Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Polokwane Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Polokwane

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,150 per month in Durban vs $992 in Polokwane, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,789 per month in Durban vs $1,461 in Polokwane, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,428 per month in Durban vs $1,931 in Polokwane, rent included.

Durban costs about 16% more than Polokwane, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Durban and Polokwane are more affordable than the global median – Durban 16% lower, Polokwane 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.10 R 130

$12.44 R 199

-34.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.00 R 640

$31.20 R 499

28.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 R 92.8

$7.38 R 118

-21.41%

Cappuccino

$2.78 R 44.52

$2.47 R 39.50

12.55%

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

$1.14 R 18.28

$0.98 R 15.75

16.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 14.90

$0.97 R 15.50

-4.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 R 38.76

$1.77 R 28.31

36.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R 44.37

$2.13 R 34.10

30.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.07

$1.37 R 21.94

-8.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 R 15.85

$1.19 R 18.97

-16.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.25

$1.80 R 28.86

-8.89%

Eggs

$2.44 R 39.08

$2.62 R 41.85

-6.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 R 138

$7.70 R 123

12.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 R 90.2

$4.11 R 65.7

37.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 R 117

$6.09 R 97.5

19.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.12

$2.10 R 33.56

-10.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 R 30.54

$1.95 R 31.17

-2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 R 30.82

$1.82 R 29.10

6.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R 26.77

$2.03 R 32.51

-17.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 R 24.81

$1.75 R 28.00

-11.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 R 24.46

$1.61 R 25.70

-4.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 R 19.57

$1.15 R 18.39

6.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R 19.94

$0.82 R 13.11

52.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.72 R 59.5

$2.72 R 43.55

36.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.83 R 77.2

$4.80 R 76.8

0.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 R 24.17

$1.24 R 19.78

21.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 R 31.54

$1.63 R 26.12

20.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.93 R 30.83

$0.89 R 14.24

116.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.24 R 356

$31.55 R 505

-29.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 R 7.21

$0.90 R 14.44

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 R 12.28

$0.90 R 14.32

-14.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.72 R 123

$14.78 R 236

-47.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 R 23.45

$1.42 R 22.73

3.52%

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

$36.5K R 583.5K

$26.1K R 418.1K

39.57%

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

$33.0K R 527.4K

$29.3K R 468.5K

12.58%

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

$148 R 2,369

$138 R 2,214

7.01%

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

$35.25 R 564

$39.69 R 635

-11.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.89 R 622

$34.33 R 549

13.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.54 R 504

$23.26 R 372

35.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.41 R 150

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 R 107

$8.30 R 133

-19.52%

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

$331 R 5,295

$185 R 2,957

79.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,462 R 119.3K

$1,482 R 23.7K

403.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 R 854

$47.04 R 752

13.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.55 R 489

$37.70 R 603

-18.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 R 1,615

$82.3 R 1,316

22.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 R 1,419

$96.6 R 1,545

-8.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 R 7,829

$297 R 4,745

65.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 R 6,396

$211 R 3,371

89.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$862 R 13.8K

$438 R 7,001

96.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 R 12.6K

$289 R 4,617

173.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$934 R 14.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$590 R 9,436

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,250 R 20.0K

$1,546 R 24.7K

-19.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.66

10.91

6.87%

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

Last update for Durban: August 30, 2026

Last update for Polokwane: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Durban versus $297 in Polokwane. 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 24% higher in Polokwane, 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 $40.00 in Durban versus $31.00 in Polokwane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $201 vs $187 – making Polokwane 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 Polokwane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 16%, 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 $1,726 per month in Durban and $1,488 in Polokwane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Polokwane, 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 $992 in Polokwane. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 42% less in Polokwane. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polokwane, where all-in costs run around $992, than in Durban at $1,150. In Polokwane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Durban it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Polokwane – 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 Polokwane. 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.