Cost of Living Comparison Between Boksburg and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Boksburg and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,067 in Boksburg versus $1,058 in Durban.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,657 in Boksburg versus $1,552 in Durban.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,248 in Boksburg versus $2,046 in Durban.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Boksburg 20% lower, Durban 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.00 R 180

$7.60 R 124

44.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.53 R 679

$28.12 R 460

47.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 R 78.6

$4.97 R 81.3

-3.22%

Cappuccino

$2.13 R 34.74

$1.97 R 32.17

8.12%

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

$1.03 R 16.81

$0.87 R 14.21

18.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.32

$0.67 R 11.00

22.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 R 36.79

$1.93 R 31.48

16.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 R 44.49

$2.22 R 36.23

22.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.51

$1.00 R 16.27

19.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 R 17.20

$0.91 R 14.89

15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.68

$1.48 R 24.27

6.08%

Eggs

$2.52 R 41.22

$2.11 R 34.46

19.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 R 127

$7.28 R 119

6.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 R 73.8

$4.59 R 75.1

-1.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.58 R 108

$6.33 R 104

3.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.72

$1.57 R 25.68

3.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.33

$1.36 R 22.21

9.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.85

$1.38 R 22.57

14.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.85

$1.36 R 22.27

20.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.47

$1.27 R 20.78

18.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.59

$1.18 R 19.29

22.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 R 17.00

$0.97 R 15.92

7.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 R 18.84

$0.96 R 15.67

19.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 R 48.95

$3.13 R 51.3

-4.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.07 R 99.2

$5.02 R 82.1

20.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R 22.07

$1.46 R 23.88

-7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 R 28.90

$1.75 R 28.55

1.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 27.37

$1.50 R 24.47

11.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.86 R 619

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 17.81

$1.71 R 27.92

-36.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 R 14.84

$0.61 R 10.01

49.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 R 51.1

$6.78 R 111

-53.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 21.13

$1.28 R 20.85

0.78%

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

$18.9K R 308.7K

$20.3K R 331.9K

-7.01%

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

$23.8K R 388.9K

$24.2K R 396.2K

-1.85%

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

$124 R 2,030

$147 R 2,402

-15.49%

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

$39.83 R 651

$29.29 R 479

35.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.92 R 702

$33.72 R 551

27.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.04 R 458

$34.46 R 563

-18.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.82 R 111

$9.14 R 149

-25.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.59 R 124

$6.56 R 107

15.70%

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

$200 R 3,275

$210 R 3,425

-4.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,899 R 80.1K

$4,585 R 75.0K

6.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 R 818

$42.78 R 699

17.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.96 R 522

$29.50 R 482

8.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 R 1,455

$93.3 R 1,524

-4.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.6 R 1,285

$73.1 R 1,194

7.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$305 R 4,978

$373 R 6,099

-18.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 R 5,440

$368 R 6,009

-9.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 R 9,930

$754 R 12.3K

-19.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 R 11.9K

$594 R 9,708

22.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$910 R 14.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$581 R 9,496

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$900 R 14.7K

$1,395 R 22.8K

-35.47%

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 Boksburg: June 1, 2026

Last update for Durban: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $305 in Boksburg and $373 in Durban. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durban pays 55% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Boksburg vs $28.00 in Durban for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 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

Boksburg vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boksburg and Durban differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,067 vs $1,058 including rent). Durban is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Durban earns 55% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $305 in Boksburg versus $373 in Durban. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Boksburg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,067 per month in Boksburg versus $1,058 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.

Expats usually find Durban gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Boksburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.