Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Port Shepstone Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Port Shepstone

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,171 per month in Durban vs $1,022 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,816 per month in Durban vs $1,602 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,461 per month in Durban vs $2,182 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

Durban costs about 15% more than Port Shepstone, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Durban and Port Shepstone are more affordable than the global median – Durban 15% lower, Port Shepstone 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 R 128

$7.84 R 127

0.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.25 R 635

$38.65 R 625

1.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.07 R 98.2

$6.15 R 99.5

-1.30%

Cappuccino

$2.85 R 46.04

$2.87 R 46.50

-0.70%

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

$1.18 R 19.10

$1.12 R 18.20

5.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 14.99

$0.88 R 14.22

5.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 R 41.06

$2.47 R 39.99

2.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 R 42.20

$2.60 R 42.13

0.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 R 21.11

$0.97 R 15.74

34.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.32

$0.67 R 10.89

59.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.19

$1.27 R 20.58

22.83%

Eggs

$2.44 R 39.49

$1.48 R 24.01

64.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 R 138

$7.59 R 123

12.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.32 R 86.0

$3.74 R 60.5

42.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 R 116

$7.12 R 115

0.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 R 31.84

$1.24 R 19.99

58.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 R 31.51

$0.77 R 12.48

153.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 R 33.04

$0.65 R 10.56

213.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.38

$1.51 R 24.49

7.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.19

$0.62 R 9.96

151.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.36

$1.43 R 23.13

0.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 R 20.27

$0.97 R 15.65

28.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 R 19.39

$0.66 R 10.67

81.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.65 R 59.0

$3.82 R 61.8

-4.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.95 R 80.1

$5.05 R 81.7

-1.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 R 24.31

$1.52 R 24.62

-1.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 R 32.32

$1.93 R 31.18

3.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.91 R 30.84

$1.35 R 21.87

41.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.78 R 369

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 R 7.42

$0.45 R 7.36

2.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 R 12.50

$0.74 R 11.90

4.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.69 R 124

$8.03 R 130

-4.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 R 24.18

$1.36 R 22.06

9.56%

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

$36.5K R 590.8K

$37.4K R 604.8K

-2.31%

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

$33.5K R 541.4K

$32.3K R 522.7K

3.57%

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

$144 R 2,337

$125 R 2,020

15.70%

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

$34.78 R 563

$18.92 R 306

83.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.26 R 667

$36.98 R 598

11.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.89 R 532

$33.80 R 547

-2.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.31 R 151

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 R 111

$6.96 R 113

-1.15%

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

$324 R 5,242

$335 R 5,423

-3.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,024 R 129.8K

$7,918 R 128.1K

1.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 R 917

$55.7 R 900

1.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.20 R 505

$30.89 R 500

1.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 R 1,626

$98.9 R 1,600

1.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 R 1,475

$90.3 R 1,460

1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 R 7,935

$386 R 6,244

27.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 R 6,304

$346 R 5,593

12.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 R 13.5K

$899 R 14.5K

-7.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 R 12.8K

$763 R 12.3K

3.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$924 R 14.9K

$784 R 12.7K

17.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$614 R 9,941

$653 R 10.6K

-5.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,293 R 20.9K

$3,172 R 51.3K

-59.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.81

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

Last update for Durban: September 6, 2026

Last update for Port Shepstone: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Durban versus $386 in Port Shepstone. 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 145% higher in Port Shepstone, 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 $39.00 in Durban versus $39.00 in Port Shepstone. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Durban vs $149 in Port Shepstone – so Port Shepstone 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 Port Shepstone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,756 per month in Durban and $1,533 in Port Shepstone. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Shepstone, 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 $39.00 in Durban and $39.00 in Port Shepstone. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Durban, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Shepstone, where all-in costs run around $1,022, than in Durban at $1,171. In Port Shepstone it covers expenses comfortably, while in Durban it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Port Shepstone – 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 Port Shepstone. 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.