Living in São Tomé, São Tomé & Príncipe

São Tomé is a smaller coastal city in São Tomé & Príncipe (under 250,000 people in the city proper). It has a warm climate, averaging 26°C over the year with about 1,692 mm of rain. We estimate a couple needs about €2,848 a month to live centrally. For foreigners, long-term residency in São Tomé & Príncipe is possible, with conditions.

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Est. cost
€2,848
a month for a couple
Climate
26°C
1,692 mm rain a year
Size
Smaller
under 250,000 people
Safety
61/100
country-level
Residency
Possible, with conditions
for most foreigners

Limited data for São Tomé & Príncipe. Figures for safety, healthcare, cost of living and political stability in São Tomé & Príncipe are country-level estimates from World Bank indicators, each named with its year. We have no tax, English, social openness or internet speed figures for São Tomé & Príncipe, so the quiz scores those factors conservatively and this page leaves them out.

What stands out about São Tomé

  • On or near the sea

Healthcare

São Tomé & Príncipe scores 52 out of 100 for healthcare, stronger than 8% of the cities we compare.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in São Tomé & Príncipe: life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024) and current health spending per person in US dollars (SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, 2023), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Climate

São Tomé averages 26°C across the year with about 1,692 mm of rain, which makes it warm and very wet. It is warmer than 81% of the 1225 cities we track, and it sits on the coast.

Source: Temperature from the Open-Meteo historical weather archive, daily means for 2019 to 2023; rainfall from TerraClimate (University of Idaho) 1991 to 2020 normals. Annual averages; monthly breakdowns are not in our dataset yet.

Residency and visas

Possible, with conditions. Temporary residence is available via employment, self-employment with sufficient funds, study, or family ties, and since 2025 a remote citizenship-by-investment donation route grants status outright with no physical-presence requirement.

The cheapest self-funded routes we track for São Tomé & Príncipe:

  • Investment: about $95k (São Tomé and Príncipe citizenship-by-investment, USD 90,000 donation to the National Transformation Fund plus USD 5,000 application fee (single applicant); figures already in USD; as of June 2026)

For short visits, 56 of 198 passports can enter visa-free and 142 can get an e-visa or visa on arrival.

Source: OurNextCity residency dataset, hand-reviewed approximations researched against published immigration rules, figures as of June 2026. Not legal advice: check the official source before you apply. Short-stay entry from the passport-index dataset (ilyankou, MIT).

Cost of living

We estimate a couple needs about €2,848 a month to live centrally in São Tomé, 4% above the €2,729 median across the 900 cities we compare. That makes it more affordable than 40% of them.

Source: OurNextCity model from the price level of GDP relative to the United States, from GDP per person in US dollars and at purchasing power parity (NY.GDP.PCAP.CD/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD, 2025), calibrated to our country-level cost index (New York = 100) and scaled up for larger cities. An estimate for comparing cities, not a budget. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Safety and stability

São Tomé & Príncipe scores 61 out of 100 on safety, safer than 54% of the cities we compare. Its estimated democracy score is 6.3 out of 10.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in São Tomé & Príncipe: Worldwide Governance Indicators Political Stability and Absence of Violence estimate (GOV_WGI_PV.EST, 2025) and life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables (higher is safer). Stability: Worldwide Governance Indicators Voice and Accountability estimate (GOV_WGI_VA.EST, 2025), calibrated to the EIU Democracy Index scale. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Questions couples ask about São Tomé

Is São Tomé a good place to live for couples?

It depends on what the two of you weigh most. It is weaker on healthcare. Our figures for São Tomé & Príncipe are partial: no tax, English, social openness or internet speed data, and country-level World Bank estimates for the rest. Expect a warm, very wet climate (26°C average). OurNextCity has each partner answer 12 questions privately, then ranks São Tomé and 914 other cities for both of you at once.

How much does it cost a couple to live in São Tomé?

We estimate about €2,848 a month for a couple living centrally, 4% above the €2,729 median across the cities we compare. It is a model estimate from the World Bank price level of GDP for São Tomé & Príncipe, calibrated to our country-level cost index adjusted for city size, so use it to compare cities rather than to set a budget.

Can foreigners live in São Tomé & Príncipe long term?

Our assessment: possible, with conditions. Temporary residence is available via employment, self-employment with sufficient funds, study, or family ties, and since 2025 a remote citizenship-by-investment donation route grants status outright with no physical-presence requirement. The cheapest self-funded routes we track: investment, about $95k (as of 2026-06).

What is the weather like in São Tomé?

São Tomé averages 26°C across the year with about 1,692 mm of rain, which makes it warm and very wet. It is warmer than 81% of the cities we track.

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