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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $590 per month in Togo vs $1,020 in South Africa, rent included.

A couple spends around $895 per month in Togo vs $1,598 in South Africa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,199 per month in Togo vs $2,175 in South Africa, rent included.

Togo is roughly 42% cheaper than South Africa on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Togo and South Africa are more affordable than the global median – Togo 56% lower, South Africa 24% lower.

Togo has a wider regional cost range ($132$1,047) than South Africa ($819$1,339), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Togo.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Togo
South Africa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.17 F CFA 1,225
$9.05 R 147
-76.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.70 F CFA 17.9K
$39.48 R 642
-19.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.40 F CFA 3,047
$4.94 R 80.3
9.31%
Cappuccino
$5.91 F CFA 3,333
$2.06 R 33.47
186.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 F CFA 1,868
$0.95 R 15.40
248.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 F CFA 628
$0.81 R 13.13
37.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.92 F CFA 519
$2.21 R 35.90
-58.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 F CFA 984
$2.48 R 40.33
-29.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Togo
South Africa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.37 F CFA 1,339
$1.11 R 18.07
113.51%
White Bread (500g)
$1.22 F CFA 689
$1.02 R 16.64
19.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.87 F CFA 1,056
$1.56 R 25.28
19.87%
Eggs
$1.98 F CFA 1,119
$2.34 R 38.05
-15.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.19 F CFA 8,005
$7.73 R 126
83.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.53 F CFA 4,808
$4.49 R 73.1
89.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.91 F CFA 5,023
$6.73 R 109
32.39%
Apples (1kg)
$2.71 F CFA 1,526
$1.56 R 25.40
73.72%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 F CFA 842
$1.43 R 23.22
4.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.61 F CFA 1,470
$1.44 R 23.48
81.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.55 F CFA 1,436
$1.51 R 24.55
68.87%
Potato (1kg)
$1.74 F CFA 981
$1.22 R 19.81
42.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.68 F CFA 946
$1.28 R 20.74
31.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.50 F CFA 284
$1.04 R 16.89
-51.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 F CFA 509
$0.94 R 15.21
-4.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.37 F CFA 775
$2.99 R 48.55
-54.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.82 F CFA 2,716
$5.16 R 83.8
-6.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 F CFA 739
$1.39 R 22.55
-5.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56 F CFA 878
$1.66 R 26.93
-6.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Togo
South Africa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.33 F CFA 188
$1.63 R 26.48
-79.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.1 F CFA 29.9K
$45.05 R 732
17.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.12 F CFA 1,196
$1.13 R 18.41
87.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.72 F CFA 407
$1.10 R 17.93
-34.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.27 F CFA 2,970
$4.86 R 78.9
8.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 F CFA 680
$1.24 R 20.15
-2.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$14.3K F CFA 8.1M
$20.3K R 330.2K
-29.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K F CFA 14.5M
$23.5K R 381.4K
9.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Togo
South Africa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$175 F CFA 98.8K
$113 R 1,843
54.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21 F CFA 12.5K
$32.36 R 526
-31.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.74 F CFA 25.2K
$41.45 R 674
7.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Togo
South Africa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.6 F CFA 28.5K
$31.59 R 513
60.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.00 F CFA 5,078
$9.61 R 156
-6.35%
Cinema Ticket
$4.52 F CFA 2,547
$6.83 R 111
-33.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Togo
South Africa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$174 F CFA 98.2K
$187 R 3,039
-6.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,161 F CFA 2.9M
$4,362 R 70.9K
18.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Togo
South Africa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.58 F CFA 13.9K
$49.50 R 804
-50.34%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.15 F CFA 15.3K
$30.42 R 494
-10.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$41.44 F CFA 23.4K
$91.7 R 1,489
-54.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.4 F CFA 54.4K
$78.9 R 1,281
22.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Togo
South Africa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$417 F CFA 235.3K
$442 R 7,175
-5.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$195 F CFA 110.1K
$367 R 5,963
-46.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$596 F CFA 336.0K
$884 R 14.4K
-32.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$317 F CFA 178.8K
$723 R 11.8K
-56.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,090 R 17.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$780 R 12.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Togo
South Africa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$271 F CFA 152.9K
$1,558 R 25.3K
-82.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8
11.55
-30.74%

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

Last update for Togo: June 1, 2026

Last update for South Africa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $312 in Togo vs $368 in South Africa. For reference, capital cities sit at $360 in Lome and $765 in Cape Town.

Average salary: $267 in Togo 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 18% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 119% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 69% more expensive in Togo.

Salaries are 469% 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
Togo vs South Africa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is South Africa more expensive than Togo?
Togo is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 83% 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 Togo, contributing to the overall 83% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in South Africa or Togo?
$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Togo, 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 Togo?
Togo 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.

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