Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Fourways Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Fourways

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,068 per month in Durban vs $988 in Fourways, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,560 per month in Durban vs $1,498 in Fourways, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,052 per month in Durban vs $2,009 in Fourways, rent included.

Durban costs about 8% more than Fourways, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Durban and Fourways are more affordable than the global median – Durban 20% lower, Fourways 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.36 R 123

$8.27 R 139

-11.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.78 R 466

$28.52 R 478

-2.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 R 86.9

$4.85 R 81.4

6.80%

Cappuccino

$1.92 R 32.14

$2.02 R 33.94

-4.95%

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

$0.87 R 14.64

$1.01 R 16.99

-13.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 R 11.33

$0.88 R 14.71

-22.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 R 32.01

$2.20 R 36.86

-13.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 R 38.03

$2.76 R 46.29

-17.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R 16.73

$0.96 R 16.11

4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 R 16.06

$0.88 R 14.76

9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.93

$1.47 R 24.72

-2.72%

Eggs

$2.13 R 35.71

$2.04 R 34.22

4.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.47 R 125

$6.25 R 105

19.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 R 77.1

$3.42 R 57.3

34.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.27 R 105

$6.61 R 111

-5.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R 26.38

$1.39 R 23.25

12.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 R 22.94

$1.53 R 25.65

-10.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 R 22.18

$1.66 R 27.80

-20.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.99

$1.58 R 26.42

-17.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 R 21.34

$1.31 R 21.98

-3.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 R 19.79

$1.16 R 19.39

1.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 R 16.45

$1.11 R 18.65

-11.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 R 15.15

$0.90 R 15.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 R 50.7

$2.75 R 46.14

9.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.90 R 82.2

$5.14 R 86.2

-4.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 R 24.45

$1.56 R 26.19

-6.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 R 29.16

$1.85 R 31.02

-5.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 R 25.12

$1.61 R 27.07

-6.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.01 R 637

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 R 27.64

$1.42 R 23.87

16.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 R 9.73

$1.31 R 22.05

-55.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 R 111

$3.02 R 50.6

119.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 R 22.27

$1.28 R 21.39

3.91%

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

$20.4K R 342.7K

$14.1K R 237.1K

44.54%

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

$24.1K R 404.3K

$22.1K R 371.1K

8.94%

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

$142 R 2,386

$80.9 R 1,356

75.96%

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

$29.90 R 501

$37.85 R 635

-21.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.35 R 576

$37.53 R 629

-8.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.01 R 570

$29.39 R 493

15.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.31 R 156

$15.38 R 258

-39.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.64 R 111

$7.14 R 120

-7.00%

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

$203 R 3,412

$195 R 3,264

4.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,644 R 77.9K

$4,357 R 73.1K

6.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.65 R 715

$51.1 R 858

-16.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.30 R 508

$32.25 R 541

-6.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 R 1,605

$72.0 R 1,208

32.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 R 1,202

$88.0 R 1,476

-18.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$374 R 6,264

$362 R 6,076

3.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 R 6,006

$374 R 6,270

-4.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 R 12.6K

$693 R 11.6K

8.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 R 9,950

$637 R 10.7K

-6.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$945 R 15.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$680 R 11.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,262 R 21.2K

$1,619 R 27.1K

-22.03%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Fourways: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $374 in Durban versus $362 in Fourways. 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 28% higher in Fourways, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Durban versus $29.00 in Fourways. Groceries tell a different story – $167 in Durban vs $162 in Fourways – so Fourways wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Fourways: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 8%, 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 $1,601 per month in Durban and $1,482 in Fourways. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Durban and $29.00 in Fourways. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Durban, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,068 in Durban and $988 in Fourways, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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