Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Tembisa Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Tembisa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,121 per month in Durban vs $1,129 in Tembisa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,782 per month in Durban vs $1,772 in Tembisa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,442 per month in Durban vs $2,415 in Tembisa, rent included.

Durban is about 1% cheaper than Tembisa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Durban and Tembisa are more affordable than the global median – Durban 18% lower, Tembisa 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.97 R 130

$10.72 R 176

-25.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.63 R 649

$41.79 R 684

-5.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 R 100

$5.90 R 96.7

3.56%

Cappuccino

$2.82 R 46.23

$2.29 R 37.57

23.14%

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

$1.16 R 19.05

$1.12 R 18.42

3.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.17

$0.92 R 15.09

-5.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 R 39.80

$2.35 R 38.46

3.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 R 42.19

$2.83 R 46.36

-8.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.54

$1.21 R 19.76

3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 R 17.07

$1.17 R 19.15

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 R 26.03

$1.83 R 30.01

-13.11%

Eggs

$2.50 R 40.92

$2.64 R 43.17

-5.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 R 140

$8.65 R 142

-0.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 R 87.4

$5.33 R 87.4

0.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.08 R 116

$7.38 R 121

-4.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R 31.61

$1.88 R 30.72

2.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 R 31.32

$1.74 R 28.57

9.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 R 32.65

$1.85 R 30.26

7.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.72

$1.66 R 27.21

-1.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.73

$1.55 R 25.46

-2.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.04

$1.49 R 24.36

-1.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 R 20.39

$1.21 R 19.76

2.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R 20.05

$1.24 R 20.31

-1.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 R 61.9

$3.39 R 55.6

11.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.01 R 82.1

$5.29 R 86.7

-5.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 R 23.50

$1.44 R 23.64

-0.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 R 32.34

$2.05 R 33.59

-3.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 R 31.03

$1.59 R 26.03

18.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.03 R 361

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 R 7.70

$0.61 R 9.95

-22.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R 11.58

$0.97 R 15.81

-26.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 R 127

$9.17 R 150

-15.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 R 24.63

$1.46 R 23.85

2.74%

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

$35.7K R 584.6K

$37.2K R 608.8K

-3.97%

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

$32.2K R 527.6K

$33.4K R 547.8K

-3.68%

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

$142 R 2,325

$146 R 2,396

-2.95%

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

$33.63 R 551

$35.21 R 577

-4.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.63 R 649

$39.10 R 640

1.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.30 R 529

$33.64 R 551

-3.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.25 R 151

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 R 111

$7.64 R 125

-11.65%

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

$326 R 5,342

$248 R 4,066

31.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,698 R 126.1K

$5,610 R 91.9K

37.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 R 904

$55.1 R 902

0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.38 R 498

$33.60 R 550

-9.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 R 1,653

$106 R 1,744

-5.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.4 R 1,431

$92.2 R 1,510

-5.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 R 7,907

$428 R 7,018

12.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 R 6,122

$372 R 6,096

0.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 R 13.5K

$792 R 13.0K

4.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 R 12.9K

$784 R 12.8K

0.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$890 R 14.6K

$887 R 14.5K

0.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$581 R 9,519

$680 R 11.1K

-14.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,269 R 20.8K

$586 R 9,604

116.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.81

7.36%

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

Last update for Durban: September 12, 2026

Last update for Tembisa: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $483 in Durban versus $428 in Tembisa. 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 116% higher in Durban, 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 $40.00 in Durban versus $42.00 in Tembisa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $201 – 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 Tembisa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tembisa is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,681 per month in Durban and $1,693 in Tembisa. 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 $40.00 in Durban and $42.00 in Tembisa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Tembisa, 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 $1,121, than in Tembisa at $1,129. In Durban it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tembisa 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, Tembisa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.