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: $1,171 in Durban versus $1,195 in Bhisho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,816 in Durban versus $1,877 in Bhisho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,461 in Durban versus $2,558 in Bhisho.

Living in Durban costs roughly 2% less than in Bhisho, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Durban 15% lower, Bhisho 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 R 126

$11.43 R 183

-30.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.25 R 628

$44.21 R 707

-11.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.07 R 97.1

$6.22 R 99.5

-2.41%

Cappuccino

$2.85 R 45.54

$2.24 R 35.82

27.23%

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

$1.18 R 18.90

$1.04 R 16.72

13.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 14.83

$0.81 R 12.97

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 R 40.61

$2.80 R 44.75

-9.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 R 41.73

$3.19 R 51.1

-18.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 R 20.88

$1.20 R 19.25

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.13

$1.03 R 16.51

3.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 24.92

$1.51 R 24.18

3.31%

Eggs

$2.44 R 39.06

$2.83 R 45.24

-13.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 R 137

$8.70 R 139

-1.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.32 R 85.1

$5.46 R 87.4

-2.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 R 114

$8.84 R 142

-19.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 R 31.49

$2.28 R 36.48

-13.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 R 31.17

$1.60 R 25.64

21.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 R 32.68

$1.74 R 27.81

17.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.09

$1.86 R 29.83

-12.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 R 24.92

$1.78 R 28.48

-12.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.10

$1.46 R 23.37

-1.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 R 20.05

$1.30 R 20.75

-3.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 R 19.17

$1.03 R 16.40

16.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.65 R 58.4

$3.26 R 52.2

11.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.95 R 79.2

$4.99 R 79.8

-0.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 R 24.05

$1.32 R 21.06

13.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 R 31.96

$1.82 R 29.20

9.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.91 R 30.50

$1.60 R 25.68

19.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.78 R 365

$25.18 R 403

-9.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 R 7.34

$0.62 R 9.86

-25.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 R 12.37

$0.52 R 8.30

48.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.69 R 123

$8.85 R 142

-13.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 R 23.92

$1.47 R 23.45

1.36%

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

$36.5K R 584.4K

$37.0K R 591.6K

-1.22%

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

$33.5K R 535.4K

$34.2K R 547.5K

-2.21%

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

$144 R 2,312

$128 R 2,055

12.49%

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

$34.78 R 557

$35.69 R 571

-2.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.26 R 660

$46.61 R 746

-11.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.89 R 526

$33.88 R 542

-2.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.31 R 149

$12.41 R 199

-24.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 R 110

$11.15 R 178

-38.30%

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

$324 R 5,184

$182 R 2,913

77.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,024 R 128.4K

$6,243 R 99.9K

28.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 R 907

$72.7 R 1,163

-22.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.20 R 499

$38.53 R 616

-19.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 R 1,608

$116 R 1,861

-13.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 R 1,459

$98.8 R 1,581

-7.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 R 7,848

$421 R 6,742

16.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 R 6,235

$372 R 5,954

4.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 R 13.3K

$800 R 12.8K

4.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 R 12.6K

$765 R 12.2K

3.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$924 R 14.8K

$895 R 14.3K

3.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$614 R 9,832

$681 R 10.9K

-9.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,293 R 20.7K

$3,412 R 54.6K

-62.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.81

11.94

-1.09%

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

Last update for Durban: September 6, 2026

Last update for Bhisho: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Durban and $421 in Bhisho. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bhisho pays 164% 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: $39.00 in Durban vs $44.00 in Bhisho for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 vs $203 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

Durban wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Bhisho. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Durban the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 164% lower in Bhisho. 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: $490 in Durban versus $421 in Bhisho. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $324 in Durban versus $182 in Bhisho. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Bhisho. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,171 in Durban versus $1,195 in Bhisho, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Durban but tight or insufficient in Bhisho. The gap between the two cities makes Durban the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Durban gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Bhisho. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.