Cost of Living Comparison Between Da Nang and Pietermaritzburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Da Nang and Pietermaritzburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $704 per month in Da Nang vs $1,052 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,081 per month in Da Nang vs $1,592 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,458 per month in Da Nang vs $2,133 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

Da Nang is about 33% cheaper than Pietermaritzburg, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Da Nang and Pietermaritzburg are more affordable than the global median – Da Nang 47% lower, Pietermaritzburg 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.93 ₫50.8K

$7.92 R 131

-75.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.46 ₫511.5K

$43.07 R 711

-54.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.65 ₫122.2K

$5.57 R 92.0

-16.52%

Cappuccino

$1.61 ₫42.3K

$2.14 R 35.27

-24.77%

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

$0.51 ₫13.4K

$0.93 R 15.28

-45.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₫7,592

$0.70 R 11.56

-58.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 ₫28.2K

$1.64 R 26.98

-34.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₫41.7K

$2.42 R 39.96

-34.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 ₫36.3K

$1.04 R 17.20

32.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₫24.9K

$0.82 R 13.51

15.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 ₫30.7K

$1.52 R 25.05

-23.03%

Eggs

$1.43 ₫37.5K

$2.28 R 37.58

-37.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 ₫331.0K

$7.26 R 120

73.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ₫95.8K

$4.66 R 76.9

-21.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.79 ₫257.3K

$7.06 R 117

38.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ₫72.4K

$1.60 R 26.33

72.50%

Banana (1kg)

$0.94 ₫24.8K

$1.69 R 27.85

-44.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.4K

$1.93 R 31.82

-41.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.6K

$1.73 R 28.58

-39.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 ₫28.9K

$1.53 R 25.20

-28.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ₫31.4K

$1.75 R 28.88

-32.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₫26.3K

$1.23 R 20.38

-18.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₫12.7K

$0.91 R 14.95

-47.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.38 ₫36.3K

$2.89 R 47.71

-52.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 ₫197.7K

$4.02 R 66.3

87.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₫21.4K

$1.40 R 23.08

-42.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₫42.1K

$1.78 R 29.38

-10.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ₫8,321

$2.64 R 43.62

-87.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.73 ₫98.2K

$18.28 R 302

-79.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₫21.5K

$1.71 R 28.16

-52.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₫18.3K

$0.52 R 8.61

32.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.03 ₫316.4K

$4.13 R 68.1

191.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 ₫24.0K

$1.21 R 20.04

-24.79%

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

$27.2K ₫715.1M

$23.7K R 391.0K

14.81%

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

$28.1K ₫739.2M

$22.8K R 376.9K

23.12%

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

$74.1 ₫1.9M

$232 R 3,822

-68.02%

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

$5.97 ₫157.0K

$30.00 R 495

-80.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.07 ₫212.3K

$58.2 R 960

-86.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.06 ₫527.5K

$38.55 R 636

-47.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.52 ₫197.6K

Cinema Ticket

$3.00 ₫78.9K

$5.11 R 84.3

-41.29%

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

$153 ₫4.0M

$151 R 2,489

1.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₫336.9M

$4,784 R 78.9K

167.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.61 ₫1.0M

$62.6 R 1,033

-36.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.60 ₫673.1K

$38.00 R 627

-32.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.7 ₫1.4M

$180 R 2,967

-70.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.9 ₫2.0M

$74.3 R 1,226

3.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 ₫9.6M

$205 R 3,383

78.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 ₫6.4M

$188 R 3,105

29.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ₫19.2M

$511 R 8,438

43.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ₫12.0M

$383 R 6,319

19.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,767 ₫99.0M

$3,624 R 59.8K

3.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,304 ₫34.3M

$447 R 7,383

191.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$359 ₫9.4M

$1,071 R 17.7K

-66.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.67

11.5

-7.22%

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

Last update for Da Nang: July 14, 2026

Last update for Pietermaritzburg: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $365 in Da Nang versus $205 in Pietermaritzburg. 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 198% higher in Pietermaritzburg, 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 $19.00 in Da Nang versus $43.00 in Pietermaritzburg. Groceries tell a different story – $186 in Da Nang vs $177 in Pietermaritzburg – so Pietermaritzburg 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

Da Nang vs Pietermaritzburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $704 in Da Nang, $1,052 in Pietermaritzburg – roughly 49% apart. Pietermaritzburg costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,056 per month in Da Nang and $1,578 in Pietermaritzburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Pietermaritzburg – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Da Nang and $43.00 in Pietermaritzburg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $704 in Da Nang and $1,052 in Pietermaritzburg, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Da Nang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $704 in Da Nang to $1,052 in Pietermaritzburg. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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