 R 70.9K
-57.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sudan
South Africa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$14.88 SDG 8,906
$49.50 R 804
-69.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$30.42 R 494
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$56.1 SDG 33.6K
$91.7 R 1,489
-38.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$51.8 SDG 31.0K
$78.9 R 1,281
-34.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sudan
South Africa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$688 SDG 411.5K
$442 R 7,175
55.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$344 SDG 206.0K
$367 R 5,963
-6.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,322 SDG 791.6K
$884 R 14.4K
49.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$630 SDG 377.1K
$723 R 11.8K
-12.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,355 SDG 811.2K
$1,090 R 17.7K
24.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,054 SDG 630.7K
$780 R 12.7K
35.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sudan
South Africa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$198 SDG 118.4K
$1,558 R 25.3K
-87.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
26
11.55
125.11%

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

Last update for Sudan: June 1, 2026

Last update for South Africa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $232 in Sudan vs $368 in South Africa. For reference, capital cities sit at $628 in Khartoum and $765 in Cape Town.

Average salary: $201 in Sudan vs $1,520 in South Africa. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 59% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 483% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 300% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 656% higher in South Africa, giving South Africa stronger purchasing power.

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
Sudan vs South Africa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is South Africa more expensive than Sudan?
Sudan is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 140% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
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.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Sudan, contributing to the overall 140% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget in South Africa or Sudan?
$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Sudan, 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 Sudan?
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.

Sudan vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries