Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and George Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and George

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,121 per month in Durban vs $1,158 in George, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,782 per month in Durban vs $1,912 in George, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,442 per month in Durban vs $2,666 in George, rent included.

Durban is about 3% cheaper than George, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Durban and George are more affordable than the global median – Durban 18% lower, George 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.97 R 130

$11.06 R 181

-27.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.63 R 649

$43.60 R 714

-9.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 R 100

$5.11 R 83.7

19.57%

Cappuccino

$2.82 R 46.23

$2.19 R 35.84

28.77%

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

$1.16 R 19.05

$1.04 R 17.09

11.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.17

$0.77 R 12.53

12.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 R 39.80

$2.84 R 46.51

-14.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 R 42.19

$3.33 R 54.5

-22.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.54

$1.16 R 18.92

7.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 R 17.07

$1.09 R 17.86

-4.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 R 26.03

$1.51 R 24.73

5.30%

Eggs

$2.50 R 40.92

$2.77 R 45.31

-9.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 R 140

$8.72 R 143

-1.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 R 87.4

$5.63 R 92.3

-5.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.08 R 116

$6.71 R 110

5.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R 31.61

$1.68 R 27.60

14.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 R 31.32

$1.58 R 25.87

20.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 R 32.65

$1.58 R 25.91

25.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.72

$1.66 R 27.21

-1.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.73

$1.69 R 27.67

-10.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.04

$1.48 R 24.26

-0.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 R 20.39

$1.35 R 22.09

-8.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R 20.05

$1.03 R 16.83

18.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 R 61.9

$3.26 R 53.4

15.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.01 R 82.1

$4.93 R 80.8

1.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 R 23.50

$1.32 R 21.62

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 R 32.34

$1.80 R 29.49

9.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 R 31.03

$1.52 R 24.96

24.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.03 R 361

$28.53 R 467

-22.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 R 7.70

$0.66 R 10.82

-28.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R 11.58

$0.52 R 8.45

36.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 R 127

$8.79 R 144

-11.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 R 24.63

$1.27 R 20.86

18.11%

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

$35.7K R 584.6K

$31.2K R 510.2K

14.57%

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

$32.2K R 527.6K

$29.7K R 485.9K

8.58%

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

$142 R 2,325

$125 R 2,050

13.42%

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

$33.63 R 551

$18.37 R 301

83.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.63 R 649

$46.20 R 757

-14.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.30 R 529

$31.19 R 511

3.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.25 R 151

$12.56 R 206

-26.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 R 111

$6.12 R 100

10.29%

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

$326 R 5,342

$143 R 2,337

128.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,698 R 126.1K

$5,417 R 88.7K

42.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 R 904

$73.9 R 1,210

-25.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.38 R 498

$39.03 R 639

-22.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 R 1,653

$113 R 1,850

-10.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.4 R 1,431

$88.8 R 1,454

-1.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 R 7,907

$442 R 7,236

9.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 R 6,122

$377 R 6,180

-0.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 R 13.5K

$802 R 13.1K

2.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 R 12.9K

$949 R 15.5K

-16.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$890 R 14.6K

$889 R 14.6K

0.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$581 R 9,519

$685 R 11.2K

-15.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,269 R 20.8K

$1,387 R 22.7K

-8.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.81

10.92

8.15%

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

Last update for Durban: September 12, 2026

Last update for George: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $483 in Durban versus $442 in George. 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 9% higher in George, 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 $40.00 in Durban versus $44.00 in George. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Durban vs $192 in George – so George 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 George: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – George is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,681 per month in Durban and $1,737 in George. 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 $1,121 in Durban and $1,158 in George. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 30% less in Durban. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Durban, where all-in costs run around $1,121, than in George at $1,158. In Durban it covers expenses comfortably, while in George it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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