South Africa
Compared with Thailand, using real observed prices.
Baseline: 
Thailand = 1×
South Africa
vs
Thailand
Overall verdict
South Africa is about 1.12× Thailand.
Average across 4 categories, 5 items with data
The shape of prices (vs Thailand = 1×)
How to read this
The centre line is Thailand. 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 Thailand
Thailand = 1×
South Africa is pricier →
Thailand
Thailand = 1×
South Africa is pricier →
Thin bar shows the range (cheapest to priciest item in the category)
In South Africa, Electricity 1kWh (household) costs 1.6× what it does in Thailand — but Big Mac costs only 0.8×. 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 ×1.65South Africa
฿6.79
USD 0.209Thailand
฿4.13
USD 0.127
-
Diesel 1L 1 L ×1.61South Africa
฿55.75
USD 1.67Thailand
฿34.59
USD 1.036
-
Gasoline 1L 1 L ×1.17South Africa
฿52.05
USD 1.559Thailand
฿44.54
USD 1.334
-
PC game (Cyberpunk 2077) 1 game ×0.89South Africa
฿1,600
ZAR 799Thailand
฿1,799
THB 1,799
-
Big Mac 1 burger ×0.78South Africa
฿105.43
ZAR 54.9Thailand
฿135.00
THB 135
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
+41%
in THB
It rose 64% in local currency, but 41% in yours. Most of what you feel is the exchange rate, not South Africa's inflation.
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