Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Boksburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Boksburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,083 in Durban versus $1,045 in Boksburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,560 in Durban versus $1,671 in Boksburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,037 in Durban versus $2,296 in Boksburg.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Durban 19% lower, Boksburg 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.52 R 124

$11.15 R 184

-32.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.22 R 466

$42.75 R 706

-33.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 R 81.6

$4.74 R 78.3

4.22%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R 31.28

$2.17 R 35.74

-12.44%

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

$0.90 R 14.81

$1.03 R 17.00

-12.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 R 11.00

$0.77 R 12.66

-12.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 R 32.54

$2.27 R 37.39

-13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R 37.29

$2.82 R 46.49

-19.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R 17.30

$1.19 R 19.71

-11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 R 15.88

$1.03 R 16.97

-6.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.75

$1.58 R 26.14

-8.86%

Eggs

$2.09 R 34.55

$2.54 R 41.87

-17.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 R 124

$7.90 R 130

-5.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 R 74.6

$4.68 R 77.3

-3.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.16 R 102

$6.53 R 108

-5.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.68

$1.70 R 28.05

-8.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R 23.12

$1.52 R 25.14

-7.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 R 22.00

$1.61 R 26.63

-17.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.66

$1.61 R 26.59

-18.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.60

$1.50 R 24.81

-12.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 R 20.21

$1.44 R 23.76

-15.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 R 16.03

$1.09 R 18.00

-11.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.85

$1.17 R 19.27

-17.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 R 49.59

$3.03 R 50.1

-0.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 R 78.5

$6.20 R 102

-23.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 22.94

$1.31 R 21.60

6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 R 28.80

$1.78 R 29.32

-2.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 R 24.92

$1.61 R 26.64

-6.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.64 R 638

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 R 27.90

$1.09 R 17.98

55.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 R 9.62

$0.96 R 15.91

-39.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 R 112

$3.06 R 50.5

121.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R 21.76

$1.26 R 20.76

4.76%

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

$20.5K R 339.0K

$19.2K R 316.3K

7.16%

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

$24.1K R 397.6K

$23.6K R 388.7K

2.27%

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

$146 R 2,403

$124 R 2,052

17.06%

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

$29.42 R 486

$40.35 R 666

-27.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.24 R 565

$42.65 R 704

-19.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.69 R 556

$28.01 R 462

20.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.42 R 155

$6.83 R 113

37.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 R 114

$7.70 R 127

-10.65%

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

$205 R 3,383

$195 R 3,211

5.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,576 R 75.5K

$4,968 R 82.0K

-7.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.95 R 692

$50.9 R 840

-17.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.69 R 490

$32.01 R 528

-7.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 R 1,592

$89.6 R 1,478

7.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 R 1,180

$80.0 R 1,320

-10.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 R 6,230

$300 R 4,957

25.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 R 6,009

$332 R 5,485

9.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 R 12.5K

$625 R 10.3K

21.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 R 9,702

$720 R 11.9K

-18.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$898 R 14.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$597 R 9,849

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,247 R 20.6K

$890 R 14.7K

40.16%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Boksburg: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $377 in Durban and $300 in Boksburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durban pays 40% 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 $43.00 in Boksburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $168 vs $186 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 Boksburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Durban and Boksburg differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,083 vs $1,045 including rent). Boksburg is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 40% higher in Durban, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $377 in Durban versus $300 in Boksburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Durban pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,083 per month in Durban versus $1,045 in Boksburg – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Boksburg 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 Boksburg 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.