Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Western Sahara and South Africa

Name: South Africa
Address: ZA

For one person, living is cheaper in Western Sahara: $120 a month against $1,203 in South Africa, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in South Africa
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South Africa Living Index

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🇪🇭 Western Sahara

$120

/mo nomad

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,203

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Western Sahara and in South Africa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Western Sahara and in South Africa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $120 per month in Western Sahara vs $1,203 in South Africa, rent included.

Western Sahara $120
South Africa $1,203

A couple spends around $174 per month in Western Sahara vs $1,893 in South Africa, rent included.

Western Sahara $174
South Africa $1,893

A family of three spends $229 per month in Western Sahara vs $2,583 in South Africa, rent included.

Western Sahara $229
South Africa $2,583

The regional cost range is wider in South Africa ($618–$1,556) than in Western Sahara ($119–$119), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in Western Sahara is roughly 90% lower than in South Africa on average.

Both Western Sahara and South Africa are more affordable than the global median – Western Sahara 91% lower, South Africa 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.19 MAD 41.27

$10.67 R 177

-60.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.66 R 693

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.42 MAD 33.65

$5.80 R 96.5

-41.03%

Cappuccino

$2.10 MAD 20.69

$2.36 R 39.23

-11.02%

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

$0.43 MAD 4.22

$1.12 R 18.56

-61.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 MAD 2.93

$0.90 R 15.00

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 R 40.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 R 50.9

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 R 19.58

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 R 18.83

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 R 28.90

Eggs

$2.57 R 42.80

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.43 R 140

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 R 85.1

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 R 126

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 R 29.52

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 R 28.90

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 R 29.43

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 R 29.26

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.81

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.38

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 R 20.52

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R 18.25

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 R 54.0

Wine (Bottle)

$5.00 R 83.2

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 R 24.90

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 R 32.26

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MAD 7.14

$1.48 R 24.58

-50.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.3 R 986

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 MAD 7.11

$1.09 R 18.21

-33.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 MAD 6.65

$0.99 R 16.46

-31.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.46 R 124

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MAD 12.88

$1.43 R 23.76

-8.39%

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

$35.3K R 587.4K

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

$32.4K R 539.7K

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

$133 R 2,208

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

$34.83 R 580

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.07 MAD 198

$39.76 R 662

-49.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.09 R 551

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.65 R 194

Cinema Ticket

$7.18 R 119

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

$224 R 3,728

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,462 R 90.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.04 MAD 454

$54.2 R 902

-15.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.13 R 568

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 R 1,699

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 R 1,472

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 R 8,189

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 R 6,617

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 R 15.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 R 13.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,099 R 18.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$769 R 12.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,502 R 25.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.23

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

Last update for Western Sahara: October 26, 2026

Last update for South Africa: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Western Sahara

–

South Africa

$398 33.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Western Sahara

–

South Africa

$207 17.2%

Groceries & Markets

Western Sahara

–

South Africa

$196 16.3%

Eating Out

Western Sahara

–

South Africa

$157 13.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Western Sahara

–

South Africa

$126 10.4%

Getting Around

Western Sahara

–

South Africa

$71 5.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Western Sahara

–

South Africa

$47 4%

Good to know

🇪🇭 Western Sahara

🇿🇦 South Africa

🕒 Local time

18:22 6:22 PM

20:22 8:22 PM

2 h ahead of Western Sahara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

612,000

62,027,503

💱 Currency

Moroccan Dirham MAD د.م.

South African Rand ZAR R

📈 Exchange rate

100 MAD = 10.15 USD

100 MAD = 9.12 EUR

100 ZAR = 6.01 USD

100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to MAD – Moroccan Dirham Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇦 Moroccan Dirham (د.م.)

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 9.85 MAD (1 MAD = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.97 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 16.64 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.01 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

USD to MAD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Western Sahara South Africa 7,530 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Western Sahara
South Africa

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

Western Sahara vs South Africa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Western Sahara is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 90% lower on average.

Not necessarily. Overall, South Africa costs about 905% more, but the gap varies by category, and some expenses can be lower in South Africa. Compare the categories that matter most for your budget.

$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Western Sahara, but in South Africa it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Western Sahara is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.