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 $874 per month in Da Nang vs $1,072 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,402 per month in Da Nang vs $1,600 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,930 per month in Da Nang vs $2,129 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

Da Nang is about 19% cheaper than Pietermaritzburg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Da Nang and Pietermaritzburg are more affordable than the global median – Da Nang 36% lower, Pietermaritzburg 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.33 ₫60.8K

$7.92 R 126

-70.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.42 ₫506.1K

$37.51 R 598

-48.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.46 ₫116.3K

$5.78 R 92.2

-22.84%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ₫44.9K

$2.44 R 38.96

-29.51%

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

$0.68 ₫17.8K

$1.21 R 19.29

-43.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₫8,927

$1.02 R 16.33

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 ₫33.9K

$2.33 R 37.23

-44.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ₫61.5K

$2.61 R 41.71

-9.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ₫40.1K

$1.38 R 22.00

11.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ₫31.9K

$0.95 R 15.18

28.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.5K

$1.79 R 28.52

-40.78%

Eggs

$1.52 ₫39.7K

$3.33 R 53.1

-54.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 ₫337.8K

$7.20 R 115

80.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ₫105.6K

$5.24 R 83.5

-22.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.27 ₫241.6K

$6.93 R 111

33.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 ₫70.2K

$2.10 R 33.52

28.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 ₫28.9K

$2.02 R 32.25

-45.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ₫34.5K

$2.40 R 38.32

-44.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 ₫35.9K

$2.05 R 32.74

-32.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ₫28.5K

$1.79 R 28.53

-39.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ₫31.6K

$1.81 R 28.91

-33.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₫26.8K

$1.59 R 25.34

-35.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₫13.6K

$1.11 R 17.67

-53.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.55 ₫40.5K

$3.27 R 52.1

-52.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.71 ₫201.0K

$4.06 R 64.8

89.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ₫23.5K

$1.42 R 22.69

-36.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₫55.8K

$1.84 R 29.42

16.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ₫8,217

$2.97 R 47.32

-89.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.07 ₫132.0K

$19.96 R 318

-74.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 ₫26.9K

$1.71 R 27.20

-39.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ₫17.0K

$1.07 R 17.00

-39.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.08 ₫497.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 ₫22.2K

$1.41 R 22.55

-39.72%

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

$30.7K ₫800.8M

$27.8K R 442.7K

10.76%

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

$27.6K ₫717.9M

$27.6K R 440.1K

-0.14%

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

$88.0 ₫2.3M

$210 R 3,351

-58.11%

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

$6.28 ₫163.6K

$32.58 R 520

-80.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.91 ₫206.1K

$38.29 R 611

-79.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.18 ₫578.0K

$44.49 R 710

-50.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.30 ₫138.1K

$3.10 R 49.40

70.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.02 ₫78.6K

$4.88 R 77.8

-38.11%

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

$161 ₫4.2M

$186 R 2,970

-13.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ₫394.1M

$5,342 R 85.2K

183.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.10 ₫1.2M

$58.3 R 930

-20.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.21 ₫708.9K

$35.24 R 562

-22.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₫2.7M

$120 R 1,915

-14.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.7 ₫2.1M

$70.4 R 1,122

16.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 ₫13.8M

$228 R 3,636

132.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ₫9.0M

$227 R 3,616

52.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,037 ₫27.0M

$617 R 9,841

68.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$809 ₫21.1M

$424 R 6,763

90.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,809 ₫99.2M

$6,128 R 97.7K

-37.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,312 ₫34.2M

$152 R 2,428

762.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$350 ₫9.1M

$1,090 R 17.4K

-67.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.72

11.67

-8.14%

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

Last update for Da Nang: August 30, 2026

Last update for Pietermaritzburg: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $529 in Da Nang versus $228 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 212% 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 $38.00 in Pietermaritzburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $202 – making Da Nang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $874 in Da Nang, $1,072 in Pietermaritzburg – roughly 23% apart. Pietermaritzburg costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,311 per month in Da Nang and $1,608 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.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Da Nang and $38.00 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 $874 in Da Nang and $1,072 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 $874 in Da Nang to $1,072 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.