Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between East London and Moses Lake, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in East London: $992 a month against $2,396 in Moses Lake, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

East London, South Africa
Moses Lake, WA, United States
East London
🇿🇦 South Africa
$992
/mo nomad
Moses Lake, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,396
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in East London and in Moses Lake, WA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in East London and in Moses Lake, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $992 per month in East London vs $2,396 in Moses Lake, WA, rent included.

  • East London $992
  • Moses Lake, WA $2,396

A couple spends around $1,611 per month in East London vs $3,595 in Moses Lake, WA, rent included.

  • East London $1,611
  • Moses Lake, WA $3,595

A family of three spends $2,230 per month in East London vs $4,795 in Moses Lake, WA, rent included.

  • East London $2,230
  • Moses Lake, WA $4,795

East London is about 59% cheaper than Moses Lake, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

East London sits 27% below the global median, while Moses Lake, WA is 76% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
East London
Moses Lake, WA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.10 R 151
$18.18 $18.18
-49.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.23 R 636
$79.9 $79.9
-52.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.57 R 92.7
$12.28 $12.28
-54.64%
Cappuccino
$2.05 R 34.08
$4.38 $4.38
-53.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04 R 17.33
$2.94 $2.94
-64.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 R 12.70
$2.56 $2.56
-70.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.69 R 44.71
$4.61 $4.61
-41.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 R 53.4
$8.16 $8.16
-60.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
East London
Moses Lake, WA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.18 R 19.70
$0.74 $0.74
59.46%
White Bread (500g)
$0.87 R 14.54
$3.83 $3.83
-77.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.44 R 23.98
$4.08 $4.08
-64.71%
Eggs
$2.27 R 37.82
$3.50 $3.50
-35.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.37 R 139
$9.10 $9.10
-8.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.49 R 91.4
$11.08 $11.08
-50.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.71 R 112
$13.45 $13.45
-50.11%
Apples (1kg)
$1.46 R 24.31
$5.91 $5.91
-75.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 R 25.44
$1.62 $1.62
-5.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.63 R 27.17
$5.36 $5.36
-69.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.43 R 23.86
$5.62 $5.62
-74.56%
Potato (1kg)
$1.68 R 27.89
$3.49 $3.49
-51.86%
Onion (1kg)
$1.43 R 23.74
$3.25 $3.25
-56.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 R 19.49
$2.91 $2.91
-59.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 R 15.82
$2.17 $2.17
-56.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.89 R 48.08
$11.66 $11.66
-75.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.70 R 78.2
$14.83 $14.83
-68.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 R 19.80
$1.79 $1.79
-33.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98 R 16.38
$4.20 $4.20
-76.67%
🚌 Getting Around
East London
Moses Lake, WA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.47 R 24.53
$1.99 $1.99
-26.13%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$46.85 R 779
$67.0 $67.0
-30.03%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.22 R 20.31
$2.48 $2.48
-50.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.46 R 7.59
$1.58 $1.58
-70.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.38 R 139
$30.13 $30.13
-72.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 R 22.45
$1.16 $1.16
16.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.7K R 576.8K
$31.5K $31.5K
9.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.3K R 487.2K
$25.9K $25.9K
13.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
East London
Moses Lake, WA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 R 2,034
$154 $154
-20.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.64 R 543
$70.1 $70.1
-53.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.35 R 738
$75.7 $75.7
-41.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
East London
Moses Lake, WA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.51 R 657
$41.80 $41.80
-5.48%
Cinema Ticket
$4.54 R 75.6
$11.65 $11.65
-61.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
East London
Moses Lake, WA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$177 R 2,947
$1,113 $1,113
-84.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,438 R 90.5K
$31.1K $31.1K
-82.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
East London
Moses Lake, WA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8 R 946
$52.7 $52.7
7.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.80 R 546
$25.09 $25.09
30.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.1 R 1,216
$46.61 $46.61
56.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.2 R 1,583
$81.4 $81.4
16.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
East London
Moses Lake, WA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$290 R 4,831
$1,505 $1,505
-80.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$251 R 4,169
$1,167 $1,167
-78.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$543 R 9,028
$2,244 $2,244
-75.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 R 10.5K
$2,029 $2,029
-68.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,621 $2,621
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,840 $2,840
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
East London
Moses Lake, WA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,664 R 27.7K
$9,063 $9,063
-81.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11
6.89
59.65%

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

Last update for East London: October 24, 2026

Last update for Moses Lake, WA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
East London
$251
Moses Lake, WA
$1.2K 366% $916
Monthly Utilities & Internet
East London
$199
Moses Lake, WA
$300 50.7% $101
Groceries & Markets
East London
$180
Moses Lake, WA
$390 117% $210
Eating Out
East London
$141
Moses Lake, WA
$296 110% $155
Clothing & Footwear
East London
$116
Moses Lake, WA
$93 20.2% $23
Getting Around
East London
$56
Moses Lake, WA
$85 51.7% $29
Sport & Entertainment
East London
$49
Moses Lake, WA
$65 34% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $290 in East London versus $1,505 in Moses Lake, WA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Moses Lake, WA are about 5.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in East London versus $80 in Moses Lake, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $180 vs $390 – making East London the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇿🇦 East London
🇺🇸 Moses Lake, WA
🕒 Local time
16:45 4:45 PM
07:45 7:45 AM
9 h behind East London
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
267,007
25,146
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to ZAR – South African Rand Converter

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 16.64 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.01 USD). 1 EUR = 18.57 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.39 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • East London Moses Lake, WA 16,850 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight
From you
  • East London
  • Moses Lake, WA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
East London vs Moses Lake, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in East London and in Moses Lake, WA compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $992 in East London, $2,396 in Moses Lake, WA – East London comes out roughly 59% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in East London compared to Moses Lake, WA?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,487 per month in East London and $3,594 in Moses Lake, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between East London and Moses Lake, WA?
Rent is clearly cheaper in East London, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $290 there versus $1,505 in Moses Lake, WA.
What is the difference in childcare costs between East London and Moses Lake, WA?
Kindergarten costs $177 per month in East London and $1,113 in Moses Lake, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 117% more in Moses Lake, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in East London, where all-in costs run around $992, than in Moses Lake, WA at $2,396. In East London it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moses Lake, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: East London or Moses Lake, WA?
Families tend to lean toward East London – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between East London and Moses Lake, WA?
If budget matters most, go with East London. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Moses Lake, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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