South Africa
Compared with Costa Rica, using real observed prices.
Baseline: 
Costa Rica = 1×
South Africa
vs
Costa Rica
Overall verdict
South Africa is about 0.89× Costa Rica.
Average across 3 categories, 5 items with data
The shape of prices (vs Costa Rica = 1×)
How to read this
The centre line is Costa Rica. A bar running right means South Africa is pricier; running left means cheaper. The thin bar behind shows the range from the cheapest to the priciest item in that category.
← Cheaper than Costa Rica
Costa Rica = 1×
South Africa is pricier →
Costa Rica
Costa Rica = 1×
South Africa is pricier →
Thin bar shows the range (cheapest to priciest item in the category)
In South Africa, Electricity 1kWh (household) costs 1.2× what it does in Costa Rica — but Big Mac costs only 0.6×. What is expensive here is energy, not the goods that carry a world price.
Real prices. Real sources. Real dates.
-
Electricity 1kWh (household) 1 kWh ×1.23South Africa
CRC 103.46
USD 0.209Costa Rica
CRC 84.15
USD 0.17
-
Diesel 1L 1 L ×1.11South Africa
CRC 826.65
USD 1.67Costa Rica
CRC 745.96
USD 1.507
-
Gasoline 1L 1 L ×0.93South Africa
CRC 771.70
USD 1.559Costa Rica
CRC 825.66
USD 1.668
-
Big Mac 1 burger ×0.56South Africa
CRC 1,662
ZAR 54.9Costa Rica
CRC 2,990
CRC 2,990
See what really changed
Big Mac, 2021 → 2026At the timeUsing the exchange rate of each date
+64%
in ZAR
33.5 → 54.9
33.5 → 54.9
vs
At today's rateUsing today's exchange rate
+18%
in CRC
It rose 64% in local currency, but 18% in yours. Most of what you feel is the exchange rate, not South Africa's inflation.
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