For one person, living is cheaper in Sudan: $590 a month against $1,197 in South Africa, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
How much you'll spend in Sudan and in South Africa
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sudan and in South Africa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $590 per month in Sudan vs $1,197 in South Africa, rent included.
Sudan $590
South Africa $1,197
A couple spends around $955 per month in Sudan vs $1,879 in South Africa, rent included.
Sudan $955
South Africa $1,879
A family of three spends $1,320 per month in Sudan vs $2,562 in South Africa, rent included.
Sudan $1,320
South Africa $2,562
📏
The regional cost range is wider in South Africa ($622–$1,527) than in Sudan ($462–$661), so city choice matters more there.
🌍
The cost of living in Sudan is roughly 51% lower than in South Africa on average.
📊
Both Sudan and South Africa are more affordable than the global median – Sudan 56% lower, South Africa 11% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Sudan
South Africa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.98SDG 1,781
$10.89R 182
-72.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.17SDG 8,482
$42.93R 715
-66.99%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$2.61SDG 1,560
$5.62R 93.7
-53.56%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.84SDG 1,103
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09SDG 1,249
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.77SDG 1,059
$2.34R 39.06
-24.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65SDG 387
$1.10R 18.36
-40.91%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59SDG 351
$0.84R 13.93
-29.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.43R 40.49
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.96R 49.24
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sudan
South Africa
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.17SDG 701
$1.19R 19.77
-1.68%
White Bread(500g)
$1.08SDG 648
$1.12R 18.70
-3.57%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.05SDG 628
$1.83R 30.54
-42.62%
Eggs
$2.79SDG 1,671
$2.51R 41.78
11.16%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.59SDG 3,942
$8.25R 137
-20.12%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.49SDG 5,079
$5.32R 88.6
59.59%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.45SDG 8,650
$7.64R 127
89.14%
Apples(1kg)
$4.25SDG 2,546
$1.81R 30.10
134.81%
Banana(1kg)
$1.54SDG 921
$1.68R 28.08
-8.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.56SDG 933
$1.78R 29.73
-12.36%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.27SDG 1,959
$1.76R 29.38
85.80%
Potato(1kg)
$1.83SDG 1,097
$1.50R 24.93
22.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.08SDG 649
$1.46R 24.30
-26.03%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.65SDG 387
$1.29R 21.54
-49.61%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58SDG 345
$1.13R 18.89
-48.67%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$3.96SDG 2,369
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.76SDG 456
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68SDG 1,006
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.78SDG 1,066
$3.38R 56.3
-47.34%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$5.08R 84.7
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.48R 24.70
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.96R 32.64
-
🚌 Getting Around
Sudan
South Africa
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54SDG 321
$1.53R 25.48
-64.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$60.2R 1,004
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.68SDG 2,200
$0.94R 15.71
291.49%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$0.92R 15.34
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.01SDG 2,999
$7.73R 129
-35.19%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.11SDG 663
$1.44R 23.97
-22.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$4,938SDG 3.0M
$35.6KR 592.9K
-86.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$9,865SDG 5.9M
$32.4KR 540.5K
-69.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sudan
South Africa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$46.38SDG 27.8K
$134R 2,236
-65.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.35SDG 5,594
$34.27R 571
-72.72%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.87SDG 19.1K
$40.66R 678
-21.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sudan
South Africa
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$7.88SDG 4,715
$32.99R 550
-76.11%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.61R 194
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.06SDG 2,433
$7.24R 121
-43.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sudan
South Africa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$85.1SDG 50.9K
$223R 3,724
-61.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,969SDG 1.2M
$7,429R 123.8K
-73.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sudan
South Africa
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$54.0R 900
-
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$8.71SDG 5,216
$32.83R 547
-73.47%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
-
$101R 1,691
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$87.2R 1,454
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sudan
South Africa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$528SDG 315.8K
$485R 8,089
8.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$206SDG 123.0K
$389R 6,478
-47.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,175SDG 703.3K
$941R 15.7K
24.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$452SDG 270.6K
$795R 13.3K
-43.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,541SDG 922.2K
$1,071R 17.8K
43.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,112SDG 665.8K
$768R 12.8K
44.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sudan
South Africa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$230SDG 137.6K
$1,475R 24.6K
-84.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
30
11.23
167.14%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sudan: October 31, 2026
Last update for South Africa: November 2, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Sudan
$214 36.2%
South Africa
$197 16.5% ↓ 7.6%$16
🏠Accommodation & Living
Sudan
$206 34.8%
South Africa
$389 32.5% ↑ 89.1%$183
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sudan
$88 14.8%
South Africa
$209 17.5% ↑ 139%$122
🍽Eating Out
Sudan
$58 9.8%
South Africa
$158 13.2% ↑ 173%$100
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Sudan
$16 2.7%
South Africa
$47 4% ↑ 197%$31
🚌Getting Around
Sudan
$5.8 * 1%
South Africa
$72 6% ↑ 1136%$66
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Sudan
$3.9 * 0.7%
South Africa
$124 10.4% ↑ 3064%$120
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Sudan
$530 40.2%
South Africa
$456 17.8% ↓ 14%$74
🏠Accommodation & Living
Sudan
$452 34.3%
South Africa
$795 31.1% ↑ 75.9%$343
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sudan
$97 7.4%
South Africa
$243 9.5% ↑ 151%$146
🍽Eating Out
Sudan
$187 14.2%
South Africa
$538 21% ↑ 187%$351
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Sudan
$32 * 2.4%
South Africa
$107 4.2% ↑ 233%$75
🚌Getting Around
Sudan
$13 * 1%
South Africa
$147 5.7% ↑ 1055%$134
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Sudan
$8.7 * 0.7%
South Africa
$276 10.8% ↑ 3064%$267
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $640 in Sudan vs $421 in South Africa. For reference, capital cities sit at $531 in Khartoum and $1,047 in Cape Town.
💰Average salary: $228 in Sudan vs $1,505 in South Africa. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 52% higher in Sudan.
⭐Dining out costs 171% more in South Africa.
⭐Salaries are about 6.6 times higher in South Africa, and purchasing power comes out stronger in South Africa.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 51% lower on average.
Is everything cheaper in Sudan?
Not necessarily. Overall, South Africa costs about 103% more, but the gap varies by category, and some expenses can be lower in South Africa. Compare the categories that matter most for your budget.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget in South Africa or in 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 to Sudan?
Sudan is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.