Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Roodepoort Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Roodepoort

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,073 per month in Durban vs $1,358 in Roodepoort, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,553 per month in Durban vs $1,905 in Roodepoort, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,032 per month in Durban vs $2,451 in Roodepoort, rent included.

Durban is about 21% cheaper than Roodepoort, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Durban sits 19% below the global median, while Roodepoort is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 R 126

$11.22 R 185

-31.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.11 R 463

$44.89 R 739

-37.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 R 85.0

$4.89 R 80.6

5.52%

Cappuccino

$1.91 R 31.42

$2.08 R 34.25

-8.17%

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

$0.93 R 15.37

$1.04 R 17.05

-10.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 R 11.14

$0.80 R 13.20

-15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 R 33.11

$2.31 R 37.96

-12.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 R 36.33

$2.56 R 42.17

-13.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 R 17.19

$1.19 R 19.65

-12.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 R 15.11

$1.02 R 16.87

-9.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.34

$1.65 R 27.16

-10.30%

Eggs

$2.16 R 35.61

$2.52 R 41.48

-14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 R 122

$8.24 R 136

-9.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 R 74.1

$4.86 R 80.1

-7.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.36 R 105

$6.66 R 110

-4.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.77

$1.71 R 28.07

-8.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.33

$1.61 R 26.46

-15.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 R 21.89

$1.64 R 27.05

-18.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.37

$1.63 R 26.90

-16.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R 20.68

$1.37 R 22.53

-8.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 R 19.93

$1.37 R 22.51

-11.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 R 16.90

$1.09 R 17.86

-5.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 R 15.96

$1.15 R 18.98

-15.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 R 50.5

$2.72 R 44.78

12.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 R 78.2

$5.86 R 96.5

-18.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 R 23.05

$1.36 R 22.42

2.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 R 28.55

$1.61 R 26.45

7.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 R 25.61

$1.61 R 26.44

-3.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.48 R 633

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 R 27.84

$1.14 R 18.75

48.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 R 9.71

$0.93 R 15.36

-36.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 R 109

$3.13 R 51.5

112.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 R 21.99

$1.30 R 21.48

3.08%

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

$20.2K R 333.2K

$19.0K R 312.6K

6.61%

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

$24.4K R 401.5K

$24.3K R 400.2K

0.34%

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

$144 R 2,375

$124 R 2,033

16.77%

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

$29.66 R 488

$37.49 R 617

-20.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.15 R 562

$43.13 R 710

-20.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.48 R 568

$38.65 R 636

-10.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 R 147

$10.09 R 166

-11.50%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 R 110

$7.47 R 123

-10.98%

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

$204 R 3,354

$208 R 3,424

-2.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,638 R 76.4K

$4,951 R 81.5K

-6.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.59 R 701

$49.79 R 820

-14.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.49 R 486

$31.98 R 526

-7.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 R 1,536

$88.4 R 1,454

5.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.1 R 1,203

$78.2 R 1,287

-6.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$372 R 6,125

$551 R 9,077

-32.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 R 6,021

$618 R 10.2K

-40.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 R 12.5K

$1,412 R 23.3K

-46.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 R 9,584

$854 R 14.1K

-31.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$872 R 14.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$581 R 9,569

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,212 R 20.0K

$1,491 R 24.5K

-18.68%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Roodepoort: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $372 in Durban versus $551 in Roodepoort. 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 23% higher in Roodepoort, 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 $45.00 in Roodepoort. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $188 – 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 Roodepoort: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Roodepoort is pricier by about 27%, 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 $1,609 per month in Durban and $2,037 in Roodepoort. 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 $45.00 in Roodepoort. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Roodepoort, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Durban, where all-in costs run around $1,073, than in Roodepoort at $1,358. In Durban it covers expenses comfortably, while in Roodepoort it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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, Roodepoort makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.