Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Bhisho Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Bhisho

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,058 in Durban versus $1,022 in Bhisho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,552 in Durban versus $1,619 in Bhisho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,046 in Durban versus $2,216 in Bhisho.

Living in Durban is roughly 4% more expensive than Bhisho, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Durban 21% lower, Bhisho 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.60 R 124

$8.48 R 139

-10.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.12 R 460

$33.22 R 543

-15.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 R 81.3

$4.84 R 79.0

2.69%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R 32.17

$2.03 R 33.24

-2.96%

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

$0.87 R 14.21

$1.04 R 16.96

-16.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 R 11.00

$0.76 R 12.39

-11.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 R 31.48

$2.22 R 36.25

-13.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 R 36.23

$2.49 R 40.69

-10.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R 16.27

$1.10 R 18.05

-9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 R 14.89

$1.06 R 17.28

-14.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.27

$1.62 R 26.52

-8.64%

Eggs

$2.11 R 34.46

$2.38 R 38.96

-11.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 R 119

$7.48 R 122

-2.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 R 75.1

$4.63 R 75.7

-0.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.33 R 104

$6.82 R 112

-7.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.68

$1.60 R 26.16

-1.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.21

$1.53 R 24.99

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 R 22.57

$1.49 R 24.39

-7.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.27

$1.58 R 25.84

-13.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 R 20.78

$1.32 R 21.64

-3.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 R 19.29

$1.24 R 20.28

-4.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 R 15.92

$1.09 R 17.81

-11.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.67

$0.99 R 16.13

-3.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 R 51.3

$2.83 R 46.23

10.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.02 R 82.1

$5.03 R 82.2

-0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 R 23.88

$1.38 R 22.48

5.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 R 28.55

$1.65 R 27.00

6.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 R 24.47

$1.67 R 27.36

-10.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.86 R 619

$22.84 R 373

65.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 R 27.92

$1.13 R 18.55

51.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 R 10.01

$0.93 R 15.28

-34.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 R 111

$4.09 R 66.9

65.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.85

$1.23 R 20.09

4.07%

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

$20.3K R 331.9K

$21.0K R 343.5K

-3.38%

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

$24.2K R 396.2K

$24.2K R 395.0K

0.30%

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

$147 R 2,402

$119 R 1,939

23.89%

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

$29.29 R 479

$34.55 R 565

-15.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.72 R 551

$40.91 R 669

-17.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.46 R 563

$30.43 R 497

13.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.14 R 149

$11.01 R 180

-16.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 R 107

$6.87 R 112

-4.51%

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

$210 R 3,425

$199 R 3,258

5.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,585 R 75.0K

$4,387 R 71.7K

4.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.78 R 699

$49.69 R 812

-13.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.50 R 482

$31.95 R 522

-7.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 R 1,524

$88.0 R 1,438

6.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.1 R 1,194

$79.3 R 1,297

-7.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 R 6,099

$366 R 5,984

1.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 R 6,009

$333 R 5,442

10.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 R 12.3K

$692 R 11.3K

8.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 R 9,708

$695 R 11.4K

-14.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$910 R 14.9K

$908 R 14.8K

0.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$581 R 9,496

$715 R 11.7K

-18.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,395 R 22.8K

$3,353 R 54.8K

-58.40%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Bhisho: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $373 in Durban and $366 in Bhisho. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bhisho pays 140% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Durban vs $33.00 in Bhisho for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $168 vs $178 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 Bhisho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bhisho wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Durban. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bhisho the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Bhisho earns 140% 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: $373 in Durban versus $366 in Bhisho. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $210 in Durban versus $199 in Bhisho. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Durban pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bhisho 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.

Expats usually find Bhisho gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Durban. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.