Cost of Living Comparison Between Benoni and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Benoni and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,097 in Benoni versus $1,068 in Durban.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,409 in Benoni versus $1,560 in Durban.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,721 in Benoni versus $2,052 in Durban.

Living in Benoni is roughly 3% more expensive than Durban, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Benoni 18% lower, Durban 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 R 140

$7.36 R 122

15.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.00 R 563

$27.78 R 460

22.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 R 76.4

$5.18 R 85.7

-10.81%

Cappuccino

$2.05 R 33.98

$1.92 R 31.72

6.77%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 R 16.72

$0.87 R 14.45

16.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 R 12.97

$0.68 R 11.18

14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 R 36.73

$1.91 R 31.59

16.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 R 42.44

$2.27 R 37.53

12.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 18.99

$1.00 R 16.51

15.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 R 16.87

$0.96 R 15.85

6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 R 28.62

$1.43 R 23.62

20.98%

Eggs

$2.49 R 41.23

$2.13 R 35.24

16.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.87 R 130

$7.47 R 124

5.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 R 77.0

$4.60 R 76.1

1.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.34 R 105

$6.27 R 104

1.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.67

$1.57 R 26.04

6.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 R 25.39

$1.37 R 22.64

11.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.71

$1.32 R 21.89

12.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.35

$1.31 R 21.70

25.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 R 21.81

$1.27 R 21.06

3.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 R 19.42

$1.18 R 19.53

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.99

$0.98 R 16.23

11.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.51

$0.90 R 14.95

-2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 R 52.3

$3.02 R 50.0

4.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.19 R 86.0

$4.90 R 81.1

5.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 R 21.83

$1.46 R 24.13

-9.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 R 26.52

$1.74 R 28.78

-8.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 R 27.54

$1.50 R 24.79

10.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.01 R 629

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R 19.01

$1.65 R 27.27

-30.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 15.73

$0.58 R 9.60

63.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 R 51.7

$6.62 R 110

-52.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 21.31

$1.33 R 21.98

-3.01%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.4K R 370.7K

$20.4K R 338.2K

9.61%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.5K R 389.4K

$24.1K R 399.0K

-2.41%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$124 R 2,050

$142 R 2,355

-12.93%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$40.14 R 664

$29.90 R 495

34.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.03 R 712

$34.35 R 569

25.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.47 R 273

$34.01 R 563

-51.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.31 R 154

Cinema Ticket

$7.27 R 120

$6.64 R 110

9.49%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$211 R 3,494

$203 R 3,367

3.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,372 R 72.4K

$4,644 R 76.9K

-5.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 R 847

$42.65 R 706

19.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.05 R 547

$30.30 R 501

9.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 R 1,480

$95.7 R 1,584

-6.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.4 R 1,297

$71.7 R 1,186

9.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 R 6,056

$374 R 6,182

-2.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 R 7,176

$358 R 5,927

21.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 R 7,304

$753 R 12.5K

-41.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 R 39.4K

$593 R 9,820

301.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$824 R 13.6K

$945 R 15.6K

-12.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,031 R 17.1K

$680 R 11.3K

51.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,907 R 31.6K

$1,262 R 20.9K

51.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

12.01

-4.16%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Benoni: April 27, 2026

Last update for Durban: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $366 in Benoni and $374 in Durban. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Benoni pays 51% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $34.00 in Benoni vs $28.00 in Durban for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $178 vs $167 per month, with Durban cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Benoni vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Benoni and Durban differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,097 vs $1,068 including rent). Durban is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Benoni pays 51% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $366 in Benoni versus $374 in Durban. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Benoni. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,097 per month in Benoni versus $1,068 in Durban – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Durban gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Benoni and Durban are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Durban gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Benoni. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.