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 $373 per month in Eswatini vs $1,143 in South Africa, rent included.

A couple spends around $647 per month in Eswatini vs $1,781 in South Africa, rent included.

A family of three spends $921 per month in Eswatini vs $2,419 in South Africa, rent included.

The cost of living in Eswatini is roughly 67% 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 73% lower, South Africa 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.96 SZL 95.2

$11.30 R 181

-47.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.93 SZL 526

$44.51 R 711

-26.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 SZL 98.1

$5.90 R 94.2

4.07%

Cappuccino

$2.20 SZL 35.08

$2.44 R 38.93

-9.84%

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

$1.04 SZL 16.54

$1.16 R 18.50

-10.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 SZL 8.74

$0.96 R 15.28

-42.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SZL 30.24

$2.56 R 40.98

-26.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SZL 32.20

$3.08 R 49.23

-34.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 SZL 19.64

$1.28 R 20.41

-3.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 SZL 14.64

$1.13 R 18.02

-18.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 SZL 27.25

$1.83 R 29.33

-6.56%

Eggs

$1.66 SZL 26.44

$2.55 R 40.82

-34.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.51 SZL 216

$8.35 R 133

61.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 SZL 113

$5.44 R 86.9

29.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.14 SZL 82.0

$7.88 R 126

-34.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 SZL 37.41

$1.90 R 30.38

23.16%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 SZL 10.98

$1.70 R 27.15

-59.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 SZL 24.33

$1.81 R 28.92

-16.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 SZL 21.57

$1.88 R 30.01

-28.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 SZL 26.47

$1.54 R 24.58

7.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 SZL 25.59

$1.49 R 23.85

7.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 SZL 11.67

$1.33 R 21.29

-45.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 SZL 13.17

$1.19 R 18.95

-31.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 SZL 48.69

$3.41 R 54.6

-10.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.38 SZL 86.0

$5.08 R 81.1

5.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 SZL 14.88

$1.51 R 24.09

-38.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 SZL 23.75

$2.03 R 32.40

-26.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 SZL 11.60

$1.76 R 28.18

-58.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.05 SZL 400

$63.1 R 1,009

-60.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 SZL 29.65

$1.12 R 17.84

66.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 SZL 25.45

$1.01 R 16.21

57.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 SZL 53.7

$8.07 R 129

-58.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 SZL 21.42

$1.46 R 23.35

-8.22%

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

$14.8K SZL 236.0K

$36.8K R 588.4K

-59.85%

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

$17.2K SZL 274.5K

$32.5K R 519.7K

-47.14%

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

$84.7 SZL 1,353

$136 R 2,169

-37.56%

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

$36.15 SZL 577

$35.72 R 571

1.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.33 SZL 452

$41.40 R 662

-31.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.19 SZL 354

$34.96 R 559

-36.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.74 SZL 43.84

$12.46 R 199

-78.01%

Cinema Ticket

$3.86 SZL 61.7

$7.62 R 122

-49.34%

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

$231 R 3,697

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,492 SZL 103.7K

$5,726 R 91.5K

13.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.30 SZL 580

$56.4 R 901

-35.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.16 SZL 322

$33.91 R 542

-40.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 SZL 1,173

$102 R 1,627

-27.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 SZL 896

$93.0 R 1,486

-39.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 SZL 3,139

$506 R 8,093

-61.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 SZL 2,178

$418 R 6,677

-67.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 SZL 7,183

$979 R 15.6K

-54.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 SZL 5,562

$838 R 13.4K

-58.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$349 SZL 5,568

$1,151 R 18.4K

-69.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$260 SZL 4,153

$800 R 12.8K

-67.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$636 SZL 10.2K

$1,554 R 24.8K

-59.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.12

11.24

-18.86%

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

Last update for Eswatini: September 7, 2026

Last update for South Africa: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $115 in Eswatini vs $445 in South Africa. For reference, capital cities sit at $287 in Mbabane and $324 in Bloemfontein.

Average salary: $611 in Eswatini vs $1,553 in South Africa. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 287% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 208% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 240% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 154% 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 212% 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 212% 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.