Is Sudan expensive to live in? The answer depends heavily on where you live, your lifestyle, access to local products, housing arrangements, and whether your income is earned in Sudanese pounds or in a foreign currency.
Sudan has historically had a relatively low cost of living compared with many countries, but the situation has changed dramatically because of economic instability, currency depreciation, inflation, conflict, displacement, supply disruptions and shortages of essential goods.
As a result, there is no single reliable monthly cost that applies to everyone in Sudan. Prices can vary substantially between cities and can change quickly.
Anyone planning to live in Sudan should be careful with old online cost-of-living figures. Prices for food, accommodation, transportation, fuel and imported products can change significantly over relatively short periods.
The World Bank reports that Sudan's annual consumer-price inflation reached 138.8% in 2025. Recent reporting also indicated that annual inflation had reached 51.28% in June 2026, illustrating how rapidly economic conditions and prices can change.
The cost of living in Sudan is influenced by several major factors.
Housing is one of the largest expenses for many people living in Sudan. However, rent cannot be represented accurately by one nationwide figure.
Prices depend on the city, neighborhood, property size, furnishing, availability, security conditions and whether the accommodation is intended for local residents, business visitors or international organizations.
Khartoum has historically been one of Sudan's major residential and commercial centers. However, conflict and damage to infrastructure have significantly affected housing availability and normal economic activity.
Anyone considering accommodation in Khartoum should therefore check current local conditions rather than relying on historical rental-price articles.
Port Sudan has become particularly important as a commercial and administrative center during the conflict. Housing demand and prices can therefore differ from historical prices in Khartoum and from other Sudanese cities.
Living costs can vary considerably across cities and regions. Accommodation may be cheaper in some locations, but lower rent does not necessarily mean lower overall living costs because transportation, food availability, electricity, water and other services may be more expensive or less reliable.
Food costs in Sudan depend strongly on whether you purchase locally produced staples or imported goods.
Local products can sometimes be more affordable than imported alternatives, although prices vary by region and market conditions.
Imported food, packaged products, electronics and other goods can be considerably more expensive because their prices are affected by exchange rates, transportation, customs, supply availability and currency shortages.
Transportation expenses vary according to the city and the type of transport used. Common forms of transportation include:
Fuel availability and prices can have a direct effect on transportation costs. People who commute long distances should therefore include transportation as a significant part of their monthly budget.
Utilities in Sudan require special consideration because the cost is not simply the monthly electricity bill.
In areas where public electricity supply is unreliable, households and businesses may need alternative solutions such as generators, solar systems, batteries, inverters or other backup systems.
Khartoum is Sudan's historic political, commercial and economic center. Housing, transportation and access to services can vary considerably by area. Current conditions should be checked carefully because the conflict has caused major disruption to infrastructure and essential services.
Port Sudan is an important Red Sea port and has become a major center for administrative, commercial and humanitarian activity during the conflict. The increased concentration of people and organizations can influence housing, transport and service costs.
Cities such as Wad Madani, Kassala, Gedaref and others can have very different cost structures. Local food availability, housing supply, transportation, security conditions and access to services all influence household expenses.
On a simple price comparison, Sudan may appear inexpensive compared with many high-income countries. However, this does not necessarily mean that living in Sudan is financially easy for local residents.
A country's cost of living must be considered together with local wages, employment opportunities, inflation and purchasing power.
Sudan's economic disruption has significantly reduced purchasing power, while high inflation makes it difficult to maintain a fixed household budget. The World Bank estimates Sudan's 2025 GDP per capita at approximately US$1,164, while consumer inflation was reported at 138.8% for 2025.
One important difference in Sudan's cost-of-living experience is the currency in which a person earns their income.
People receiving income in a relatively stable foreign currency can have a very different purchasing-power position from people whose salaries are paid entirely in Sudanese pounds.
Currency depreciation can increase the local-currency price of imported products, housing in some markets and other goods connected to international supply chains.
The World Bank notes that the conflict has disrupted Sudan's economy and infrastructure, while millions of people have been displaced and access to basic services has been severely affected.
Families generally need to budget for more than housing and food. Education, healthcare, transportation, communication, electricity and water can all contribute significantly to household expenditure.
Families returning to Sudan or relocating between cities should also investigate the availability and current operating status of schools, hospitals, markets, transportation and other essential services before choosing where to live.
Students can potentially reduce expenses by sharing accommodation, preparing food at home and using affordable local transportation.
However, students should also consider tuition fees, internet access, transportation, study materials, accommodation and healthcare when calculating their total budget.
Foreign residents and expatriates may have a different cost structure from local households.
International workers may have expenses related to accommodation, security, international transportation, private healthcare, imported food, communications and other services that are not typical for every Sudanese household.
Current security and access conditions should also be evaluated before making plans to relocate to Sudan. The WHO reported in 2026 that Sudan continues to face a major humanitarian and health crisis, with large-scale displacement and significant disruption to healthcare services.
Sudan's cost of living cannot be separated from the country's current humanitarian and economic situation.
The conflict that began in April 2023 has caused extensive displacement, damage to infrastructure, disruption of markets and serious shortages of essential services.
According to UNICEF's 2026 reporting, approximately 33.7 million people in Sudan require humanitarian assistance, while more than 9 million people are internally displaced.
This means that cost-of-living information should always be interpreted together with local availability and safety conditions.
Sudan can appear inexpensive when compared with many high-income countries, but the reality for residents is more complicated. High inflation, currency depreciation, shortages and disrupted services can make everyday life financially difficult.
There is no single reliable monthly figure for everyone. Your required budget depends on your city, accommodation, family size, transportation, food choices, healthcare needs and the currency in which you earn your income.
Khartoum can have higher housing and service costs in some neighborhoods, but current prices are highly variable. Conflict-related disruption also means that historical Khartoum cost-of-living figures may no longer accurately reflect current conditions.
Port Sudan's cost of living can differ from Khartoum and other Sudanese cities. Increased demand for housing and services can affect prices, so current local market information is more useful than old national averages.
Food prices vary depending on the product, location and whether the food is locally produced or imported. Inflation and supply disruptions can cause significant changes in food prices.
Inflation, currency depreciation, supply disruptions, fuel costs, import conditions and conflict-related economic disruption all contribute to changing prices.
Many locally purchased goods and services can be less expensive than comparable items in Western Europe. However, imported products and certain services can be relatively expensive, and local purchasing power is much lower.