Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Johannesburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Johannesburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,150 per month in Durban vs $1,435 in Johannesburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,789 per month in Durban vs $2,252 in Johannesburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,428 per month in Durban vs $3,069 in Johannesburg, rent included.

Durban is about 20% cheaper than Johannesburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Durban sits 16% below the global median, while Johannesburg is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.10 R 130

$12.61 R 202

-35.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.00 R 640

$46.05 R 736

-13.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 R 92.8

$7.51 R 120

-22.77%

Cappuccino

$2.78 R 44.52

$2.49 R 39.82

11.65%

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

$1.14 R 18.28

$1.26 R 20.23

-9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 14.90

$0.94 R 15.07

-1.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 R 38.76

$2.07 R 33.11

16.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R 44.37

$2.77 R 44.24

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.07

$1.36 R 21.79

-8.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 R 15.85

$1.29 R 20.57

-23.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.25

$1.83 R 29.27

-10.38%

Eggs

$2.44 R 39.08

$2.68 R 42.86

-8.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 R 138

$9.34 R 149

-7.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 R 90.2

$6.00 R 96.0

-6.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 R 117

$9.15 R 146

-20.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.12

$2.25 R 35.97

-16.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 R 30.54

$1.95 R 31.25

-2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 R 30.82

$1.82 R 29.09

6.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R 26.77

$2.13 R 34.08

-21.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 R 24.81

$1.79 R 28.66

-13.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 R 24.46

$1.87 R 29.95

-18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 R 19.57

$1.51 R 24.14

-19.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R 19.94

$1.34 R 21.44

-6.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.72 R 59.5

$3.40 R 54.4

9.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.83 R 77.2

$6.05 R 96.8

-20.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 R 24.17

$1.86 R 29.76

-18.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 R 31.54

$2.45 R 39.14

-19.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.93 R 30.83

$2.13 R 34.08

-9.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.24 R 356

$93.9 R 1,501

-76.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 R 7.21

$0.90 R 14.43

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 R 12.28

$0.94 R 15.10

-18.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.72 R 123

$15.16 R 243

-49.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 R 23.45

$1.54 R 24.56

-4.55%

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

$36.5K R 583.5K

$36.4K R 581.6K

0.33%

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

$33.0K R 527.4K

$32.9K R 525.6K

0.35%

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

$148 R 2,369

$222 R 3,552

-33.29%

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

$35.25 R 564

$38.73 R 619

-8.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.89 R 622

$39.69 R 635

-2.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.54 R 504

$38.29 R 612

-17.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.41 R 150

$17.46 R 279

-46.11%

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 R 107

$7.99 R 128

-16.40%

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

$331 R 5,295

$248 R 3,964

33.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,462 R 119.3K

$5,745 R 91.9K

29.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 R 854

$59.9 R 958

-10.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.55 R 489

$48.00 R 768

-36.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 R 1,615

$109 R 1,748

-7.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 R 1,419

$110 R 1,760

-19.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 R 7,829

$546 R 8,731

-10.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 R 6,396

$443 R 7,081

-9.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$862 R 13.8K

$1,107 R 17.7K

-22.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 R 12.6K

$939 R 15.0K

-15.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$934 R 14.9K

$1,020 R 16.3K

-8.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$590 R 9,436

$773 R 12.4K

-23.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,250 R 20.0K

$1,787 R 28.6K

-30.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.66

10.91

6.87%

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

Last update for Durban: August 30, 2026

Last update for Johannesburg: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Durban versus $546 in Johannesburg. 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 43% higher in Johannesburg, 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 $46.00 in Johannesburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $201 vs $228 – 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 Johannesburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Johannesburg is pricier by about 25%, 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 $1,726 per month in Durban and $2,152 in Johannesburg. 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 $1,150 in Durban and $1,435 in Johannesburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 322% 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 $1,150, than in Johannesburg at $1,435. In Durban it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg 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.

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