Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Margate Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Margate

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,171 per month in Durban vs $900 in Margate, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,816 per month in Durban vs $1,460 in Margate, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,461 per month in Durban vs $2,020 in Margate, rent included.

Durban costs about 30% more than Margate, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Durban and Margate are more affordable than the global median – Durban 15% lower, Margate 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 R 126

$7.84 R 125

0.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.25 R 628

$37.39 R 598

4.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.07 R 97.1

$6.20 R 99.2

-2.10%

Cappuccino

$2.85 R 45.54

$1.87 R 29.90

52.41%

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

$1.18 R 18.90

$1.07 R 17.14

10.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 14.83

$0.85 R 13.65

9.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 R 40.61

$2.46 R 39.35

3.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 R 41.73

$2.35 R 37.63

11.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 R 20.88

$1.02 R 16.25

27.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.13

$0.96 R 15.29

11.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 24.92

$1.16 R 18.49

34.48%

Eggs

$2.44 R 39.06

$2.47 R 39.59

-1.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 R 137

$5.21 R 83.4

63.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.32 R 85.1

$3.46 R 55.3

53.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 R 114

$6.01 R 96.1

18.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 R 31.49

$1.24 R 19.89

58.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 R 31.17

$1.22 R 19.49

59.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 R 32.68

$1.10 R 17.56

85.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.09

$1.50 R 24.04

8.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 R 24.92

$1.06 R 16.98

47.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.10

$1.37 R 21.91

5.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 R 20.05

$1.18 R 18.92

5.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 R 19.17

$1.01 R 16.23

18.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.65 R 58.4

$1.74 R 27.78

109.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.95 R 79.2

$3.73 R 59.6

32.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 R 24.05

$1.45 R 23.21

3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 R 31.96

$1.89 R 30.29

5.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.91 R 30.50

$1.53 R 24.49

24.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.78 R 365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 R 7.34

$0.49 R 7.81

-6.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 R 12.37

$0.72 R 11.44

6.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.69 R 123

$7.83 R 125

-1.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 R 23.92

$1.39 R 22.25

7.19%

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

$36.5K R 584.4K

$36.5K R 584.1K

0.05%

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

$33.5K R 535.4K

$33.0K R 528.1K

1.38%

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

$144 R 2,312

$61.5 R 984

134.83%

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

$34.78 R 557

$18.61 R 298

86.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.26 R 660

$34.81 R 557

18.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.89 R 526

$32.77 R 524

0.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.31 R 149

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 R 110

$4.32 R 69.0

59.26%

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

$324 R 5,184

$332 R 5,319

-2.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,024 R 128.4K

$7,836 R 125.4K

2.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 R 907

$56.3 R 901

0.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.20 R 499

$18.52 R 296

68.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 R 1,608

$76.0 R 1,216

32.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 R 1,459

$50.7 R 811

79.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 R 7,848

$432 R 6,913

13.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 R 6,235

$382 R 6,119

1.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 R 13.3K

$817 R 13.1K

1.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 R 12.6K

$781 R 12.5K

1.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$924 R 14.8K

$877 R 14.0K

5.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$614 R 9,832

$681 R 10.9K

-9.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,293 R 20.7K

$1,538 R 24.6K

-15.95%

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 6, 2026

Last update for Margate: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Durban versus $432 in Margate. 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 19% higher in Margate, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Durban versus $37.00 in Margate. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $152 – making Margate 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 Margate: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,756 per month in Durban and $1,351 in Margate. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Margate, 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 $39.00 in Durban and $37.00 in Margate. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Margate, where all-in costs run around $900, than in Durban at $1,171. In Margate it covers expenses comfortably, while in Durban it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Margate – 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 Margate. 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.