São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé
220,000 people in the metro
The gist
A tiny equatorial island capital of cocoa and calm. Everyone knows everyone, and the diaspora shapes marriage.
The score, in four parts
The pool
How many people you could realistically meet, and how balanced the odds are.
Singles 25 to 34
11,000
Never-married people in their late twenties and thirties, estimated
Never married
40% / 29%
Men / women age 25 to 34 who have never married
Balance
More single men than women
141 single men per 100 single women, age 25 to 34
First marriage
26 / 23
Median age for men / women
The scene
Whether people here actually get married, and how open the city is to someone like you.
Want to marry
84%
Single adults who say they want to marry
How fast people marry
26 per 1,000
Weddings per 1,000 unmarried adults each year
Marrying foreigners
2%
Marriages between a local and a foreigner
How people meet
Apps 3/10
Matchmaking and singles events 5/10
The costs
What dating, marrying, and raising a family costs here, against what people earn.
Date night
$25
Dinner for two, drinks, a movie
Family rent
$853/mo
Two incomes expected
A wedding
$4,000
Typical total cost
Household income
$2,500
Median per year
The reality
Safety, stability, and what daily life is like after the honeymoon phase.
Safety
Generally safe
60 out of 100
Divorce
Low divorce rate
0.8 per 1,000 people a year
Healthcare
44/100
Quality of care
English
Common in cities
Everyday usability for a foreigner
The culture
Not scored. Whether these are features or mismatches depends on you.
- Religion shapes daily life
- Family approval matters
- Traditional roles common
Marriage payment custom: None.
* Some numbers come from national statistics and might differ from the city itself. Last updated August 22, 2026.