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 $2,626 per month in United States vs $732 in Sao Tome And Principe, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,830 per month in United States vs $1,200 in Sao Tome And Principe, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,033 per month in United States vs $1,668 in Sao Tome And Principe, rent included.

The cost of living in United States is about 259% higher than in Sao Tome And Principe on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

United States sits 90% above the global median, while Sao Tome And Principe is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in United States ($986–$5,298) than in Sao Tome And Principe ($208–$1,257), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.83 $19.83

$9.04 STN 191

119.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 $78.8

$46.59 STN 983

69.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.19 $12.19

$8.99 STN 190

35.60%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$2.42 STN 51.0

130.99%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$1.81 STN 38.16

53.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.12 STN 23.55

94.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

$1.84 STN 38.79

218.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 $8.02

$1.94 STN 40.91

313.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.59 STN 33.45

-32.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$1.57 STN 33.23

134.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.02 STN 42.58

130.69%

Eggs

$4.20 $4.20

$4.68 STN 98.7

-10.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.78 $12.78

$19.88 STN 419

-35.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.40 $12.40

$20.46 STN 432

-39.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.90 $16.90

$22.06 STN 465

-23.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$3.94 STN 83.2

32.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.77 STN 37.26

-6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.75 STN 79.1

15.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.50 STN 73.8

41.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.95 STN 62.2

-4.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.52 STN 53.1

23.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.52 STN 10.87

321.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.14 STN 45.24

5.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.35 $10.35

$2.34 STN 49.44

342.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$8.44 STN 178

75.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.50 STN 31.74

39.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 $3.65

$1.69 STN 35.61

115.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.41 STN 29.67

68.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 $64.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.77 STN 37.26

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.73 STN 57.7

-31.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.34 $30.34

$14.20 STN 300

113.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.78 STN 37.59

-43.82%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$26.0K STN 549.0K

36.57%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$32.5K STN 685.5K

-20.39%

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

$222 $222

$241 STN 5,090

-7.90%

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

$61.1 $61.1

$33.16 STN 700

84.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.7 $74.7

$69.4 STN 1,463

7.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.49 $44.49

$34.80 STN 734

27.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.35 $22.35

$26.33 STN 556

-15.12%

Cinema Ticket

$15.03 $15.03

$20.84 STN 440

-27.88%

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

$1,431 $1,431

$241 STN 5,094

492.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.9K $25.9K

$2,256 STN 47.6K

1047.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 $53.6

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.46 $43.46

$76.5 STN 1,613

-43.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 $91.5

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$18.83 STN 397

503.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 $1,633

$291 STN 6,132

461.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 $1,328

$204 STN 4,297

552.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,606 $2,606

$984 STN 20.8K

164.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,206 $2,206

$468 STN 9,865

371.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,323 $3,323

$1,886 STN 39.8K

76.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,653 $2,653

$1,206 STN 25.5K

119.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,306 $4,306

$459 STN 9,682

838.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

7.38

-15.85%

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

Last update for United States: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sao Tome And Principe: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,604 in United States vs $147 in Sao Tome And Principe. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,360 in Columbia, TN and $293 in Sao Tome.

Average salary: $4,526 in United States vs $273 in Sao Tome And Principe. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 991% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 74% more in United States.

Salaries are 1558% 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 329% 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 329% 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.