Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Centurion Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Centurion

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,083 in Durban versus $1,142 in Centurion.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,560 in Durban versus $1,860 in Centurion.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,037 in Durban versus $2,577 in Centurion.

Living in Durban costs roughly 5% less than in Centurion, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Durban 19% lower, Centurion 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.52 R 124

$10.55 R 174

-28.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.22 R 466

$33.51 R 553

-15.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 R 81.6

$4.63 R 76.4

6.70%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R 31.28

$2.10 R 34.70

-9.52%

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

$0.90 R 14.81

$0.98 R 16.25

-8.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 R 11.00

$0.80 R 13.26

-16.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 R 32.54

$2.29 R 37.74

-13.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R 37.29

$2.48 R 40.96

-8.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R 17.30

$1.19 R 19.65

-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

$1.64 R 27.13

-12.20%

Eggs

$2.09 R 34.55

$2.51 R 41.36

-16.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 R 124

$8.27 R 137

-9.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 R 74.6

$4.89 R 80.7

-7.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.16 R 102

$6.70 R 111

-8.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.68

$1.66 R 27.40

-6.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R 23.12

$1.54 R 25.47

-9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 R 22.00

$1.66 R 27.47

-19.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.66

$1.59 R 26.19

-17.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.60

$1.33 R 22.00

-1.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 R 20.21

$1.46 R 24.09

-16.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 R 16.03

$1.09 R 17.99

-11.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.85

$1.06 R 17.49

-9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 R 49.59

$3.13 R 51.6

-4.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 R 78.5

$6.06 R 100

-21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 22.94

$1.44 R 23.81

-3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 R 28.80

$1.72 R 28.35

1.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 R 24.92

$2.22 R 36.65

-31.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.64 R 638

$88.7 R 1,464

-56.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 R 27.90

$1.14 R 18.88

48.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 R 9.62

$1.10 R 18.10

-47.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 R 112

$4.05 R 66.8

67.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R 21.76

$1.25 R 20.57

5.60%

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

$20.5K R 339.0K

$22.5K R 371.6K

-8.78%

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

$24.1K R 397.6K

$23.6K R 388.7K

2.29%

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

$146 R 2,403

$116 R 1,919

25.20%

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

$29.42 R 486

$37.89 R 625

-22.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.24 R 565

$41.49 R 685

-17.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.69 R 556

$41.87 R 691

-19.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.42 R 155

$1.02 R 16.84

823.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 R 114

$7.38 R 122

-6.78%

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

$205 R 3,383

$204 R 3,369

0.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,576 R 75.5K

$4,328 R 71.4K

5.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.95 R 692

$49.82 R 822

-15.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.69 R 490

$32.76 R 541

-9.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 R 1,592

$88.1 R 1,454

9.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 R 1,180

$87.0 R 1,435

-17.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 R 6,230

$314 R 5,181

20.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 R 6,009

$329 R 5,431

10.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 R 12.5K

$530 R 8,745

43.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 R 9,702

$811 R 13.4K

-27.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$898 R 14.8K

$530 R 8,743

69.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$597 R 9,849

$602 R 9,940

-0.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,247 R 20.6K

$2,165 R 35.7K

-42.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.01

11.69

2.74%

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

Last update for Durban: July 14, 2026

Last update for Centurion: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $377 in Durban and $314 in Centurion. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Centurion pays 74% 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 Centurion for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $168 vs $187 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 Centurion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Durban wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Centurion. 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 74% lower in Centurion. 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: $377 in Durban versus $314 in Centurion. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Durban runs roughly 130% less than in Centurion. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $205 in Durban versus $204 in Centurion. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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 work as nomad bases, but Durban delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,083 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Durban hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Durban and Centurion 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 5% less than in Centurion. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.