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: $1,267 in Boksburg versus $1,171 in Durban.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,967 in Boksburg versus $1,816 in Durban.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,667 in Boksburg versus $2,461 in Durban.

Living in Boksburg is roughly 8% more expensive than in Durban, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Boksburg 8% lower, Durban 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.56 R 201

$7.90 R 126

58.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.33 R 741

$39.25 R 628

18.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 R 90.3

$6.07 R 97.1

-7.08%

Cappuccino

$2.34 R 37.39

$2.85 R 45.54

-17.89%

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

$1.13 R 18.01

$1.18 R 18.90

-4.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 14.84

$0.93 R 14.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 R 35.32

$2.54 R 40.61

-12.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R 43.72

$2.61 R 41.73

4.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 R 21.68

$1.30 R 20.88

3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 R 19.35

$1.07 R 17.13

13.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 R 28.44

$1.56 R 24.92

14.10%

Eggs

$2.67 R 42.76

$2.44 R 39.06

9.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 R 149

$8.54 R 137

8.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.57 R 89.1

$5.32 R 85.1

4.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 R 141

$7.14 R 114

23.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 R 30.55

$1.97 R 31.49

-3.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 R 26.78

$1.95 R 31.17

-14.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 R 29.77

$2.04 R 32.68

-8.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 R 30.84

$1.63 R 26.09

18.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 R 28.88

$1.56 R 24.92

15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 R 30.54

$1.44 R 23.10

32.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 R 19.45

$1.25 R 20.05

-2.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 R 21.34

$1.20 R 19.17

10.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 R 55.8

$3.65 R 58.4

-4.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 R 103

$4.95 R 79.2

29.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 R 24.99

$1.50 R 24.05

4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 R 31.74

$2.00 R 31.96

-1.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.91 R 30.50

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.78 R 365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 R 5.19

$0.46 R 7.34

-30.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R 12.59

$0.77 R 12.37

2.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.22 R 244

$7.69 R 123

97.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 R 24.07

$1.49 R 23.92

0.67%

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

$36.5K R 584.6K

$36.5K R 584.4K

0.04%

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

$34.4K R 550.8K

$33.5K R 535.4K

2.87%

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

$222 R 3,551

$144 R 2,312

53.60%

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

$39.12 R 626

$34.78 R 557

12.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.72 R 620

$41.26 R 660

-6.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.35 R 470

$32.89 R 526

-10.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.31 R 149

Cinema Ticket

$8.40 R 134

$6.88 R 110

22.09%

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

$257 R 4,119

$324 R 5,184

-20.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,776 R 92.4K

$8,024 R 128.4K

-28.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 R 872

$56.7 R 907

-3.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.11 R 770

$31.20 R 499

54.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 R 1,697

$101 R 1,608

5.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 R 1,782

$91.2 R 1,459

22.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 R 5,442

$490 R 7,848

-30.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 R 5,777

$390 R 6,235

-7.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$676 R 10.8K

$833 R 13.3K

-18.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$793 R 12.7K

$789 R 12.6K

0.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$924 R 14.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$614 R 9,832

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$915 R 14.6K

$1,293 R 20.7K

-29.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

11.81

-7.62%

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

Last update for Boksburg: September 7, 2026

Last update for Durban: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $340 in Boksburg and $490 in Durban. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durban pays 41% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Boksburg vs $39.00 in Durban for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $200 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 8% in total monthly costs ($1,267 vs $1,171 including rent). Durban is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 41% lower in Durban. 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: $340 in Boksburg versus $490 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 $1,267 per month in Boksburg versus $1,171 in Durban – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,171 in Durban versus $1,267 in Boksburg, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Durban but tight or insufficient in Boksburg. The gap between the two cities makes Durban the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 8% less than in Boksburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.