Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Mossel Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Mossel Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,082 per month in Durban vs $978 in Mossel Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,546 per month in Durban vs $1,578 in Mossel Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,009 per month in Durban vs $2,178 in Mossel Bay, rent included.

Durban costs about 11% more than Mossel Bay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Durban and Mossel Bay are more affordable than the global median – Durban 19% lower, Mossel Bay 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.45 R 120

$13.70 R 222

-45.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.11 R 454

$44.89 R 726

-37.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.02 R 81.2

$8.02 R 130

-37.41%

Cappuccino

$1.91 R 30.87

$2.41 R 38.99

-20.75%

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

$0.93 R 15.10

$1.29 R 20.91

-27.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 R 11.45

$0.88 R 14.26

-19.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 R 31.08

$2.28 R 36.83

-15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 R 35.32

$2.84 R 45.92

-23.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R 16.07

$1.03 R 16.60

-3.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 R 14.47

$1.05 R 16.98

-15.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R 22.83

$2.14 R 34.53

-34.11%

Eggs

$2.10 R 33.90

$2.92 R 47.13

-28.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.52 R 122

$8.57 R 139

-12.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.40 R 71.1

$4.77 R 77.1

-7.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.23 R 101

$7.27 R 118

-14.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.38

$1.64 R 26.57

-7.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 R 22.15

$1.03 R 16.63

33.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 R 21.60

$1.50 R 24.21

-10.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 R 21.78

$1.89 R 30.49

-28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 R 20.63

$1.89 R 30.50

-32.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 R 18.85

$1.60 R 25.90

-26.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 R 16.61

$1.04 R 16.78

-0.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 R 14.33

$1.16 R 18.81

-23.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 R 50.6

$3.26 R 52.7

-3.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.83 R 78.2

$4.84 R 78.2

-0.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 R 23.48

$1.52 R 24.63

-4.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 R 27.24

$2.57 R 41.55

-34.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 R 25.29

$1.69 R 27.29

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.02 R 615

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 R 26.86

$1.13 R 18.31

46.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 R 9.48

$1.10 R 17.76

-46.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 R 111

$4.15 R 67.0

65.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 R 21.47

$1.28 R 20.62

3.91%

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

$19.9K R 322.1K

0.01%

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

$24.0K R 387.7K

$19.7K R 318.4K

21.78%

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

$143 R 2,305

$88.8 R 1,435

60.62%

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

$29.22 R 472

$16.67 R 270

75.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.14 R 536

$39.57 R 640

-16.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.87 R 548

$20.18 R 326

67.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.20 R 149

$13.67 R 221

-32.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 R 108

$6.71 R 109

-0.75%

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

$207 R 3,354

$116 R 1,878

78.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,534 R 73.3K

$1,573 R 25.4K

188.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.27 R 683

$42.09 R 680

0.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.10 R 487

$22.03 R 356

36.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 R 1,502

$76.9 R 1,243

20.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.1 R 1,198

$61.4 R 992

20.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 R 6,137

$465 R 7,524

-18.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 R 5,962

$334 R 5,406

10.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 R 12.2K

$943 R 15.2K

-20.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$579 R 9,364

$630 R 10.2K

-8.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$888 R 14.4K

$595 R 9,626

49.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$576 R 9,314

$608 R 9,836

-5.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,375 R 22.2K

$1,511 R 24.4K

-9.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.01

12.12

-0.91%

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

Last update for Durban: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mossel Bay: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $380 in Durban versus $465 in Mossel Bay. 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 10% higher in Mossel Bay, 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 $28.00 in Durban versus $45.00 in Mossel Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $165 vs $192 – 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 Mossel Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,623 per month in Durban and $1,468 in Mossel Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mossel Bay, 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 $45.00 in Mossel Bay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Durban – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,082 in Durban and $978 in Mossel Bay, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mossel Bay – 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 Mossel Bay. 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.