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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,073 per month in Durban vs $1,320 in Hillcrest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,553 per month in Durban vs $1,876 in Hillcrest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,032 per month in Durban vs $2,431 in Hillcrest, rent included.

Durban is about 19% cheaper than Hillcrest, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Durban and Hillcrest are more affordable than the global median – Durban 19% lower, Hillcrest 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 R 126

$7.78 R 128

-1.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.11 R 463

$28.38 R 467

-0.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 R 85.0

$5.06 R 83.3

1.98%

Cappuccino

$1.91 R 31.42

$1.91 R 31.48

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

$0.93 R 15.37

$0.87 R 14.25

6.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 R 11.14

$0.67 R 11.10

1.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 R 33.11

$2.00 R 32.96

0.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 R 36.33

$2.22 R 36.60

-0.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 R 17.19

$0.88 R 14.46

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 R 15.11

$0.58 R 9.48

58.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.34

$1.19 R 19.65

24.37%

Eggs

$2.16 R 35.61

$2.11 R 34.79

2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 R 122

$7.23 R 119

2.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 R 74.1

$3.85 R 63.4

16.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.36 R 105

$6.19 R 102

2.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.77

$1.44 R 23.77

9.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.33

$1.11 R 18.22

22.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 R 21.89

$1.33 R 21.87

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.37

$1.36 R 22.38

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R 20.68

$1.30 R 21.43

-3.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 R 19.93

$1.21 R 19.94

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 R 16.90

$1.01 R 16.65

1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 R 15.96

$0.87 R 14.39

11.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 R 50.5

$2.87 R 47.23

6.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 R 78.2

$4.85 R 79.8

-2.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 R 23.05

$1.47 R 24.22

-4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 R 28.55

$1.77 R 29.15

-2.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 R 25.61

$1.62 R 26.59

-3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.48 R 633

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 R 27.84

$1.65 R 27.22

2.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 R 9.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 R 109

$6.75 R 111

-1.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 R 21.99

$1.34 R 22.01

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

$20.2K R 333.2K

$20.4K R 335.5K

-0.67%

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

$24.4K R 401.5K

$24.4K R 402.0K

-0.13%

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

$144 R 2,375

$143 R 2,359

0.65%

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

$29.66 R 488

$29.41 R 484

0.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.15 R 562

$33.35 R 549

2.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.48 R 568

$30.76 R 506

12.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 R 147

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 R 110

$6.76 R 111

-1.63%

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

$204 R 3,354

$207 R 3,406

-1.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,638 R 76.4K

$4,558 R 75.0K

1.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.59 R 701

$42.34 R 697

0.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.49 R 486

$30.39 R 500

-2.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 R 1,536

$95.1 R 1,565

-1.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.1 R 1,203

$73.5 R 1,210

-0.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$372 R 6,125

$361 R 5,944

3.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 R 6,021

$679 R 11.2K

-46.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 R 12.5K

$684 R 11.3K

10.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 R 9,584

$1,127 R 18.5K

-48.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$872 R 14.4K

$904 R 14.9K

-3.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$581 R 9,569

$695 R 11.4K

-16.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,212 R 20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.01

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

Last update for Durban: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hillcrest: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $372 in Durban versus $361 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 $28.00 in Durban versus $28.00 in Hillcrest. Groceries tell a different story – $168 in Durban vs $155 in Hillcrest – so Hillcrest 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 Hillcrest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hillcrest is pricier by about 23%, 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 $1,609 per month in Durban and $1,980 in Hillcrest. 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 $28.00 in Durban and $28.00 in Hillcrest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Hillcrest – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,073 in Durban and $1,320 in Hillcrest, 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.

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