Understanding monthly expenses in Sudan is important if you are planning to live, work, study, retire, or spend an extended period in the country. The cost of living can vary considerably depending on the city, neighborhood, housing standard, lifestyle, access to imported products, and whether you are budgeting as a local resident or an international visitor.
Khartoum is one of the main reference points for cost-of-living estimates, but prices can be very different in other parts of Sudan, including Port Sudan, Omdurman, Wad Madani and other cities. Economic conditions and exchange rates can also cause prices to change quickly.
Prices in Sudan are unusually volatile because of inflation, exchange-rate movements, supply-chain disruptions and regional differences. For this reason, this guide uses approximate ranges and USD references rather than treating a single Sudanese pound price as universally accurate. Always check current local prices before making a relocation or long-term budget decision.
Current international cost-of-living datasets provide significantly different estimates because they measure different lifestyles and locations. For Khartoum, recent estimates put a single person's monthly cost at roughly $800–$1,100 including housing, while a family of four can require approximately $1,800–$2,000 or more per month depending on housing and lifestyle.
However, these figures should not be interpreted as a fixed national price. A person living with family, renting inexpensive accommodation, purchasing mostly local food and using local transport may spend considerably less than an expatriate living in higher-cost accommodation and purchasing imported goods.
Housing is normally one of the largest monthly expenses for anyone living in Sudan. Rental prices vary significantly according to the city, security situation, neighborhood, property size, furnishing and availability.
Recent 2026 estimates for Khartoum indicate that a one-bedroom apartment can range from approximately $80 to $900 per month, with an average around $530 in one major cost-of-living dataset.
| Accommodation | Approximate Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| Shared room / basic accommodation | Approximately $50 – $200+ |
| 1-bedroom apartment outside central areas | Approximately $80 – $350+ |
| 1-bedroom apartment in higher-cost areas | Approximately $300 – $900+ |
| 3-bedroom apartment | Approximately $300 – $1,850+ |
| Furnished / expatriate-standard accommodation | Can be considerably higher |
Rental prices are indicative rather than official national rates. Availability and local conditions can cause substantial differences.
Food costs in Sudan depend heavily on whether you buy locally produced goods or imported products. Markets and local shops can offer significantly different prices from supermarkets and expatriate-oriented stores.
A recent Khartoum cost-of-living estimate places groceries for one person at approximately $260 per month, although individual spending can be much lower or higher depending on diet and household circumstances.
Eating at local restaurants can be relatively affordable compared with international standards, while restaurants serving imported products or targeting international customers can cost considerably more.
Recent Khartoum data estimates an inexpensive restaurant meal at around $5, while a three-course meal for two people at a mid-range restaurant is around $31.
Transportation costs vary between cities and depend on whether you use buses, minibuses, taxis, rickshaws, private cars or other forms of transport.
Transportation prices have experienced significant changes in some parts of Sudan as fuel prices and local economic conditions have changed.
Owning a car can substantially increase your monthly budget. In addition to fuel, drivers should consider maintenance, spare parts, repairs, insurance and parking.
Utility costs in Sudan depend on the size of the property, electricity availability, cooling requirements, water supply and whether the accommodation has additional equipment such as generators or backup systems.
Recent Khartoum estimates put basic utilities for an approximately 85 m² apartment at around $50 per month, although actual household costs can differ significantly.
Internet and mobile communication are important expenses for students, remote workers, businesses and expatriates. Prices depend on the provider, package, data allowance and connection type.
Some international cost-of-living data currently estimates internet access in Khartoum at around $70 per month, although local plans and actual household arrangements can differ substantially.
Healthcare costs depend heavily on the type of facility, treatment required, location and whether you use public, private or international healthcare services.
Healthcare should therefore be treated as a separate budget category rather than simply adding a small fixed amount to monthly household expenses.
Families with children should budget separately for education and childcare. Costs vary dramatically depending on whether children attend public institutions, private schools or international schools.
Lifestyle expenses depend almost entirely on personal habits. A person who mainly uses local markets and inexpensive restaurants will have a very different budget from an expatriate who frequently uses private facilities and international restaurants.
For budgeting purposes, a single person living in Sudan can use the following broad ranges as a starting point.
| Lifestyle | Estimated Monthly Budget |
|---|---|
| Basic / local lifestyle | $300 – $600+ |
| Moderate lifestyle | $600 – $1,000+ |
| Comfortable expatriate lifestyle | $1,000 – $1,500+ |
| Higher-end expatriate lifestyle | $1,500+ |
These are planning ranges rather than official national figures. Published 2026 estimates for Khartoum show approximately $554 per month excluding rent for one person in one dataset, while other datasets produce different totals depending on methodology.
Families need to budget for larger housing, food, transportation, healthcare, education and other household expenses.
| Family Type | Approximate Monthly Budget |
|---|---|
| Couple | $600 – $1,200+ |
| Family of 3 | $900 – $1,600+ |
| Family of 4 | $1,200 – $2,000+ |
| Family with international-school children | $2,000+ depending on tuition and lifestyle |
A recent 2026 Khartoum estimate puts a family of four at approximately $1,976 per month excluding rent, illustrating how dramatically the budget changes with household size.
Khartoum is an important reference point when researching the cost of living in Sudan. However, published estimates should be treated carefully because prices can change quickly and the experience of local residents can be very different from that of international residents.
One current 2026 source estimates the total monthly cost of living in Khartoum at approximately $809 for one person including rent, while another estimates approximately $1,084. This difference demonstrates why a range is more useful than presenting one exact number.
Port Sudan has become particularly important for people living and working in Sudan. Housing, food, transportation and accommodation costs can differ substantially from Khartoum.
Anyone planning to relocate to Port Sudan should research current local rental listings and prices rather than automatically applying Khartoum figures.
For long-term budgeting, it can be useful to calculate your expected expenses in US dollars first and then convert them into Sudanese pounds using a current exchange rate.
This is particularly important in Sudan because exchange-rate movements and economic disruption can quickly make older Sudanese-pound price estimates obsolete. Recent reporting has documented a dramatic depreciation of the Sudanese pound and significant increases in food, fuel and transportation costs.
Use USD ranges for long-term planning, then check the current local price in Sudanese pounds immediately before paying rent, buying property, purchasing a vehicle or making another major financial commitment.
| Expense | Example Monthly Budget |
|---|---|
| Rent | $150 – $600+ |
| Food & groceries | $150 – $300+ |
| Transport | $30 – $100+ |
| Utilities | $30 – $100+ |
| Internet & mobile | $20 – $80+ |
| Healthcare | $30 – $150+ |
| Entertainment & personal expenses | $30 – $150+ |
| Approximate total | $440 – $1,480+ |
Actual expenses may be significantly lower or higher depending on accommodation, location, security arrangements, healthcare needs and lifestyle.
The Sudanese economy has experienced severe disruption, including currency depreciation, inflation, supply-chain problems and conflict-related disruptions. These factors can affect food, fuel, housing and transportation prices.
Recent reporting has highlighted substantial increases in food and fuel prices and significant movements in the Sudanese pound, meaning that a price published several months ago may no longer accurately represent what a household pays today.
For this reason, ToSudan.com recommends using this page as a budgeting guide rather than a fixed price list.
The amount depends heavily on your city, housing and lifestyle. A basic lifestyle may be possible with several hundred dollars per month, while a comfortable expatriate lifestyle can require $1,000 or more per month.
Recent 2026 estimates vary considerably. Some sources estimate around $800–$1,100 per month for one person including housing, but actual costs depend heavily on accommodation and lifestyle.
Sudan can be relatively inexpensive for some locally sourced goods and services, but imported products, higher-quality housing, private healthcare and international services can be expensive. Economic instability also makes prices difficult to predict.
Rent varies enormously by city and neighborhood. Recent Khartoum data shows one-bedroom apartments ranging from roughly $80 to $900 per month, with an average around $530 in one dataset.
Food costs depend on whether you buy local or imported products. A recent Khartoum estimate puts groceries for one person at around $260 per month, but individual household spending can be substantially different.
A family budget depends strongly on housing, education and lifestyle. Recent estimates for Khartoum place four-person household costs around $1,800–$2,000 before considering some additional expenses.
No. Prices can change significantly because of inflation, exchange-rate movements, supply problems and economic conditions. It is therefore better to use current price ranges rather than relying on an old fixed SDG amount.