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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,043 per month in Durban vs $1,093 in George, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,554 per month in Durban vs $1,771 in George, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,065 per month in Durban vs $2,449 in George, rent included.

Durban is about 5% cheaper than George, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Durban and George are more affordable than the global median – Durban 22% lower, George 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 R 119

$11.09 R 180

-33.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.44 R 460

$37.33 R 604

-23.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 R 82.9

$5.11 R 82.7

0.20%

Cappuccino

$1.93 R 31.23

$1.97 R 31.95

-2.03%

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

$0.87 R 14.01

$1.55 R 25.13

-43.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 R 11.47

$1.20 R 19.44

-40.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 R 32.03

$2.46 R 39.87

-19.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 R 36.71

$2.89 R 46.83

-21.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 R 16.73

$1.16 R 18.75

-11.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 R 14.65

$1.11 R 17.89

-18.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R 22.83

$1.66 R 26.94

-15.06%

Eggs

$2.18 R 35.35

$2.96 R 47.84

-26.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 R 120

$9.55 R 155

-22.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 R 73.5

$4.73 R 76.6

-4.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.35 R 103

$7.60 R 123

-16.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.41

$1.76 R 28.50

-14.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 R 21.93

$1.68 R 27.20

-19.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 R 21.68

$1.37 R 22.16

-2.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.07

$1.62 R 26.15

-16.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.18

$1.57 R 25.39

-16.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 R 19.00

$1.69 R 27.31

-30.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 R 15.80

$1.33 R 21.46

-26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 R 14.75

$0.90 R 14.60

1.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 R 48.70

$3.06 R 49.60

-1.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.96 R 80.4

$4.93 R 79.8

0.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 22.52

$1.17 R 18.94

18.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 R 28.13

$1.56 R 25.30

11.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 R 24.71

$0.74 R 12.05

106.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.82 R 628

$26.09 R 422

48.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 R 26.41

$1.09 R 17.70

49.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 R 9.47

$0.90 R 14.50

-35.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.53 R 106

$4.13 R 66.8

58.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 20.84

$1.18 R 19.17

9.32%

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

$20.5K R 332.0K

$21.4K R 346.7K

-4.24%

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

$24.4K R 395.2K

$21.1K R 341.1K

15.86%

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

$147 R 2,374

$125 R 2,029

17.02%

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

$29.37 R 475

$16.21 R 262

81.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.28 R 539

$51.7 R 837

-35.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.64 R 545

$27.57 R 446

22.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.40 R 152

$11.17 R 181

-15.85%

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 R 108

$5.52 R 89.4

20.83%

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

$209 R 3,389

$128 R 2,071

63.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,571 R 74.0K

$4,765 R 77.1K

-4.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.21 R 683

$72.0 R 1,165

-41.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.15 R 488

$31.74 R 514

-5.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 R 1,554

$98.2 R 1,590

-2.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 R 1,185

$87.5 R 1,416

-16.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 R 5,912

$396 R 6,407

-7.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 R 5,942

$328 R 5,303

12.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$761 R 12.3K

$705 R 11.4K

7.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$577 R 9,340

$803 R 13.0K

-28.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$926 R 15.0K

$373 R 6,035

148.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$592 R 9,583

$246 R 3,985

140.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,387 R 22.5K

$1,367 R 22.1K

1.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.01

10.88

10.39%

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

Last update for Durban: June 14, 2026

Last update for George: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $365 in Durban versus $396 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 2% higher in Durban, 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 $37.00 in George. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $167 vs $192 – 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 George: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – George is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,565 per month in Durban and $1,639 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 $1,043 in Durban and $1,093 in George. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 49% 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 $1,043 in Durban and $1,093 in George, 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.

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.