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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,058 per month in Durban vs $820 in Polokwane, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,552 per month in Durban vs $1,289 in Polokwane, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,046 per month in Durban vs $1,757 in Polokwane, rent included.

Durban costs about 29% more than Polokwane, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Durban and Polokwane are more affordable than the global median – Durban 21% lower, Polokwane 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.60 R 123

$9.87 R 160

-23.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.12 R 457

$42.61 R 692

-34.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 R 80.8

$4.73 R 76.9

5.07%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R 31.98

$2.17 R 35.33

-9.22%

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

$0.87 R 14.12

$0.81 R 13.14

7.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 R 10.94

$0.80 R 13.06

-16.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 R 31.30

$1.69 R 27.52

14.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 R 36.02

$2.02 R 32.78

9.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R 16.18

$1.19 R 19.34

-15.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 R 14.80

$0.95 R 15.51

-4.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.13

$1.72 R 27.89

-13.95%

Eggs

$2.11 R 34.25

$2.47 R 40.13

-14.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 R 118

$7.11 R 116

2.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 R 74.7

$3.26 R 52.9

40.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.33 R 103

$5.73 R 93.1

10.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.53

$1.63 R 26.55

-3.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.08

$1.52 R 24.78

-10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 R 22.43

$1.52 R 24.76

-9.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.14

$1.66 R 26.97

-18.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 R 20.66

$1.45 R 23.54

-12.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 R 19.18

$1.23 R 19.97

-4.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 R 15.82

$1.05 R 17.06

-7.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.57

$0.71 R 11.59

35.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 R 50.9

$2.62 R 42.66

19.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.02 R 81.6

$4.76 R 77.3

5.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 R 23.74

$1.07 R 17.41

36.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 R 28.39

$1.24 R 20.12

41.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 R 24.33

$3.19 R 51.9

-52.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.86 R 615

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 R 27.76

$0.88 R 14.30

94.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 R 9.95

$0.94 R 15.34

-35.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 R 110

$4.02 R 65.3

68.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.73

$1.21 R 19.59

5.79%

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

$20.3K R 330.0K

$13.7K R 223.1K

47.88%

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

$24.2K R 393.9K

$22.6K R 366.5K

7.47%

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

$147 R 2,388

$119 R 1,928

23.85%

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

$29.29 R 476

$39.74 R 646

-26.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.72 R 548

$37.33 R 607

-9.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.46 R 560

$22.36 R 363

54.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.14 R 149

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 R 107

$7.09 R 115

-7.48%

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

$210 R 3,405

$169 R 2,751

23.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,585 R 74.5K

$1,354 R 22.0K

238.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.78 R 695

$33.90 R 551

26.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.50 R 479

$33.31 R 541

-11.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 R 1,515

$75.7 R 1,229

23.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.1 R 1,187

$79.8 R 1,296

-8.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 R 6,063

$249 R 4,041

50.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 R 5,974

$176 R 2,864

108.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 R 12.2K

$383 R 6,228

96.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 R 9,651

$275 R 4,474

115.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$910 R 14.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$581 R 9,440

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,395 R 22.7K

$1,529 R 24.9K

-8.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.01

11.51

4.34%

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

Last update for Durban: May 30, 2026

Last update for Polokwane: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $373 in Durban versus $249 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 10% 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 $28.00 in Durban versus $43.00 in Polokwane. Groceries tell a different story – $168 in Durban vs $162 in Polokwane – so Polokwane 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 Polokwane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,587 per month in Durban and $1,230 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Durban and $43.00 in Polokwane. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Durban, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,058 in Durban and $820 in Polokwane, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.