Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Benoni Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Benoni

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,043 in Durban versus $1,121 in Benoni.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,554 in Durban versus $1,638 in Benoni.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,065 in Durban versus $2,155 in Benoni.

Living in Durban costs roughly 7% less than in Benoni, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Durban 22% lower, Benoni 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 R 119

$8.60 R 139

-14.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.44 R 460

$34.15 R 553

-16.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 R 82.9

$4.67 R 75.7

9.64%

Cappuccino

$1.93 R 31.23

$2.12 R 34.24

-8.96%

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

$0.87 R 14.01

$1.07 R 17.29

-18.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 R 11.47

$0.79 R 12.76

-10.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 R 32.03

$2.19 R 35.47

-9.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 R 36.71

$2.50 R 40.42

-9.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 R 16.73

$1.20 R 19.45

-14.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 R 14.65

$1.02 R 16.51

-11.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R 22.83

$1.70 R 27.48

-17.06%

Eggs

$2.18 R 35.35

$2.41 R 39.07

-9.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 R 120

$7.82 R 127

-5.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 R 73.5

$4.68 R 75.7

-2.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.35 R 103

$6.48 R 105

-2.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.41

$1.67 R 27.03

-9.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 R 21.93

$1.48 R 23.95

-8.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 R 21.68

$1.54 R 24.85

-12.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.07

$1.59 R 25.80

-14.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.18

$1.37 R 22.23

-4.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 R 19.00

$1.21 R 19.62

-3.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 R 15.80

$1.08 R 17.52

-9.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 R 14.75

$0.96 R 15.46

-5.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 R 48.70

$3.00 R 48.63

0.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.96 R 80.4

$5.34 R 86.5

-7.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 22.52

$1.35 R 21.81

2.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 R 28.13

$1.65 R 26.64

5.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 R 24.71

$1.61 R 26.07

-4.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.82 R 628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 R 26.41

$1.10 R 17.79

48.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 R 9.47

$0.91 R 14.72

-36.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.53 R 106

$3.07 R 49.64

112.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 20.84

$1.22 R 19.73

5.74%

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

$20.5K R 332.0K

$22.2K R 359.7K

-7.69%

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

$24.4K R 395.2K

$23.5K R 380.1K

3.97%

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

$147 R 2,374

$125 R 2,019

17.56%

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

$29.37 R 475

$41.08 R 665

-28.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.28 R 539

$42.66 R 691

-21.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.64 R 545

$16.84 R 273

99.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.40 R 152

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 R 108

$7.29 R 118

-8.50%

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

$209 R 3,389

$210 R 3,401

-0.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,571 R 74.0K

$4,261 R 69.0K

7.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.21 R 683

$50.2 R 812

-15.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.15 R 488

$33.41 R 541

-9.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 R 1,554

$90.1 R 1,458

6.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 R 1,185

$78.0 R 1,262

-6.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 R 5,912

$363 R 5,868

0.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 R 5,942

$427 R 6,918

-14.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$761 R 12.3K

$444 R 7,181

71.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$577 R 9,340

$707 R 11.4K

-18.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$926 R 15.0K

$879 R 14.2K

5.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$592 R 9,583

$705 R 11.4K

-16.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,387 R 22.5K

$2,069 R 33.5K

-32.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.01

11.51

4.34%

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

Last update for Durban: June 14, 2026

Last update for Benoni: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $365 in Durban and $363 in Benoni. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Benoni pays 49% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $28.00 in Durban vs $34.00 in Benoni for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $167 vs $179 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

Durban vs Benoni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Durban and Benoni differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,043 vs $1,121 including rent). Durban is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Benoni earns 49% 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: $365 in Durban versus $363 in Benoni. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Benoni. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,043 per month in Durban versus $1,121 in Benoni – a 7% 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.

Safety-wise, Durban and Benoni are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Durban gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Benoni. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.