Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Hillcrest Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Hillcrest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,121 per month in Durban vs $1,110 in Hillcrest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,782 per month in Durban vs $1,730 in Hillcrest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,442 per month in Durban vs $2,350 in Hillcrest, rent included.

Durban costs about 1% more than Hillcrest, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Durban and Hillcrest are more affordable than the global median – Durban 18% lower, Hillcrest 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.97 R 129

$7.64 R 124

4.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.63 R 644

$38.61 R 627

2.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 R 99.2

$6.32 R 103

-3.32%

Cappuccino

$2.82 R 45.85

$2.86 R 46.49

-1.40%

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

$1.16 R 18.89

$1.18 R 19.09

-1.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.06

$0.87 R 14.19

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 R 39.47

$2.56 R 41.55

-5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 R 41.85

$2.73 R 44.40

-5.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.37

$1.29 R 20.98

-3.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 R 16.93

$1.01 R 16.42

2.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.82

$1.62 R 26.25

-1.85%

Eggs

$2.50 R 40.59

$2.45 R 39.85

2.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 R 139

$8.34 R 135

2.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 R 86.7

$5.34 R 86.8

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.08 R 115

$7.14 R 116

-0.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R 31.35

$1.27 R 20.67

51.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 R 31.07

$1.90 R 30.86

0.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 R 32.38

$1.97 R 31.97

1.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.51

$1.66 R 26.91

-1.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.53

$1.54 R 24.95

-1.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 R 23.84

$1.45 R 23.58

1.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 R 20.23

$1.21 R 19.71

2.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R 19.89

$1.19 R 19.41

2.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 R 61.4

$3.69 R 59.9

2.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.01 R 81.5

$4.98 R 80.9

0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 R 23.31

$1.52 R 24.72

-5.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 R 32.08

$2.00 R 32.45

-1.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 R 30.78

$1.52 R 24.77

24.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.03 R 358

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 R 7.64

$0.45 R 7.38

4.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R 11.48

$0.77 R 12.52

-7.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 R 126

$7.77 R 126

-0.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 R 24.43

$1.49 R 24.13

0.67%

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

$35.7K R 579.9K

$37.2K R 604.1K

-4.02%

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

$32.2K R 523.4K

$33.2K R 539.4K

-2.98%

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

$142 R 2,307

$143 R 2,326

-0.81%

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

$33.63 R 546

$35.30 R 574

-4.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.63 R 644

$40.45 R 657

-2.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.30 R 525

$32.69 R 531

-1.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.25 R 150

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 R 110

$6.92 R 112

-2.46%

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

$326 R 5,299

$330 R 5,358

-1.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,698 R 125.1K

$7,825 R 127.1K

-1.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 R 897

$56.8 R 922

-2.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.38 R 494

$30.12 R 489

0.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 R 1,640

$99.7 R 1,620

1.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.4 R 1,419

$88.7 R 1,440

-1.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 R 7,843

$436 R 7,077

10.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 R 6,073

$382 R 6,204

-2.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 R 13.4K

$800 R 13.0K

3.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 R 12.8K

$759 R 12.3K

4.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$890 R 14.5K

$888 R 14.4K

0.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$581 R 9,442

$701 R 11.4K

-17.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,269 R 20.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.81

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

Last update for Durban: September 12, 2026

Last update for Hillcrest: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $483 in Durban versus $436 in Hillcrest. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Durban versus $39.00 in Hillcrest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $195 – making Hillcrest 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 Hillcrest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban 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 $1,681 per month in Durban and $1,664 in Hillcrest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hillcrest, 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 $39.00 in Hillcrest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Durban, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hillcrest, where all-in costs run around $1,110, than in Durban at $1,121. In Hillcrest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Durban it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hillcrest – 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 Hillcrest. 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.