Cost of Living Comparison Between Eswatini and South Africa Cost of Living Comparison Between Eswatini and South Africa

Name: South Africa
Address: ZA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $246 per month in Eswatini vs $1,019 in South Africa, rent included.

A couple spends around $386 per month in Eswatini vs $1,585 in South Africa, rent included.

A family of three spends $525 per month in Eswatini vs $2,151 in South Africa, rent included.

The cost of living in Eswatini is roughly 76% lower than in South Africa on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Eswatini and South Africa are more affordable than the global median – Eswatini 82% lower, South Africa 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.71 SZL 28.76

$8.98 R 151

-80.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.70 SZL 465

$38.92 R 654

-28.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.33 SZL 39.20

$5.09 R 85.6

-54.22%

Cappuccino

$1.68 SZL 28.15

$1.97 R 33.18

-14.72%

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

$0.81 SZL 13.66

$0.96 R 16.07

-15.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SZL 8.64

$0.79 R 13.37

-35.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 SZL 25.42

$2.27 R 38.13

-33.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 SZL 28.85

$2.47 R 41.47

-30.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 SZL 17.69

$1.12 R 18.76

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 SZL 13.30

$0.96 R 16.15

-17.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 SZL 21.40

$1.57 R 26.34

-19.11%

Eggs

$1.49 SZL 25.03

$2.36 R 39.64

-36.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.91 SZL 150

$7.50 R 126

18.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 SZL 65.1

$4.66 R 78.4

-16.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.63 SZL 77.8

$6.68 R 112

-30.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 SZL 22.95

$1.57 R 26.47

-12.74%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 SZL 12.44

$1.41 R 23.74

-47.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 SZL 19.08

$1.47 R 24.65

-22.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 SZL 23.75

$1.49 R 25.07

-5.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 SZL 16.16

$1.26 R 21.19

-23.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 SZL 17.27

$1.34 R 22.52

-23.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 SZL 9.52

$1.03 R 17.35

-44.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 SZL 13.28

$0.92 R 15.50

-14.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 SZL 45.65

$2.90 R 48.73

-6.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.10 SZL 85.6

$5.14 R 86.5

-0.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 SZL 17.19

$1.39 R 23.32

-26.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 SZL 24.05

$1.67 R 28.15

-14.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SZL 14.91

$1.69 R 28.48

-47.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.91 SZL 503

$45.44 R 764

-34.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SZL 55.1

$1.14 R 19.25

187.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.77 SZL 46.53

$1.07 R 17.96

158.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 SZL 55.4

$4.88 R 82.0

-32.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 SZL 20.56

$1.29 R 21.66

-5.43%

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

$16.7K SZL 281.4K

$21.1K R 354.2K

-20.49%

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

$18.6K SZL 312.0K

$24.0K R 403.5K

-22.61%

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

$73.9 SZL 1,241

$111 R 1,867

-33.46%

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

$27.54 SZL 463

$33.07 R 556

-16.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.82 SZL 467

$41.55 R 699

-33.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.02 SZL 471

$30.98 R 521

-9.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.03 SZL 84.5

$9.32 R 157

-46.03%

Cinema Ticket

$3.41 SZL 57.3

$6.58 R 111

-48.18%

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

$108 SZL 1,814

$192 R 3,235

-43.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,511 SZL 75.8K

$4,342 R 73.0K

3.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.29 SZL 694

$48.43 R 814

-14.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.06 SZL 438

$31.28 R 526

-16.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.4 SZL 1,065

$95.0 R 1,597

-33.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 SZL 1,254

$79.6 R 1,339

-6.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 SZL 4,051

$441 R 7,410

-45.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 SZL 2,427

$363 R 6,101

-60.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 SZL 7,339

$900 R 15.1K

-51.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 SZL 5,365

$715 R 12.0K

-55.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$342 SZL 5,750

$1,110 R 18.7K

-69.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$251 SZL 4,214

$788 R 13.2K

-68.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 SZL 8,419

$1,483 R 24.9K

-66.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.12

11.55

-21.04%

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

Last update for Eswatini: July 21, 2026

Last update for South Africa: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $83.0 in Eswatini vs $369 in South Africa. For reference, capital cities sit at $264 in Mbabane and $410 in Pretoria.

Average salary: $622 in Eswatini vs $1,522 in South Africa. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 345% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 250% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 167% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 145% higher in South Africa, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Eswatini.

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

Eswatini vs South Africa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Eswatini is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 185% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in South Africa, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but South Africa consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Eswatini, contributing to the overall 185% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Eswatini, but in South Africa it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Eswatini is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.