🇸🇹Cost of Living in São Tomé

São Tomé and Príncipe · Population: 80,000 · Cost Index: 30/100

Cost of Living in São Tomé

São Tomé and Príncipe · Africa

São Tomé is the capital and largest city of São Tomé and Príncipe, a small island nation in the Gulf of Guinea off the western coast of Central Africa. The city retains charming Portuguese colonial architecture and serves as the hub for the country's cocoa-based economy and emerging ecotourism sector.

80,000

Population

Cost Index

Safety Index

Quality of Life

Average Monthly Cost: $620 (single person, excluding rent)

Estimated monthly budget in São Tomé

Typical total monthly cost by household type.

Single person

$620

per month

Couple

$930

per month

Family of 4

$1,300

per month

Student

$470

per month

Estimates based on the average cost of living in São Tomé, scaled by household size. Actual costs vary with lifestyle, neighbourhood and housing.

Cost Breakdown

Housing

Avg: $335.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$300.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$170.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$550.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$320.00

Food & Groceries

Avg: $4.55

Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant(per meal)

$4.00

Meal for 2 at Mid-Range Restaurant(per meal)

$22.00

McMeal at McDonald's(per meal)

$5.50

Milk (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.50

Bread (500g loaf)(per loaf)

$0.50

Rice (1 kg)(per kg)

$1.00

Eggs (12)(per dozen)

$2.00

Chicken Breast (1 kg)(per kg)

$5.00

Apples (1 kg)(per kg)

$3.50

Banana (1 kg)(per kg)

$0.50

Transportation

Avg: $3.62

Monthly Public Transit Pass(per month)

$15.00

One-Way Ticket (Local Transport)(per trip)

$0.30

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)(base fare)

$1.00

Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff)(per km)

$0.50

Gasoline (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.30

Utilities

Avg: $34.00

Basic Utilities (85m² Apt)(per month)

$50.00

Mobile Phone Plan(per month)

$12.00

Internet (60 Mbps+)(per month)

$40.00

Healthcare

Avg: $11.67

Doctor Visit(per visit)

$12.00

Dentist Visit(per visit)

$18.00

Prescription Medicine (avg)(per prescription)

$5.00

Entertainment

Avg: $8.25

Fitness Club Monthly(per month)

$25.00

Cinema Ticket(per ticket)

$4.00

Cappuccino(per cup)

$2.00

Beer (0.5l) at Restaurant(per glass)

$2.00

Clothing

Avg: $40.67

Pair of Jeans (Levi's)(per pair)

$40.00

Summer Dress (Chain Store)(per item)

$22.00

Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas)(per pair)

$60.00

Popular São Tomé comparisons

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Frequently asked questions about São Tomé

Is São Tomé expensive to live in?

São Tomé has a cost of living index of 30 out of 100, where New York City scores 100. This makes it one of the more affordable cities we track.

How much money do you need to live in São Tomé?

A single person needs an estimated $620 per month to live in São Tomé, covering rent, food, transport and other essentials. A family or a more comfortable lifestyle will cost more.

What is the cost of living index in São Tomé?

São Tomé's cost of living index is 30 out of 100. The index is relative to New York City (100), so a score of 50 means overall costs are roughly half those of New York.

What is quality of life like in São Tomé?

São Tomé scores 38 out of 100 for quality of life and 55 out of 100 for safety in our index.

Data & sources

As an independent cross-check, the World Bank puts the overall price level in São Tomé and Príncipe at 60 relative to the United States (=100) in 2024. View source

Cost figures on this site are independent estimates, cross-referenced with public data sources including World Bank, Numbeo, Eurostat, OECD.