Cost Of Living For a Student in Al Khartoom 2025
Average Monthly Expenditure
Currency: SDG
Average monthly spending for students in Al Khartoom
How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Al Khartoom?
Students in Al Khartoom spend around 6,000 SDG per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 900 SDG or as high as 40,000 SDG. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Al Khartoom
Dining, food, and beverages costs
Fast food combo meal
Restaurant meal for one
Fine dining meal for one
Cappuccino or latte
Grocery and market costs
Milk large bottle
12 eggs
Fresh whole chicken
Pack of beef
Medium bag of rice
Bag of tomatos
Bag of apples
Commute, travel, and transportation costs
20 minutes taxi ride
Average car full tank
Average car 1-day rental
Average car price
| 26,000 SDG | 52,000 SDG | 70,000 SDG |
Bus ticket one way
Car Service
Utility cost (monthly)
Utility Bill - Student
Internet and cable
Mobile phone charges
Leisure and activities costs
Movie ticket
One month gym membership
Cloths and accessories costs
Pair of jeans or pants
Woman dress
Woman shoes
Men's shoes
Men suit
Regular t-shirt
Housing costs / monthly rent
Studio apartment
| 960 SDG | 1,400 SDG | 3,800 SDG |
1-bedroom apartment
| 1,400 SDG | 2,300 SDG | 5,800 SDG |
2-bedroom apartment
| 1,900 SDG | 2,900 SDG | 7,700 SDG |
Housing costs / Buying
Studio apartment
| 190,000 SDG | 290,000 SDG | 580,000 SDG |
1-bedroom apartment
| 230,000 SDG | 380,000 SDG | 1.4M SDG |
2-bedroom apartment
| 380,000 SDG | 1.2M SDG | 2.3M SDG |
Furniture Costs
King Size Bed
| 1,000 SDG | 1,300 SDG | 1,700 SDG |
Double Bed
| 700 SDG | 1,000 SDG | 1,300 SDG |
Single Bed
| 620 SDG | 800 SDG | 1,000 SDG |
Living Room
| 1,200 SDG | 1,500 SDG | 5,200 SDG |
Dining Table
| 520 SDG | 700 SDG | 1,300 SDG |
Sofa or Couch
| 700 SDG | 950 SDG | 2,100 SDG |
Electronics and House Appliance Costs
TV Set
| 700 SDG | 1,000 SDG | 2,100 SDG |
Fridge or Freezer
| 620 SDG | 950 SDG | 1,300 SDG |
Washing Machine
| 800 SDG | 1,200 SDG | 2,100 SDG |
Stove or Cooker
| 750 SDG | 950 SDG | 1,300 SDG |
Mobile Phone
| 870 SDG | 1,000 SDG | 1,500 SDG |
Laptop or Computer
| 950 SDG | 1,200 SDG | 2,100 SDG |
How do students spend their money in Al Khartoom?
We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.
Housing and accomodation expenditure for students
Accomodation Cost16%
16% of total expenses on average (11% to 22%)
| LOW | $0.36 220 SDG |
| AVERAGE | $2.4 1,500 SDG |
| HIGH | $16 9,700 SDG |
| Per Month |
Students in Al Khartoom typically spend from 11% to 22% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 16% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 1,500 SDG with expenditure ranging from 220 SDG to 9,700 SDG. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.
Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students
Cost of utilities7%
7% of total expenses on average (5% to 11%)
| LOW | $0.06 36 SDG |
| AVERAGE | $0.40 240 SDG |
| HIGH | $2.7 1,600 SDG |
| Per Month |
Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Al Khartoom ranges from 5% to 11% of total expenses with 7% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 240 SDG with 36 SDG and 1,600 SDG being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.
Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students
Cost of transport and fuel3%
3% of total expenses on average (4% to 9%)
| LOW | $0.11 63 SDG |
| AVERAGE | $0.70 420 SDG |
| HIGH | $4.7 2,800 SDG |
| Per Month |
Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 63 SDG to 2,800 SDG in a month on commuting with 420 SDG being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 3% of total spending on average but can go as low as 4% or as high as 9%.
Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students
Food and Groceries Cost24%
24% of total expenses on average (18% to 28%)
| LOW | $0.30 180 SDG |
| AVERAGE | $2 1,200 SDG |
| HIGH | $13 8,100 SDG |
| Per Month |
The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Al Khartoom is 1,200 SDG. The cost of groceries can range between 180 SDG to 8,100 SDG. Students spend on average about 24% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 18% and 28% respectively.
Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students
Cost of healthcare10%
10% of total expenses on average (7% to 13%)
| LOW | $0.09 54 SDG |
| AVERAGE | $0.60 360 SDG |
| HIGH | $4 2,400 SDG |
| Per Month |
Students in Al Khartoom allocate 7% to 13% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 10%. The range of medical expenses range from 54 SDG to 2,400 SDG with 360 SDG being the norm for most students.
Leisure and shopping expenditure for students
Cost of leisure and shopping2%
2% of total expenses on average (1% to 6%)
| LOW | $0.08 45 SDG |
| AVERAGE | $0.50 300 SDG |
| HIGH | $3.4 2,000 SDG |
| Per Month |
This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 45 SDG to 2,000 SDG with 300 SDG being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 1% to 6% of total expenses with an average of 2% for most students.
Education and schooling expenditure for students
Cost of education and schooling18%
18% of total expenses on average (11% to 23%)
| LOW | $0.29 170 SDG |
| AVERAGE | $1.9 1,100 SDG |
| HIGH | $13 7,700 SDG |
| Per Month |
Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 18% of the monthly expenditure of students with 11% and 23% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 1,100 SDG per month with 170 SDG being the minimum spent amount and 7,700 SDG being the maximum.
Other Expenses20%
20% of total expenses on average (14% to 26%)
| LOW | $0.23 140 SDG |
| AVERAGE | $1.5 910 SDG |
| HIGH | $10 6,000 SDG |
| Per Month |
A typical and healthy budgeting structure
The 50/30/20 rule
Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle,
location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule,
which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.
50% for needs and financial obligations
This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.
30% for wants and discretionary spending
This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.
20% for savings and emergency fund
This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.
About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting
The 50/30/20 rule is used as a general guideline but may not be the best choice for all people. There are in fact many budgeting plans out there like the 70/20/10 and the 60/20/20 rules, all claiming to be the best. More important than all of this is to establish financial discipline by creating a budget tailored to your specific financial goals and situation. It is very important that your financial outflow be less than your income to maintain a healthy cash flow.
Affordable living in Al Khartoom
Income and cost of living compatibility
We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.
Is it affordable or economical to live in Al Khartoom?
Around 46% of surveyed students think that living in Al Khartoom is affordable with proper budgeting while 54% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.
Low-cost alternatives in Al Khartoom
People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:
Plenty of low-cost options58%
Few low-cost options43%
Based on the survey, 58% of the students living in Al Khartoom have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 43% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.
Emergency Funds For Students
An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students of Al Khartoom whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.
Yes45%
No56%
Based on the survey, 56% of the students living in Al Khartoom said that they don't have an emergency fund while 45% said that they do.
Financial Literacy in Sudan
Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.
Financial Leteracy37%
We asked student guardians and parents in Al Khartoom whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 63% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 37% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.
Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning
We wanted to understand whether students of Sudan have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 57% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 43% said that they have everything under control.
Struggles with finance57%
Easily manages finances43%
Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Al Khartoom
Rental costs and house/apartment prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Rent Cost in Al Khartoom
Monthly Rent Prices
Studio apartment monthly rent cost
| 960 SDG | 1,400 SDG | 3,800 SDG |
1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 1,400 SDG | 2,300 SDG | 5,800 SDG |
2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 1,900 SDG | 2,900 SDG | 7,700 SDG |
3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 2,300 SDG | 3,800 SDG | 10,000 SDG |
Furnished apartment monthly rent cost
| 4,600 SDG | 12,000 SDG | 23,000 SDG |
Townhouse monthly rent cost
| 3,800 SDG | 5,800 SDG | 16,000 SDG |
House monthly rent cost
| 4,600 SDG | 12,000 SDG | 23,000 SDG |
Villa monthly rent cost
| 5,800 SDG | 14,000 SDG | 23,000 SDG |
The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Al Khartoom ranges between 960 SDG and 3,800 SDG, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 1,400 SDG to 5,800 SDG. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 1,900 SDG and 7,700 SDG per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 2,300 SDG to 10,000 SDG. The average rent of a townhouse in Al Khartoom is around 5,800 SDG while house rental costs can be as high as 12,000 SDG per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 5,800 SDG to 23,000 SDG per month.
Apartment and house prices in Al Khartoom
Cost of buying a property
Studio apartment price
| 190,000 SDG | 290,000 SDG | 580,000 SDG |
1-bedroom apartment price
| 230,000 SDG | 380,000 SDG | 1.4M SDG |
2-bedroom apartment price
| 380,000 SDG | 1.2M SDG | 2.3M SDG |
3-bedroom apartment price
| 1.3M SDG | 1.9M SDG | 5.8M SDG |
Townhouse price
| 1.6M SDG | 3.8M SDG | 14M SDG |
House price
Villa price
The average price of a studio apartment in Al Khartoom can range from 190,000 SDG to 580,000 SDG depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 230,000 SDG to 1.4M SDG. A villa can cost you 13M SDG on average with prices ranging from 2.3M SDG to 19M SDG.
If you're leasing or purchasing, housing costs in Al Khartoom will probably constitute your biggest expenditure, yet it's an area where you wield considerable influence. This is due to the substantial variance in housing prices across communities. Keep in mind the location of your workplace and the accessibility of essential amenities to prevent negating the savings from lower rental rates with increased transportation expenses.
House / apartment prices to income ratio
Property price to income ratio
( average property price / average monthly income ) x 100
| 29 | x80 monthly income | 200 |
Property prices in Al Khartoom can be x80 to x200 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x80 multiples of the average monthly salary in Al Khartoom.
Rent to income ratio
Rent to income ratio
( monthly rental / monthly income ) x 100
The average rent-to-income ratio in Al Khartoom is around 29%. This means that people pay 29% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 18% to 40% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.
The housing-to-income ratio is a very important metric to evaluate and measure how affordable living is in a particular area, city, or country since housing comprises the biggest chunk of expenditure. A higher housing to income ratio means that the place is relatively expensive. The figure by itself does tell much. It only starts to make sense when comparing the housing to income ratio across different locations.
Housing affordability index
The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.
Housing Affordability Index
27% Property Taxes
Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.
Home Maintenance Costs
Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.
Urban vs. rural living costs
Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.
Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Al Khartoom
Utilities expenditure can vary slightly between different areas and locations.
Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Al Khartoom
Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student
Internet and cable cost
Mobile phone bill and charges
Because most utility bills club electricity, water, and gas costs in one bill, we can't provide a breakup for each type of utility and will display electricity, gas, and water as single cost.
The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 240 SDG. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 52 SDG to 140 SDG with 100 SDG being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 70 SDG but can range between 42 SDG and 210 SDG depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.
Energy / Utility expense to income ratio
( monthly utility expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average utility-to-income ratio in Al Khartoom is around 7.6%. This means that people pay 7.6% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 4.3% to 12% depending on salary and location.
Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Al Khartoom
Grocery / Food expenditure and prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Al Khartoom
Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.
Fast food combo meal price
The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Al Khartoom is approximatly 21 SDG with meal cost ranging from 10 SDG to 35 SDG. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.
Restaurant meal for one price
If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 37 SDG and 110 SDG with 55 SDG being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Al Khartoom.
Fine dining meal for one price
The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 73 SDG to 440 SDG with the average cost being 110 SDG for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Al Khartoom.
Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..
The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Al Khartoom is around 14 SDG. Price ranges between 8.7 SDG and 21 SDG depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.
Grocery and market costs
Large bottle of milk price
The average price of a large bottle of milk in Al Khartoom is 8.4 SDG. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 10 SDG and the minimum being 7 SDG depending on the brand of milk and other properties.
12 eggs price
A dozen eggs costs around 7 SDG on average with 5.2 SDG and 10 SDG being the lower and upper limits respectively.
Fresh whole chicken price
The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Al Khartoom is between 12 SDG and 22 SDG depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 15 SDG.
Pack of beef price
The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 21 SDG. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.
Medium bag of rice price
A bag of rice in Al Khartoom costs around 7.7 SDG on average with prices rangeing between 5.6 SDG and 11 SDG depending on the brand and quality.
Bag of tomatos price
A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 2.1 SDG to 5.2 SDG. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Bag of apples price
A bag of apples costs 4.9 SDG on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio
( monthly grocery expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average grocery-to-income ratio in Al Khartoom is around 30%. This means that students spend 30% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 22% to 37% depending on salary and location.
Expenditure on food and grocery for students
Students' spending on grocery ranges from 180 SDG to 8,100 SDG with the location, income, and size of the student being the most determinite factors.
