Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and East London Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and East London

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,069 per month in Durban vs $1,076 in East London, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,536 per month in Durban vs $1,570 in East London, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,003 per month in Durban vs $2,064 in East London, rent included.

Durban is about 1% cheaper than East London, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Durban and East London are more affordable than the global median – Durban 21% lower, East London 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 R 121

$6.90 R 113

6.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.99 R 459

$31.33 R 514

-10.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 R 80.9

$4.61 R 75.6

6.94%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R 32.17

$2.02 R 33.20

-2.97%

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

$0.89 R 14.60

$0.99 R 16.18

-10.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 R 11.72

$0.88 R 14.36

-19.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 R 31.86

$2.57 R 42.20

-24.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 R 35.64

$3.02 R 49.45

-28.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 R 16.96

$1.07 R 17.54

-3.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 R 15.73

$0.90 R 14.77

6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.15

$1.96 R 32.16

-25.00%

Eggs

$2.10 R 34.44

$2.13 R 35.00

-1.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 R 119

$9.30 R 152

-22.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 R 73.8

$4.06 R 66.6

10.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.26 R 103

$7.35 R 121

-14.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.64

$1.58 R 25.84

-5.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 R 22.49

$2.15 R 35.30

-36.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 R 22.63

$1.39 R 22.76

-0.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 R 22.21

$1.48 R 24.32

-8.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 R 21.62

$1.49 R 24.37

-11.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 R 19.21

$1.42 R 23.32

-17.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 R 16.87

$1.06 R 17.38

-2.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 R 14.66

$0.92 R 15.10

-3.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 R 49.82

$2.62 R 42.98

16.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.88 R 80.1

$4.75 R 77.9

2.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 R 23.91

$1.76 R 28.81

-17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 R 28.40

$2.53 R 41.46

-31.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 R 25.45

$0.73 R 11.96

112.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.88 R 638

$21.51 R 353

80.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 R 27.84

$1.09 R 17.94

55.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 R 9.48

$0.94 R 15.35

-38.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.59 R 108

$4.06 R 66.6

62.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 R 21.81

$1.28 R 20.93

3.91%

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

$20.5K R 335.6K

$35.7K R 585.8K

-42.70%

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

$24.0K R 394.1K

$21.9K R 358.8K

9.86%

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

$145 R 2,372

$198 R 3,243

-26.84%

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

$29.02 R 476

$30.90 R 507

-6.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.87 R 556

$45.08 R 739

-24.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.73 R 570

$33.27 R 546

4.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.45 R 155

$1.42 R 23.33

565.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.79 R 111

$3.66 R 60.0

85.52%

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

$204 R 3,341

$119 R 1,957

70.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,538 R 74.4K

$4,233 R 69.4K

7.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.70 R 700

$51.8 R 850

-17.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.08 R 493

$28.88 R 474

4.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 R 1,539

$105 R 1,725

-10.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 R 1,201

$85.2 R 1,396

-14.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 R 5,987

$270 R 4,432

35.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 R 6,077

$297 R 4,867

24.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$734 R 12.0K

$509 R 8,351

44.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 R 9,802

$544 R 8,922

9.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$963 R 15.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$698 R 11.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,278 R 21.0K

$1,685 R 27.6K

-24.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.01

9.18%

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

Last update for Durban: April 13, 2026

Last update for East London: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $365 in Durban versus $270 in East London. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 32% higher in East London, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28 in Durban versus $31 in East London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $167 vs $186 – making Durban the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 East London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – East London is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,604 per month in Durban and $1,614 in East London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Durban, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,069 in Durban and $1,076 in East London. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 81% less in Durban. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,069 in Durban and $1,076 in East London, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Durban – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Durban. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, East London makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.