Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Scottburgh Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Scottburgh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,073 per month in Durban vs $941 in Scottburgh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,553 per month in Durban vs $1,467 in Scottburgh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,032 per month in Durban vs $1,992 in Scottburgh, rent included.

Durban costs about 14% more than Scottburgh, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Durban and Scottburgh are more affordable than the global median – Durban 19% lower, Scottburgh 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 R 126

$7.67 R 126

-0.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.11 R 463

$27.69 R 456

1.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 R 85.0

$5.17 R 85.1

-0.19%

Cappuccino

$1.91 R 31.42

$1.97 R 32.49

-3.05%

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

$0.93 R 15.37

$0.87 R 14.32

6.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 R 11.14

$0.68 R 11.13

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 R 33.11

$2.00 R 32.90

0.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 R 36.33

$2.18 R 35.94

1.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 R 17.19

$0.93 R 15.36

11.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 R 15.11

$0.95 R 15.70

-3.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.34

$1.38 R 22.68

7.25%

Eggs

$2.16 R 35.61

$2.13 R 35.12

1.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 R 122

$7.51 R 124

-1.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 R 74.1

$2.86 R 47.10

57.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.36 R 105

$5.48 R 90.2

16.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.77

$0.53 R 8.77

196.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.33

$0.82 R 13.48

65.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 R 21.89

$0.87 R 14.28

52.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.37

$0.91 R 15.05

49.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R 20.68

$0.58 R 9.51

117.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 R 19.93

$1.23 R 20.20

-1.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 R 16.90

$0.47 R 7.68

119.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 R 15.96

$0.53 R 8.77

83.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 R 50.5

$2.79 R 45.88

10.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 R 78.2

$3.01 R 49.60

57.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 R 23.05

$1.40 R 23.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 R 28.55

$1.70 R 27.95

1.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 R 25.61

$1.68 R 27.64

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.48 R 633

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 R 27.84

$1.72 R 28.36

-1.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 R 9.71

$0.58 R 9.60

1.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 R 109

$6.91 R 114

-3.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 R 21.99

$1.32 R 21.73

1.52%

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

$20.2K R 333.2K

$20.1K R 330.9K

0.70%

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

$24.4K R 401.5K

$24.5K R 403.1K

-0.39%

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

$144 R 2,375

$142 R 2,340

1.47%

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

$29.66 R 488

$29.33 R 483

1.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.15 R 562

$33.82 R 557

0.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.48 R 568

$31.27 R 515

10.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 R 147

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 R 110

$6.53 R 108

1.84%

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

$204 R 3,354

$204 R 3,366

-0.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,638 R 76.4K

$4,528 R 74.5K

2.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.59 R 701

$41.70 R 687

2.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.49 R 486

$30.48 R 502

-3.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 R 1,536

$93.4 R 1,538

-0.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.1 R 1,203

$73.0 R 1,201

0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$372 R 6,125

$365 R 6,002

2.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 R 6,021

$335 R 5,511

9.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 R 12.5K

$683 R 11.2K

10.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 R 9,584

$686 R 11.3K

-15.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$872 R 14.4K

$1,001 R 16.5K

-12.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$581 R 9,569

$725 R 11.9K

-19.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,212 R 20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.01

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

Last update for Durban: July 27, 2026

Last update for Scottburgh: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $372 in Durban versus $365 in Scottburgh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Durban versus $28.00 in Scottburgh. Groceries tell a different story – $168 in Durban vs $131 in Scottburgh – so Scottburgh 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 Scottburgh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 14%, 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 $1,412 in Scottburgh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Scottburgh, 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 $28.00 in Scottburgh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Durban, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,073 in Durban and $941 in Scottburgh, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Scottburgh – 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 Scottburgh. 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.