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: $1,087 in Benoni versus $1,073 in Durban.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,630 in Benoni versus $1,553 in Durban.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,173 in Benoni versus $2,032 in Durban.

Living in Benoni is roughly 1% more expensive than in Durban, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Benoni 18% lower, Durban 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.28 R 136

$7.66 R 126

8.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.80 R 556

$28.11 R 463

20.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 R 76.2

$5.16 R 85.0

-10.27%

Cappuccino

$2.11 R 34.68

$1.91 R 31.42

10.47%

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

$1.07 R 17.55

$0.93 R 15.37

15.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 R 12.97

$0.68 R 11.14

16.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R 37.34

$2.01 R 33.11

12.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 R 41.97

$2.21 R 36.33

15.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 19.09

$1.04 R 17.19

11.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.63

$0.92 R 15.11

16.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 R 27.30

$1.48 R 24.34

12.16%

Eggs

$2.51 R 41.30

$2.16 R 35.61

16.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 R 129

$7.43 R 122

5.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.62 R 76.1

$4.50 R 74.1

2.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.46 R 106

$6.36 R 105

1.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.92

$1.57 R 25.77

4.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.10

$1.36 R 22.33

11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.56

$1.33 R 21.89

12.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.15

$1.36 R 22.37

21.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 R 21.84

$1.26 R 20.68

5.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 R 19.92

$1.21 R 19.93

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 R 17.40

$1.03 R 16.90

2.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.78

$0.97 R 15.96

-1.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 R 49.33

$3.07 R 50.5

-2.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.99 R 82.1

$4.75 R 78.2

5.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R 22.20

$1.40 R 23.05

-3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 R 26.52

$1.73 R 28.55

-6.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 R 26.46

$1.56 R 25.61

3.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.48 R 633

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R 18.26

$1.69 R 27.84

-34.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 R 15.31

$0.59 R 9.71

57.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 R 50.4

$6.64 R 109

-53.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 21.19

$1.34 R 21.99

-3.73%

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

$22.8K R 374.9K

$20.2K R 333.2K

12.49%

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

$24.3K R 400.1K

$24.4K R 401.5K

-0.36%

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

$125 R 2,062

$144 R 2,375

-13.17%

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

$40.69 R 670

$29.66 R 488

37.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.56 R 701

$34.15 R 562

24.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.62 R 274

$34.48 R 568

-51.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 R 147

Cinema Ticket

$7.29 R 120

$6.65 R 110

9.62%

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

$206 R 3,386

$204 R 3,354

0.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,363 R 71.8K

$4,638 R 76.4K

-5.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 R 827

$42.59 R 701

18.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.05 R 560

$29.49 R 486

15.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 R 1,522

$93.3 R 1,536

-0.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 R 1,321

$73.1 R 1,203

9.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 R 5,994

$372 R 6,125

-2.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 R 7,147

$366 R 6,021

18.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 R 7,362

$756 R 12.5K

-40.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$722 R 11.9K

$582 R 9,584

24.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$872 R 14.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$581 R 9,569

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,008 R 33.1K

$1,212 R 20.0K

65.64%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Durban: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $364 in Benoni and $372 in Durban. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Benoni pays 66% 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 $179 vs $168 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 1% in total monthly costs ($1,087 vs $1,073 including rent). Durban is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 66% higher in Benoni, 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: $364 in Benoni versus $372 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 $1,087 per month in Benoni versus $1,073 in Durban – a 1% 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 1% less than in Benoni. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.