Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Pietermaritzburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Pietermaritzburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,150 per month in Durban vs $1,072 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,789 per month in Durban vs $1,600 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,428 per month in Durban vs $2,129 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

Durban costs about 7% more than Pietermaritzburg, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Durban and Pietermaritzburg are more affordable than the global median – Durban 16% lower, Pietermaritzburg 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.10 R 129

$7.92 R 126

2.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.00 R 638

$37.51 R 598

6.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 R 92.6

$5.78 R 92.2

0.35%

Cappuccino

$2.78 R 44.41

$2.44 R 38.96

13.93%

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

$1.14 R 18.24

$1.21 R 19.29

-5.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 14.86

$1.02 R 16.33

-8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 R 38.65

$2.33 R 37.23

3.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R 44.25

$2.61 R 41.71

6.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.01

$1.38 R 22.00

-9.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 R 15.81

$0.95 R 15.18

4.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.18

$1.79 R 28.52

-8.38%

Eggs

$2.44 R 38.98

$3.33 R 53.1

-26.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 R 138

$7.20 R 115

20.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 R 90.0

$5.24 R 83.5

7.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 R 116

$6.93 R 111

5.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.04

$2.10 R 33.52

-10.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 R 30.46

$2.02 R 32.25

-5.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 R 30.74

$2.40 R 38.32

-19.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R 26.70

$2.05 R 32.74

-18.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 R 24.75

$1.79 R 28.53

-13.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 R 24.39

$1.81 R 28.91

-15.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 R 19.52

$1.59 R 25.34

-23.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R 19.89

$1.11 R 17.67

12.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.72 R 59.3

$3.27 R 52.1

13.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.83 R 77.0

$4.06 R 64.8

18.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 R 24.11

$1.42 R 22.69

6.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 R 31.46

$1.84 R 29.42

7.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.93 R 30.75

$2.97 R 47.32

-35.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.24 R 355

$19.96 R 318

11.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 R 7.19

$1.71 R 27.20

-73.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 R 12.24

$1.07 R 17.00

-28.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.72 R 123

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 R 23.39

$1.41 R 22.55

4.26%

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

$36.5K R 582.0K

$27.8K R 442.7K

31.48%

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

$33.0K R 526.0K

$27.6K R 440.1K

19.53%

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

$148 R 2,363

$210 R 3,351

-29.48%

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

$35.25 R 562

$32.58 R 520

8.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.89 R 620

$38.29 R 611

1.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.54 R 503

$44.49 R 710

-29.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.41 R 150

$3.10 R 49.40

203.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 R 107

$4.88 R 77.8

36.89%

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

$331 R 5,281

$186 R 2,970

77.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,462 R 119.0K

$5,342 R 85.2K

39.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 R 852

$58.3 R 930

-8.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.55 R 487

$35.24 R 562

-13.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 R 1,611

$120 R 1,915

-15.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 R 1,415

$70.4 R 1,122

26.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 R 7,809

$228 R 3,636

114.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 R 6,379

$227 R 3,616

76.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$862 R 13.8K

$617 R 9,841

39.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 R 12.6K

$424 R 6,763

86.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$934 R 14.9K

$6,128 R 97.7K

-84.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$590 R 9,411

$152 R 2,428

287.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,250 R 19.9K

$1,090 R 17.4K

14.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.66

11.67

-0.09%

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

Last update for Durban: August 30, 2026

Last update for Pietermaritzburg: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Durban versus $228 in Pietermaritzburg. 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 15% 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 $40.00 in Durban versus $38.00 in Pietermaritzburg. Groceries tell a different story – $201 in Durban vs $202 in Pietermaritzburg – 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 Pietermaritzburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $1,608 in Pietermaritzburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pietermaritzburg, 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 $1,072 in Pietermaritzburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Pietermaritzburg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pietermaritzburg, where all-in costs run around $1,072, than in Durban at $1,150. In Pietermaritzburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Durban it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pietermaritzburg – 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 Pietermaritzburg. 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.