Cities in Africa with a very high living cost in 2025
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View Editorial TeamThinking of moving to Africa or just curious to know? Either way this article will help you know which African cities has the highest living cost as both a good thing and a bad thing in other cases.
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| Rank & City | Country | Index | The "Good" | The "Bad" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Abidjan |  Ivory Coast | 45.7 | Rapid commercial hub growth | Very low purchasing power |
| #2 Addis Ababa |  Ethiopia | 42.7 | Massive infrastructure boom | Priciest groceries in Africa |
| #3 Pretoria |  South Africa | 41.9 | High local purchasing power | Expensive dining & utilities |
| #4 Johannesburg | South Africa | 40.9 | Continent-leading wages | Extreme economic inequality |
| #5 Cape Town | South Africa | 40.4 | Global lifestyle appeal | Sky-high rent for locals |
| #6 Harare |  Zimbabwe | 38.7 | Centralized trade & services | Weak spending power & inflation |
| #7 Windhoek |  Namibia | 37.7 | High safety & stability | Costly housing & food imports |
| #8 Accra |  Ghana | 36.8 | Major regional economic hub | High sensitivity to price hikes |
| #9 Tangier |  Morocco | 36.5 | Logistics & tourism expansion | Rising costs from popularity |
| #10 Durban | South Africa | 35.6 | Strong value for high wages | Service delivery challenges |
NB: The Index measures consumer costs relative to New York City (100). A score of 45.7 means the city is approximately 54% cheaper than NYC, excluding rent.
