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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,083 per month in Durban vs $1,052 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,560 per month in Durban vs $1,592 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,037 per month in Durban vs $2,133 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

Durban costs about 3% more than Pietermaritzburg, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Durban and Pietermaritzburg are more affordable than the global median – Durban 19% lower, Pietermaritzburg 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.52 R 124

$7.92 R 131

-5.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.22 R 466

$43.07 R 711

-34.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 R 81.6

$5.57 R 92.0

-11.31%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R 31.28

$2.14 R 35.27

-11.21%

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

$0.90 R 14.81

$0.93 R 15.28

-3.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 R 11.00

$0.70 R 11.56

-4.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 R 32.54

$1.64 R 26.98

20.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R 37.29

$2.42 R 39.96

-6.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R 17.30

$1.04 R 17.20

0.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 R 15.88

$0.82 R 13.51

17.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.75

$1.52 R 25.05

-5.26%

Eggs

$2.09 R 34.55

$2.28 R 37.58

-8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 R 124

$7.26 R 120

3.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 R 74.6

$4.66 R 76.9

-3.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.16 R 102

$7.06 R 117

-12.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.68

$1.60 R 26.33

-2.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R 23.12

$1.69 R 27.85

-17.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 R 22.00

$1.93 R 31.82

-31.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.66

$1.73 R 28.58

-24.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.60

$1.53 R 25.20

-14.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 R 20.21

$1.75 R 28.88

-30.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 R 16.03

$1.23 R 20.38

-21.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.85

$0.91 R 14.95

5.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 R 49.59

$2.89 R 47.71

3.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 R 78.5

$4.02 R 66.3

18.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 22.94

$1.40 R 23.08

-0.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 R 28.80

$1.78 R 29.38

-2.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 R 24.92

$2.64 R 43.62

-42.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.64 R 638

$18.28 R 302

111.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 R 27.90

$1.71 R 28.16

-1.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 R 9.62

$0.52 R 8.61

11.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 R 112

$4.13 R 68.1

64.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R 21.76

$1.21 R 20.04

9.09%

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

$20.5K R 339.0K

$23.7K R 391.0K

-13.32%

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

$24.1K R 397.6K

$22.8K R 376.9K

5.48%

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

$146 R 2,403

$232 R 3,822

-37.13%

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

$29.42 R 486

$30.00 R 495

-1.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.24 R 565

$58.2 R 960

-41.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.69 R 556

$38.55 R 636

-12.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.42 R 155

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 R 114

$5.11 R 84.3

34.64%

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

$205 R 3,383

$151 R 2,489

35.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,576 R 75.5K

$4,784 R 78.9K

-4.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.95 R 692

$62.6 R 1,033

-32.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.69 R 490

$38.00 R 627

-21.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 R 1,592

$180 R 2,967

-46.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 R 1,180

$74.3 R 1,226

-3.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 R 6,230

$205 R 3,383

84.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 R 6,009

$188 R 3,105

93.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 R 12.5K

$511 R 8,438

48.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 R 9,702

$383 R 6,319

53.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$898 R 14.8K

$3,624 R 59.8K

-75.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$597 R 9,849

$447 R 7,383

33.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,247 R 20.6K

$1,071 R 17.7K

16.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.01

11.5

4.43%

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

Last update for Durban: July 14, 2026

Last update for Pietermaritzburg: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $377 in Durban versus $205 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 16% 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 $43.00 in Pietermaritzburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $177 – 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 Pietermaritzburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,625 per month in Durban and $1,578 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 $1,083 in Durban and $1,052 in Pietermaritzburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 111% less in Pietermaritzburg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,083 in Durban and $1,052 in Pietermaritzburg, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.