Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Sao Tome And Principe Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Sao Tome And Principe

Name: Sao Tome And Principe
Address: ST

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,642 per month in United States vs $643 in Sao Tome And Principe, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $1,135 in Sao Tome And Principe, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,072 per month in United States vs $1,627 in Sao Tome And Principe, rent included.

The cost of living in United States is about 311% higher than in Sao Tome And Principe on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

United States sits 98% above the global median, while Sao Tome And Principe is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in United States ($1,335–$5,182) than in Sao Tome And Principe ($205–$1,081), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$19.98 STN 428

-1.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.4 $75.4

$43.33 STN 927

74.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 $11.57

$9.55 STN 204

21.15%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$2.00 STN 42.80

161.00%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$1.88 STN 40.30

32.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.03 STN 22.14

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$1.64 STN 35.03

260.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$1.86 STN 39.80

283.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.36 STN 29.15

-19.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.56 STN 33.29

128.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$1.94 STN 41.61

144.33%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$4.40 STN 94.2

-1.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 $12.68

$20.26 STN 434

-37.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$19.88 STN 425

-38.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$25.18 STN 539

-34.07%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.50 STN 96.2

14.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.13 STN 24.10

50.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.99 STN 85.5

11.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$3.41 STN 72.9

40.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.62 STN 56.1

11.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.08 STN 44.58

48.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.67 STN 14.31

231.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.98 STN 42.31

13.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 $9.90

$2.27 STN 48.66

336.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$7.96 STN 170

91.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.27 STN 27.20

50.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.29 STN 27.52

177.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.20 STN 25.77

105.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 $64.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 $3.77

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 $30.08

$14.20 STN 304

111.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.70 STN 36.28

-43.53%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$23.3K STN 498.9K

12.14%

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

$210 $210

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

$56.3 $56.3

$28.12 STN 602

100.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$70.6 STN 1,512

3.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.39 $45.39

$36.44 STN 780

24.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.60 $21.60

$29.37 STN 629

-26.46%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 $14.04

$20.81 STN 445

-32.53%

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

$1,377 $1,377

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 $42.41

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$18.70 STN 400

507.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$275 STN 5,889

541.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 $1,462

$188 STN 4,014

679.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 $2,849

$659 STN 14.1K

332.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 $2,369

$529 STN 11.3K

348.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,364 $3,364

$1,889 STN 40.4K

78.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,665 $2,665

$1,170 STN 25.0K

127.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,378 $4,378

$442 STN 9,462

890.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

7.38

-11.79%

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

Last update for United States: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sao Tome And Principe: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,635 in United States vs $177 in Sao Tome And Principe. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,625 in Washington, MI and $353 in Sao Tome.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States vs $265 in Sao Tome And Principe. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 824% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 70% more in United States.

Salaries are 1598% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

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 Sao Tome And Principe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Tome And Principe is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 407% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in United States, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but United States consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Sao Tome And Principe, contributing to the overall 407% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Sao Tome And Principe, but in United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Sao Tome And Principe 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.