Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Kempton Park Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Kempton Park

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,073 per month in Durban vs $985 in Kempton Park, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,553 per month in Durban vs $1,579 in Kempton Park, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,032 per month in Durban vs $2,172 in Kempton Park, rent included.

Durban costs about 9% more than Kempton Park, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Durban and Kempton Park are more affordable than the global median – Durban 19% lower, Kempton Park 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 R 126

$8.60 R 142

-10.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.11 R 463

$34.10 R 561

-17.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 R 85.0

$4.83 R 79.5

6.83%

Cappuccino

$1.91 R 31.42

$2.23 R 36.78

-14.35%

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

$0.93 R 15.37

$0.99 R 16.28

-6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 R 11.14

$0.81 R 13.36

-16.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 R 33.11

$2.30 R 37.78

-12.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 R 36.33

$2.46 R 40.56

-10.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 R 17.19

$1.25 R 20.51

-16.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 R 15.11

$1.03 R 16.91

-10.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.34

$1.65 R 27.20

-10.30%

Eggs

$2.16 R 35.61

$2.49 R 40.95

-13.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 R 122

$7.75 R 128

-4.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 R 74.1

$4.68 R 77.0

-3.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.36 R 105

$6.73 R 111

-5.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.77

$1.67 R 27.52

-5.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.33

$1.56 R 25.67

-12.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 R 21.89

$1.60 R 26.40

-16.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.37

$1.68 R 27.71

-19.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R 20.68

$1.50 R 24.72

-16.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 R 19.93

$1.38 R 22.70

-12.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 R 16.90

$1.08 R 17.82

-4.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 R 15.96

$1.12 R 18.40

-13.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 R 50.5

$2.91 R 47.88

5.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 R 78.2

$5.45 R 89.8

-12.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 R 23.05

$1.51 R 24.90

-7.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 R 28.55

$1.84 R 30.36

-5.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 R 25.61

$1.38 R 22.73

13.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.48 R 633

$56.8 R 935

-32.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 R 27.84

$1.10 R 18.13

53.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 R 9.71

$0.91 R 14.97

-35.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 R 109

$4.08 R 67.1

62.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 R 21.99

$1.31 R 21.56

2.29%

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

$20.2K R 333.2K

$22.0K R 362.5K

-8.08%

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

$24.4K R 401.5K

$23.9K R 393.8K

1.97%

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

$144 R 2,375

$124 R 2,047

16.02%

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

$29.66 R 488

$41.08 R 676

-27.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.15 R 562

$43.13 R 710

-20.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.48 R 568

$26.10 R 430

32.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 R 147

$5.63 R 92.6

58.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 R 110

$7.34 R 121

-9.40%

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

$204 R 3,354

$204 R 3,358

-0.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,638 R 76.4K

$4,267 R 70.3K

8.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.59 R 701

$49.80 R 820

-14.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.49 R 486

$32.28 R 531

-8.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 R 1,536

$87.4 R 1,439

6.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.1 R 1,203

$77.3 R 1,272

-5.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$372 R 6,125

$282 R 4,648

31.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 R 6,021

$259 R 4,264

41.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 R 12.5K

$683 R 11.2K

10.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 R 9,584

$567 R 9,329

2.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$872 R 14.4K

$839 R 13.8K

3.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$581 R 9,569

$667 R 11.0K

-12.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,212 R 20.0K

$634 R 10.4K

91.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.01

11.51

4.34%

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

Last update for Durban: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kempton Park: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $372 in Durban versus $282 in Kempton Park. 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 91% higher in Durban, 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 $28.00 in Durban versus $34.00 in Kempton Park. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $186 – 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 Kempton Park: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $1,478 in Kempton Park. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kempton Park, 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 $1,073 in Durban and $985 in Kempton Park. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 48% less in Kempton Park. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,073 in Durban and $985 in Kempton Park, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kempton Park – 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 Kempton Park. 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.