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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,058 per month in Durban vs $1,061 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,552 per month in Durban vs $1,607 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,046 per month in Durban vs $2,153 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.60 R 123

$8.32 R 135

-8.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.12 R 457

$42.99 R 699

-34.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 R 80.8

$5.76 R 93.6

-13.72%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R 31.98

$2.24 R 36.35

-12.05%

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

$0.87 R 14.12

$0.88 R 14.31

-1.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 R 10.94

$0.69 R 11.20

-2.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 R 31.30

$1.67 R 27.13

15.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 R 36.02

$2.35 R 38.12

-5.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R 16.18

$1.05 R 17.04

-4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 R 14.80

$0.80 R 13.06

13.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.13

$1.50 R 24.33

-1.33%

Eggs

$2.11 R 34.25

$2.35 R 38.19

-10.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 R 118

$6.99 R 114

4.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 R 74.7

$4.71 R 76.5

-2.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.33 R 103

$6.82 R 111

-7.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.53

$1.66 R 26.91

-5.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.08

$1.76 R 28.61

-22.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 R 22.43

$1.94 R 31.58

-28.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.14

$1.74 R 28.20

-21.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 R 20.66

$1.54 R 25.11

-17.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 R 19.18

$1.76 R 28.64

-32.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 R 15.82

$1.30 R 21.06

-25.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.57

$1.00 R 16.19

-4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 R 50.9

$2.93 R 47.55

6.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.02 R 81.6

$3.55 R 57.6

41.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 R 23.74

$1.43 R 23.27

2.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 R 28.39

$1.78 R 28.92

-1.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 R 24.33

$2.73 R 44.44

-45.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.86 R 615

$18.34 R 298

106.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 R 27.76

$1.69 R 27.48

1.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 R 9.95

$0.52 R 8.49

17.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 R 110

$3.98 R 64.7

70.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.73

$1.20 R 19.47

6.67%

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

$20.3K R 330.0K

$23.4K R 380.4K

-13.26%

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

$24.2K R 393.9K

$22.9K R 371.7K

5.96%

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

$147 R 2,388

$238 R 3,861

-38.17%

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

$29.29 R 476

$30.61 R 497

-4.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.72 R 548

$58.3 R 948

-42.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.46 R 560

$38.05 R 618

-9.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.14 R 149

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 R 107

$4.94 R 80.3

32.79%

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

$210 R 3,405

$148 R 2,401

41.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,585 R 74.5K

$4,723 R 76.8K

-2.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.78 R 695

$62.2 R 1,011

-31.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.50 R 479

$37.81 R 615

-21.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 R 1,515

$178 R 2,885

-47.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.1 R 1,187

$75.4 R 1,226

-3.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 R 6,063

$202 R 3,280

84.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 R 5,974

$184 R 2,986

100.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 R 12.2K

$523 R 8,492

44.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 R 9,651

$379 R 6,161

56.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$910 R 14.8K

$916 R 14.9K

-0.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$581 R 9,440

$442 R 7,187

31.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,395 R 22.7K

$919 R 14.9K

51.84%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Pietermaritzburg: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $373 in Durban versus $202 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 52% higher in Durban. 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,587 per month in Durban and $1,591 in Pietermaritzburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Durban, 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 $43.00 in Pietermaritzburg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 106% less in Durban. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,058 in Durban and $1,061 in Pietermaritzburg, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Durban – 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 Durban. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pietermaritzburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.