Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the United States and South Sudan

Name: South Sudan
Address: SS

For one person, living is cheaper in South Sudan: $337 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $28,800 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

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🇸🇸 South Sudan

$337

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Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the United States and in South Sudan

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 South Sudan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,734 in the United States versus $337 in South Sudan.

United States $2,734
South Sudan $337

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,985 in the United States versus $960 in South Sudan.

United States $3,985
South Sudan $960

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,235 in the United States versus $1,582 in South Sudan.

United States $5,235
South Sudan $1,582

Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $979 to $5,160, compared to $233–$233 in South Sudan. City choice carries more weight in the United States.

Living in the United States is roughly 710% more expensive than in South Sudan on average.

The United States (101% above) and South Sudan (75% below) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.03 $20.03

$19.73 SSP 113.5K

1.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 $80.0

$168 SSP 965.0K

-52.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 $11.80

$7.40 SSP 42.5K

59.46%

Cappuccino

$5.55 $5.55

$3.19 SSP 18.3K

73.98%

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

$2.66 $2.66

$1.53 SSP 8,811

73.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.33 SSP 7,656

63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 $7.94

$12.27 SSP 70.6K

-35.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

Eggs

$4.28 $4.28

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 $13.22

$7.19 SSP 41.4K

83.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.60 $12.60

$5.22 SSP 30.0K

141.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.60 $17.60

$11.83 SSP 68.0K

48.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.98 $10.98

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 $3.79

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

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-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

$1,089 SSP 6.3M

201.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,482 $2,482

$609 SSP 3.5M

307.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,296 $4,296

$2,015 SSP 11.6M

113.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

8.85

-25.99%

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 South Sudan: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

United States

$1.3K 49.3%

South Sudan

–

Groceries & Markets

United States

$415 15.2%

South Sudan

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

United States

$355 13%

South Sudan

–

Eating Out

United States

$328 12%

South Sudan

–

Clothing & Footwear

United States

$137 5%

South Sudan

–

Getting Around

United States

$80 2.9%

South Sudan

–

Sport & Entertainment

United States

$71 2.6%

South Sudan

–

Cost Breakdown

National salary averages: $4,549 in the United States, $1,743 in South Sudan. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Salaries are about 2.6 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in South Sudan.

Good to know

🇺🇸 United States

🇸🇸 South Sudan

🕒 Local time

06:23 6:23 AM

12:23 12:23 PM

6 h ahead of the United States

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

340,110,988

12,575,714

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

South Sudanese Pound SSP £

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

10,000 SSP = 1.74 USD

10,000 SSP = 1.56 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SSP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇸🇸 South Sudanese Pound (£)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

South Sudanese Pound exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 5,751 SSP (10,000 SSP = 1.74 USD). 1 EUR = 6,401 SSP (10,000 SSP = 1.56 EUR).

SSP to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

United States South Sudan 12,210 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

United States
South Sudan

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 South Sudan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $337 per month in South Sudan and $2,734 in the United States, there’s a 710% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Overall, South Sudan is the cheaper option, but not in every category: rent, groceries, transport, and eating out each follow their own pattern. Check the categories you spend the most on before deciding.

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