Cost of Living Comparison Between Bloemfontein and Vanderbijlpark Cost of Living Comparison Between Bloemfontein and Vanderbijlpark

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $962 per month in Bloemfontein vs $991 in Vanderbijlpark, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,461 per month in Bloemfontein vs $1,579 in Vanderbijlpark, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,960 per month in Bloemfontein vs $2,166 in Vanderbijlpark, rent included.

Bloemfontein is about 3% cheaper than Vanderbijlpark, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Bloemfontein and Vanderbijlpark are more affordable than the global median – Bloemfontein 28% lower, Vanderbijlpark 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.14 R 181

$6.74 R 110

65.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.74 R 613

$33.54 R 545

12.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 R 107

$4.67 R 75.8

41.54%

Cappuccino

$1.83 R 29.73

$1.84 R 29.84

-0.54%

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

$1.40 R 22.72

$1.06 R 17.19

32.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 R 15.41

$0.82 R 13.29

15.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 R 38.32

$1.37 R 22.30

72.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 R 35.87

$2.73 R 44.32

-19.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R 16.18

$1.22 R 19.85

-18.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 R 16.00

$1.02 R 16.66

-3.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 R 32.11

$1.57 R 25.53

26.11%

Eggs

$1.99 R 32.34

$2.29 R 37.14

-13.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.99 R 114

$6.57 R 107

6.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.83 R 78.5

$4.51 R 73.3

7.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.99 R 114

$6.12 R 99.5

14.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 R 27.03

$1.63 R 26.57

1.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 R 18.95

$1.61 R 26.18

-27.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 R 23.67

$1.60 R 26.00

-8.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 R 21.68

$1.69 R 27.44

-21.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 R 14.00

$1.33 R 21.56

-35.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 R 28.11

$1.21 R 19.67

42.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 R 17.37

$1.12 R 18.25

-4.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 R 14.79

$1.11 R 18.04

-18.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 R 41.32

$2.82 R 45.79

-9.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.89 R 79.4

$4.25 R 69.1

15.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 R 24.03

$1.50 R 24.41

-1.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 R 24.68

$1.78 R 28.95

-14.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 R 12.66

$5.54 R 90.0

-85.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.16 R 718

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R 17.92

$1.36 R 22.13

-19.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 R 10.74

$0.55 R 8.88

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 R 64.3

$8.48 R 138

-53.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 20.88

$1.28 R 20.86

0.78%

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

$23.0K R 373.6K

$19.5K R 316.6K

18.02%

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

$24.8K R 402.9K

$26.2K R 425.6K

-5.33%

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

$75.3 R 1,224

$124 R 2,016

-39.26%

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

$30.97 R 503

$22.78 R 370

35.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.17 R 571

$37.82 R 615

-7.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.07 R 472

$30.04 R 488

-3.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.03 R 277

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 R 93.4

$6.32 R 103

-9.18%

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

$124 R 2,017

$154 R 2,506

-19.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,264 R 69.3K

$1,102 R 17.9K

286.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 R 915

$47.76 R 776

17.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.94 R 519

$32.16 R 523

-0.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 R 2,055

$86.9 R 1,412

45.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 R 1,491

$89.0 R 1,446

3.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 R 4,779

$333 R 5,414

-11.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 R 4,711

$303 R 4,922

-4.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 R 7,717

$550 R 8,932

-13.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 R 8,273

$664 R 10.8K

-23.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$501 R 8,147

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$640 R 10.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,338 R 21.7K

$1,826 R 29.7K

-26.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.47

4.27%

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

Last update for Bloemfontein: June 2, 2026

Last update for Vanderbijlpark: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $294 in Bloemfontein versus $333 in Vanderbijlpark. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 36% higher in Vanderbijlpark, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Bloemfontein versus $34.00 in Vanderbijlpark. Groceries tell a different story – $171 in Bloemfontein vs $175 in Vanderbijlpark – so Bloemfontein wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Bloemfontein vs Vanderbijlpark: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vanderbijlpark costs about 3% more than Bloemfontein, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,443 per month in Bloemfontein and $1,487 in Vanderbijlpark. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bloemfontein, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Bloemfontein and $34.00 in Vanderbijlpark. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Vanderbijlpark, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $962 in Bloemfontein and $991 in Vanderbijlpark, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Bloemfontein – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Bloemfontein. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vanderbijlpark makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.