Cheapest Cities in Africa — Cost of Living Index (2026)

13 cities in Africa across 10 countries, ranked from cheapest to most expensive. New York City is the baseline at 100 — a city at 40 is roughly 60% cheaper than New York for the same basket of rent, food, transport, and utilities.

Cities ranked

Countries

Cheapest

Kigali · 26.4

Most expensive

Pretoria · 41

Cheapest cities (one per country)

1.Kigali, Rwanda26.4
2.Kampala, Uganda26.8
3.Dar es Salaam, Tanzania27.4
4.Nairobi, Kenya31.2
5.Lagos, Nigeria32.1
6.Durban, South Africa33.9
7.Accra, Ghana36.7
8.Harare, Zimbabwe38
9.Windhoek, Namibia40.1
10.Addis Ababa, Ethiopia41

Most expensive cities

1.Pretoria, South Africa41
2.Addis Ababa, Ethiopia41
3.Windhoek, Namibia40.1
4.Cape Town, South Africa39.7
5.Johannesburg, South Africa39.5
6.Harare, Zimbabwe38
7.Accra, Ghana36.7
8.Durban, South Africa33.9
9.Lagos, Nigeria32.1
10.Nairobi, Kenya31.2
11.Dar es Salaam, Tanzania27.4
12.Kampala, Uganda26.8

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Full ranking

#	City	Country	Index	vs. New York	1BR rent
1	Kigali	Rwanda	26.4	74% cheaper	$728
2	Kampala	Uganda	26.8	73% cheaper	$502
3	Dar es Salaam	Tanzania	27.4	73% cheaper	$600
4	Nairobi	Kenya	31.2	69% cheaper	$429
5	Lagos	Nigeria	32.1	68% cheaper	$500
6	Durban	South Africa	33.9	66% cheaper	$416
7	Accra	Ghana	36.7	63% cheaper	$534
8	Harare	Zimbabwe	38	62% cheaper	$412
9	Johannesburg	South Africa	39.5	61% cheaper	$483
10	Cape Town	South Africa	39.7	60% cheaper	$985
11	Windhoek	Namibia	40.1	60% cheaper	$536
12	Addis Ababa	Ethiopia	41	59% cheaper	$795
13	Pretoria	South Africa	41	59% cheaper	$445

Related rankings

Full city index World map Live on $2,000/month Asia Europe Americas Oceania Middle East & N. Africa

How this works

Every city is scored on a single index where New York City = 100. The score blends rent, groceries, restaurants, transport, and utilities into one comparable number, so a city at 50 costs about half what New York does for the same lifestyle.

We rank city-level data only — never a country average painted across its cities. A city is included only when it has genuine local price coverage (real rent and meal prices), which keeps the ranking credible at both ends. Countries under active-conflict travel advisories are excluded.

Want this personalized to your budget and home city? Read our full methodology.

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