Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the United States and the Central African Republic

Name: Central African Republic
Address: CF

For one person, living is cheaper in the Central African Republic: $422 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $27,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index

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🇺🇸 United States

$2,734

/mo nomad

🇨🇫 Central African Republic

$422

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the United States and in the Central African Republic

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the United States and in the Central African Republic actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,734 in the United States versus $422 in the Central African Republic.

United States $2,734
Central African Republic $422

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,985 in the United States versus $670 in the Central African Republic.

United States $3,985
Central African Republic $670

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,235 in the United States versus $919 in the Central African Republic.

United States $5,235
Central African Republic $919

Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $979 to $5,160, compared to $424–$424 in the Central African Republic. City choice carries more weight in the United States.

Living in the United States is roughly 548% more expensive than in the Central African Republic on average.

The United States (101% above) and the Central African Republic (69% below) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.03 $20.03

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 $80.0

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 $11.80

Cappuccino

$5.55 $5.55

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

$2.66 $2.66

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.72 FCFA 1,015

26.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$3.35 FCFA 1,972

82.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 $7.94

$5.00 FCFA 2,947

58.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$5.03 FCFA 2,964

-79.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$4.37 FCFA 2,574

-17.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.24 FCFA 2,497

6.60%

Eggs

$4.28 $4.28

$5.04 FCFA 2,966

-15.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 $13.22

$8.43 FCFA 4,965

56.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.60 $12.60

$8.40 FCFA 4,948

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.60 $17.60

$3.51 FCFA 2,067

401.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$6.82 FCFA 4,019

-34.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$5.08 FCFA 2,994

-6.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$4.15 FCFA 2,444

-28.43%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$6.08 FCFA 3,579

-48.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.49 FCFA 1,465

-11.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.51 FCFA 1,480

-6.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.98 $10.98

$4.33 FCFA 2,548

153.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$11.69 FCFA 6,885

28.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$5.99 FCFA 3,531

-65.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 $3.79

$4.29 FCFA 2,526

-11.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 $59.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.84 $29.84

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.60 FCFA 1,532

-60.77%

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

$28.8K $28.8K

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

$26.2K $26.2K

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

$218 $218

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

$62.5 $62.5

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.5 $74.5

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.86 $41.86

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.81 $22.81

Cinema Ticket

$14.70 $14.70

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

$1,489 $1,489

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K $25.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 $54.3

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.71 $42.71

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 $94.1

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,659 $1,659

$1,376 FCFA 810.6K

20.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 $1,348

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 $2,682

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,169 $2,169

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,283 $3,283

$1,351 FCFA 795.9K

142.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,482 $2,482

$1,599 FCFA 941.9K

55.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,296 $4,296

$847 FCFA 498.6K

407.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

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

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Last update for the Central African Republic: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

United States

$1.3K 49.3%

Central African Republic

–

Groceries & Markets

United States

$415 15.2%

Central African Republic

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

United States

$355 13%

Central African Republic

–

Eating Out

United States

$328 12%

Central African Republic

–

Clothing & Footwear

United States

$137 5%

Central African Republic

–

Getting Around

United States

$80 2.9%

Central African Republic

–

Sport & Entertainment

United States

$71 2.6%

Central African Republic

–

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,620 in the United States, $1,353 in the Central African Republic. Capital cities: $2,768 in Washington, DC vs $1,353 in Bangui.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 20% higher in the United States.

Good to know

🇺🇸 United States

🇨🇫 Central African Republic

🕒 Local time

06:23 6:23 AM

11:23 11:23 AM

5 h ahead of the United States

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

340,110,988

5,152,421

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Central African CFA Franc XAF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

1,000 XAF = 1.7 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XAF, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🌐 Central African CFA Franc (Fr)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 589 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.7 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR).

XAF to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

United States Central African Republic 11,120 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

United States
Central African Republic

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

United States vs Central African Republic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $422 per month in the Central African Republic and $2,734 in the United States, there’s a 548% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 in the United States and $1,353 in the Central African Republic. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

It depends on what you’re after: the Central African Republic wins on affordability; the United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.