Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Grahamstown Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Grahamstown

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,121 per month in Durban vs $1,152 in Grahamstown, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,782 per month in Durban vs $1,808 in Grahamstown, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,442 per month in Durban vs $2,465 in Grahamstown, rent included.

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

Both Durban and Grahamstown are more affordable than the global median – Durban 18% lower, Grahamstown 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.97 R 130

$11.26 R 184

-29.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.63 R 649

$43.28 R 709

-8.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 R 100

$6.16 R 101

-0.81%

Cappuccino

$2.82 R 46.23

$2.23 R 36.45

26.46%

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

$1.16 R 19.05

$1.04 R 17.11

11.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.17

$0.81 R 13.30

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 R 39.80

$2.82 R 46.21

-13.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 R 42.19

$3.30 R 54.0

-21.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.54

$1.16 R 18.93

7.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 R 17.07

$1.09 R 17.78

-4.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 R 26.03

$1.48 R 24.31

7.43%

Eggs

$2.50 R 40.92

$2.78 R 45.48

-10.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 R 140

$8.83 R 145

-2.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 R 87.4

$5.41 R 88.6

-1.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.08 R 116

$8.62 R 141

-17.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R 31.61

$2.28 R 37.32

-15.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 R 31.32

$1.53 R 25.05

24.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 R 32.65

$1.74 R 28.42

14.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.72

$1.80 R 29.47

-9.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.73

$1.78 R 29.12

-15.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.04

$1.42 R 23.23

3.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 R 20.39

$1.30 R 21.27

-4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R 20.05

$1.02 R 16.66

19.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 R 61.9

$3.45 R 56.5

9.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.01 R 82.1

$4.87 R 79.7

2.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 R 23.50

$1.26 R 20.61

13.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 R 32.34

$1.86 R 30.44

5.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 R 31.03

$1.58 R 25.93

19.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.03 R 361

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 R 7.70

$0.65 R 10.64

-27.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R 11.58

$0.48 R 7.80

47.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 R 127

$8.95 R 147

-13.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 R 24.63

$1.46 R 23.91

2.74%

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

$35.7K R 584.6K

$36.8K R 602.4K

-2.96%

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

$32.2K R 527.6K

$35.0K R 573.8K

-8.06%

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

$142 R 2,325

$125 R 2,049

13.49%

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

$33.63 R 551

$36.45 R 597

-7.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.63 R 649

$45.95 R 753

-13.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.30 R 529

$33.65 R 551

-4.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.25 R 151

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 R 111

$10.82 R 177

-37.62%

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

$326 R 5,342

$185 R 3,032

76.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,698 R 126.1K

$5,071 R 83.1K

51.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 R 904

$74.2 R 1,215

-25.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.38 R 498

$38.46 R 630

-21.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 R 1,653

$116 R 1,904

-13.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.4 R 1,431

$101 R 1,651

-13.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 R 7,907

$426 R 6,979

13.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 R 6,122

$375 R 6,139

-0.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 R 13.5K

$789 R 12.9K

4.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 R 12.9K

$784 R 12.8K

0.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$890 R 14.6K

$904 R 14.8K

-1.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$581 R 9,519

$681 R 11.2K

-14.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,269 R 20.8K

$1,242 R 20.3K

2.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.81

11.94

-1.09%

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

Last update for Durban: September 12, 2026

Last update for Grahamstown: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $483 in Durban versus $426 in Grahamstown. 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 $40.00 in Durban versus $43.00 in Grahamstown. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $201 – 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 Grahamstown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Grahamstown 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 $1,728 in Grahamstown. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Durban and $43.00 in Grahamstown. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Grahamstown, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Durban, where all-in costs run around $1,121, than in Grahamstown at $1,152. In Durban it covers expenses comfortably, while in Grahamstown 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, Grahamstown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.