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: $1,073 in Durban versus $1,087 in Benoni.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,553 in Durban versus $1,630 in Benoni.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,032 in Durban versus $2,173 in Benoni.

Living in Durban costs roughly 1% less than in Benoni, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Durban 19% lower, Benoni 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 R 126

$8.28 R 136

-7.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.11 R 463

$33.80 R 556

-16.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 R 85.0

$4.63 R 76.2

11.45%

Cappuccino

$1.91 R 31.42

$2.11 R 34.68

-9.48%

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

$0.93 R 15.37

$1.07 R 17.55

-13.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 R 11.14

$0.79 R 12.97

-13.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 R 33.11

$2.27 R 37.34

-11.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 R 36.33

$2.55 R 41.97

-13.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 R 17.19

$1.16 R 19.09

-10.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 R 15.11

$1.07 R 17.63

-14.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.34

$1.66 R 27.30

-10.84%

Eggs

$2.16 R 35.61

$2.51 R 41.30

-13.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 R 122

$7.82 R 129

-4.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 R 74.1

$4.62 R 76.1

-2.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.36 R 105

$6.46 R 106

-1.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.77

$1.64 R 26.92

-4.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.33

$1.52 R 25.10

-10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 R 21.89

$1.49 R 24.56

-10.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.37

$1.65 R 27.15

-17.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R 20.68

$1.33 R 21.84

-5.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 R 19.93

$1.21 R 19.92

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 R 16.90

$1.06 R 17.40

-2.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 R 15.96

$0.96 R 15.78

1.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 R 50.5

$3.00 R 49.33

2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 R 78.2

$4.99 R 82.1

-4.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 R 23.05

$1.35 R 22.20

3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 R 28.55

$1.61 R 26.52

7.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 R 25.61

$1.61 R 26.46

-3.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.48 R 633

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 R 27.84

$1.11 R 18.26

52.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 R 9.71

$0.93 R 15.31

-36.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 R 109

$3.06 R 50.4

116.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 R 21.99

$1.29 R 21.19

3.88%

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

$20.2K R 333.2K

$22.8K R 374.9K

-11.11%

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

$24.4K R 401.5K

$24.3K R 400.1K

0.36%

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

$144 R 2,375

$125 R 2,062

15.16%

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

$29.66 R 488

$40.69 R 670

-27.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.15 R 562

$42.56 R 701

-19.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.48 R 568

$16.62 R 274

107.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 R 147

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 R 110

$7.29 R 120

-8.78%

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

$204 R 3,354

$206 R 3,386

-0.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,638 R 76.4K

$4,363 R 71.8K

6.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.59 R 701

$50.3 R 827

-15.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.49 R 486

$34.05 R 560

-13.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 R 1,536

$92.4 R 1,522

0.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.1 R 1,203

$80.3 R 1,321

-8.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$372 R 6,125

$364 R 5,994

2.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 R 6,021

$434 R 7,147

-15.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 R 12.5K

$447 R 7,362

69.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 R 9,584

$722 R 11.9K

-19.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$872 R 14.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$581 R 9,569

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,212 R 20.0K

$2,008 R 33.1K

-39.63%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Benoni: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $372 in Durban and $364 in Benoni. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Benoni pays 66% 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 $168 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 1% in total monthly costs ($1,073 vs $1,087 including rent). Durban is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 66% lower in Benoni. 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: $372 in Durban versus $364 in Benoni. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Benoni. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,073 per month in Durban versus $1,087 in Benoni – 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.

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 1% less than in Benoni. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.