Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Kimberley Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Kimberley

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A couple spends around $1,789 per month in Durban vs $1,948 in Kimberley, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,428 per month in Durban vs $2,747 in Kimberley, rent included.

Durban and Kimberley have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.10 R 130

$12.56 R 201

-35.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.00 R 640

$37.73 R 603

6.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 R 92.8

$6.11 R 97.8

-5.07%

Cappuccino

$2.78 R 44.52

$3.21 R 51.3

-13.40%

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

$1.14 R 18.28

$1.38 R 22.09

-17.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 14.90

$1.35 R 21.56

-31.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 R 38.76

$2.73 R 43.69

-11.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R 44.37

$2.85 R 45.57

-2.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.07

$1.64 R 26.17

-23.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 R 15.85

$1.20 R 19.21

-17.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.25

$3.11 R 49.70

-47.27%

Eggs

$2.44 R 39.08

$2.95 R 47.17

-17.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 R 138

$6.80 R 109

27.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 R 90.2

$6.26 R 100

-9.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 R 117

$8.85 R 142

-17.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.12

$2.40 R 38.37

-21.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 R 30.54

$2.57 R 41.16

-25.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 R 30.82

$1.78 R 28.52

8.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R 26.77

$3.38 R 54.0

-50.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 R 24.81

$1.52 R 24.32

1.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 R 24.46

$1.54 R 24.63

-0.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 R 19.57

$1.36 R 21.76

-10.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R 19.94

$0.95 R 15.22

31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.72 R 59.5

$3.29 R 52.6

13.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.83 R 77.2

$6.85 R 110

-29.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 R 24.17

$2.36 R 37.66

-36.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 R 31.54

$2.99 R 47.79

-34.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.93 R 30.83

$1.59 R 25.46

21.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.24 R 356

$34.25 R 548

-35.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 R 7.21

$0.64 R 10.31

-29.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 R 12.28

$0.91 R 14.59

-15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.72 R 123

$9.11 R 146

-15.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 R 23.45

$1.49 R 23.84

-1.34%

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

$36.5K R 583.5K

$36.4K R 581.7K

0.32%

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

$33.0K R 527.4K

$32.7K R 523.0K

0.85%

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

$148 R 2,369

$109 R 1,737

36.44%

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

$35.25 R 564

$35.86 R 574

-1.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.89 R 622

$42.79 R 684

-9.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.54 R 504

$23.00 R 368

37.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.41 R 150

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 R 107

$7.37 R 118

-9.36%

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

$331 R 5,295

$261 R 4,167

27.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,462 R 119.3K

$5,764 R 92.2K

29.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 R 854

$54.0 R 863

-1.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.55 R 489

$34.57 R 553

-11.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 R 1,615

$106 R 1,692

-4.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 R 1,419

$95.3 R 1,524

-6.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 R 7,829

$273 R 4,366

79.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 R 6,396

$341 R 5,447

17.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$862 R 13.8K

$660 R 10.6K

30.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 R 12.6K

$981 R 15.7K

-19.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$934 R 14.9K

$885 R 14.2K

5.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$590 R 9,436

$645 R 10.3K

-8.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,250 R 20.0K

$970 R 15.5K

28.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.66

6.00%

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

Last update for Durban: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kimberley: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Durban versus $273 in Kimberley. 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 29% higher in Durban. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Durban versus $38.00 in Kimberley. Groceries tell a different story – $201 in Durban vs $238 in Kimberley – so Durban 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 Kimberley: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,726 per month in Durban and $1,724 in Kimberley. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kimberley, 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 $38.00 in Kimberley. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 54% less in Kimberley. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kimberley, where all-in costs run around $1,150, than in Durban at $1,150. In Kimberley it covers expenses comfortably, while in Durban it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kimberley – 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 Kimberley. 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.