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 $1,083 per month in Durban vs $985 in Sun City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,560 per month in Durban vs $1,589 in Sun City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,037 per month in Durban vs $2,194 in Sun City, rent included.

Durban costs about 10% more than Sun City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Durban and Sun City are more affordable than the global median – Durban 19% lower, Sun City 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.52 R 124

$11.29 R 186

-33.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.22 R 466

$43.93 R 725

-35.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 R 81.6

$4.90 R 80.9

0.82%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R 31.28

$2.24 R 37.02

-15.18%

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

$0.90 R 14.81

$1.03 R 16.94

-12.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 R 11.00

$0.78 R 12.81

-14.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 R 32.54

$2.62 R 43.17

-24.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R 37.29

$2.47 R 40.72

-8.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R 17.30

$1.09 R 17.99

-3.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 R 15.88

$0.78 R 12.95

23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.75

$1.71 R 28.29

-15.79%

Eggs

$2.09 R 34.55

$2.42 R 39.95

-13.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 R 124

$8.06 R 133

-6.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 R 74.6

$4.70 R 77.5

-3.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.16 R 102

$6.60 R 109

-6.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.68

$1.69 R 27.95

-7.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R 23.12

$1.47 R 24.32

-4.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 R 22.00

$1.48 R 24.41

-10.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.66

$1.60 R 26.36

-18.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.60

$1.49 R 24.53

-12.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 R 20.21

$1.44 R 23.75

-15.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 R 16.03

$1.06 R 17.46

-8.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.85

$0.96 R 15.77

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 R 49.59

$3.04 R 50.3

-1.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 R 78.5

$6.14 R 101

-22.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 22.94

$1.36 R 22.43

2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 R 28.80

$1.59 R 26.32

9.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 R 24.92

$1.64 R 27.04

-7.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.64 R 638

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 R 27.90

$1.14 R 18.86

48.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 R 9.62

$0.94 R 15.55

-38.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 R 112

$4.05 R 66.9

67.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R 21.76

$1.27 R 21.02

3.94%

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

$20.5K R 339.0K

$22.3K R 367.5K

-7.76%

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

$24.1K R 397.6K

$24.0K R 396.4K

0.29%

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

$146 R 2,403

$96.5 R 1,593

50.81%

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

$29.42 R 486

$39.92 R 659

-26.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.24 R 565

$42.82 R 707

-20.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.69 R 556

$30.51 R 504

10.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.42 R 155

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 R 114

$3.11 R 51.3

121.22%

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

$205 R 3,383

$203 R 3,353

0.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,576 R 75.5K

$4,820 R 79.5K

-5.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.95 R 692

$49.90 R 823

-15.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.69 R 490

$33.37 R 551

-11.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 R 1,592

$67.1 R 1,108

43.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 R 1,180

$80.1 R 1,321

-10.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 R 6,230

$366 R 6,034

3.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 R 6,009

$331 R 5,470

9.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 R 12.5K

$685 R 11.3K

10.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 R 9,702

$685 R 11.3K

-14.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$898 R 14.8K

$777 R 12.8K

15.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$597 R 9,849

$802 R 13.2K

-25.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,247 R 20.6K

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 14, 2026

Last update for Sun City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $377 in Durban versus $366 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 $28.00 in Durban versus $44.00 in Sun City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $179 – 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 – Durban is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,625 per month in Durban and $1,477 in Sun City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sun City, 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 $44.00 in Sun City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Durban – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sun City, where all-in costs run around $985, than in Durban at $1,083. In Sun City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Durban it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sun City – 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 Sun City. 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.