Cost of Living Comparison Between Bhisho and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Bhisho and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,022 in Bhisho versus $1,058 in Durban.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,619 in Bhisho versus $1,552 in Durban.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,216 in Bhisho versus $2,046 in Durban.

Living in Bhisho costs roughly 3% less than in Durban, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bhisho 24% lower, Durban 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.48 R 138

$7.60 R 123

11.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.22 R 540

$28.12 R 457

18.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 R 78.6

$4.97 R 80.8

-2.62%

Cappuccino

$2.03 R 33.05

$1.97 R 31.98

3.05%

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

$1.04 R 16.86

$0.87 R 14.12

19.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 R 12.32

$0.67 R 10.94

13.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 R 36.04

$1.93 R 31.30

15.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 R 40.45

$2.22 R 36.02

12.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 R 17.94

$1.00 R 16.18

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 R 17.18

$0.91 R 14.80

16.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.36

$1.48 R 24.13

9.46%

Eggs

$2.38 R 38.74

$2.11 R 34.25

12.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.48 R 121

$7.28 R 118

2.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 R 75.3

$4.59 R 74.7

0.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.82 R 111

$6.33 R 103

7.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 R 26.00

$1.57 R 25.53

1.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 R 24.84

$1.36 R 22.08

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.25

$1.38 R 22.43

7.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.69

$1.36 R 22.14

16.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 R 21.51

$1.27 R 20.66

3.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R 20.16

$1.18 R 19.18

5.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.71

$0.97 R 15.82

12.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 R 16.04

$0.96 R 15.57

3.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.83 R 45.96

$3.13 R 50.9

-9.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.03 R 81.7

$5.02 R 81.6

0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 R 22.35

$1.46 R 23.74

-5.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 26.84

$1.75 R 28.39

-5.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 27.20

$1.50 R 24.33

11.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.84 R 371

$37.86 R 615

-39.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 R 18.44

$1.71 R 27.76

-33.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 R 15.19

$0.61 R 9.95

52.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 R 66.5

$6.78 R 110

-39.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 R 19.97

$1.28 R 20.73

-3.91%

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

$21.0K R 341.5K

$20.3K R 330.0K

3.49%

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

$24.2K R 392.7K

$24.2K R 393.9K

-0.30%

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

$119 R 1,927

$147 R 2,388

-19.28%

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

$34.55 R 561

$29.29 R 476

17.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.91 R 665

$33.72 R 548

21.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.43 R 495

$34.46 R 560

-11.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.01 R 179

$9.14 R 149

20.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 R 112

$6.56 R 107

4.73%

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

$199 R 3,239

$210 R 3,405

-4.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,387 R 71.3K

$4,585 R 74.5K

-4.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.69 R 807

$42.78 R 695

16.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.95 R 519

$29.50 R 479

8.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 R 1,429

$93.3 R 1,515

-5.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 R 1,289

$73.1 R 1,187

8.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 R 5,949

$373 R 6,063

-1.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 R 5,410

$368 R 5,974

-9.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 R 11.2K

$754 R 12.2K

-8.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 R 11.3K

$594 R 9,651

16.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$908 R 14.8K

$910 R 14.8K

-0.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$715 R 11.6K

$581 R 9,440

23.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,353 R 54.5K

$1,395 R 22.7K

140.37%

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 Bhisho: June 2, 2026

Last update for Durban: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $366 in Bhisho and $373 in Durban. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bhisho pays 140% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Bhisho vs $28.00 in Durban for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $178 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

Bhisho vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bhisho wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Durban. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bhisho the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Bhisho pays 140% 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 Bhisho versus $373 in Durban. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $199 in Bhisho versus $210 in Durban. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Durban pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bhisho 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.

Expats usually find Bhisho gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Durban. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.