Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Sun City Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Sun City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,171 per month in Durban vs $1,312 in Sun City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,816 per month in Durban vs $1,992 in Sun City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,461 per month in Durban vs $2,673 in Sun City, rent included.

Durban is about 11% cheaper than Sun City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Durban and Sun City are more affordable than the global median – Durban 15% lower, Sun City 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 R 126

$12.38 R 198

-36.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.25 R 628

$48.04 R 769

-18.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.07 R 97.1

$7.64 R 122

-20.55%

Cappuccino

$2.85 R 45.54

$2.60 R 41.63

9.62%

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

$1.18 R 18.90

$1.19 R 19.08

-0.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 14.83

$0.94 R 15.04

-1.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 R 40.61

$2.13 R 34.08

19.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 R 41.73

$2.79 R 44.60

-6.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 R 20.88

$1.35 R 21.62

-3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.13

$1.27 R 20.28

-15.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 24.92

$1.85 R 29.53

-15.68%

Eggs

$2.44 R 39.06

$2.68 R 42.87

-8.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 R 137

$8.93 R 143

-4.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.32 R 85.1

$5.61 R 89.8

-5.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 R 114

$9.25 R 148

-22.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 R 31.49

$2.19 R 34.98

-10.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 R 31.17

$1.90 R 30.46

2.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 R 32.68

$1.85 R 29.55

10.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.09

$2.12 R 33.89

-23.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 R 24.92

$1.78 R 28.43

-12.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.10

$1.97 R 31.47

-26.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 R 20.05

$1.49 R 23.77

-16.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 R 19.17

$1.38 R 22.05

-13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.65 R 58.4

$3.51 R 56.1

3.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.95 R 79.2

$6.38 R 102

-22.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 R 24.05

$1.91 R 30.52

-21.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 R 31.96

$2.47 R 39.48

-19.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.91 R 30.50

$1.49 R 23.91

28.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.78 R 365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 R 7.34

$1.01 R 16.19

-54.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 R 12.37

$0.97 R 15.52

-20.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.69 R 123

$14.81 R 237

-48.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 R 23.92

$1.57 R 25.19

-5.10%

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

$36.5K R 584.4K

$36.6K R 585.2K

-0.15%

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

$33.5K R 535.4K

$33.2K R 531.6K

0.72%

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

$144 R 2,312

$225 R 3,607

-35.92%

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

$34.78 R 557

$39.48 R 632

-11.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.26 R 660

$38.10 R 610

8.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.89 R 526

$34.18 R 547

-3.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.31 R 149

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 R 110

$8.39 R 134

-18.00%

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

$324 R 5,184

$257 R 4,118

25.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,024 R 128.4K

$5,720 R 91.5K

40.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 R 907

$59.6 R 953

-4.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.20 R 499

$48.23 R 772

-35.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 R 1,608

$108 R 1,728

-6.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 R 1,459

$112 R 1,793

-18.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 R 7,848

$429 R 6,869

14.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 R 6,235

$401 R 6,418

-2.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 R 13.3K

$800 R 12.8K

4.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 R 12.6K

$834 R 13.3K

-5.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$924 R 14.8K

$870 R 13.9K

6.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$614 R 9,832

$628 R 10.0K

-2.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,293 R 20.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.81

10.91

8.25%

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

Last update for Durban: September 6, 2026

Last update for Sun City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Durban versus $429 in Sun City. 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 $39.00 in Durban versus $48.00 in Sun City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $226 – 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 Sun City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sun City is pricier by about 12%, 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 $1,756 per month in Durban and $1,967 in Sun City. 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 $39.00 in Durban and $48.00 in Sun City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Sun City, 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 $1,171, than in Sun City at $1,312. In Durban it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sun City 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Durban. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sun City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.