Cost of Living Comparison Between George and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between George and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,058 per month in George vs $1,073 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,752 per month in George vs $1,553 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,445 per month in George vs $2,032 in Durban, rent included.

George is about 1% cheaper than Durban, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both George and Durban are more affordable than the global median – George 21% lower, Durban 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.39 R 187

$7.66 R 126

48.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.28 R 630

$28.11 R 463

36.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 R 81.8

$5.16 R 85.0

-3.68%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R 32.34

$1.91 R 31.42

2.62%

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

$1.50 R 24.66

$0.93 R 15.37

61.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 19.15

$0.68 R 11.14

70.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 R 42.36

$2.01 R 33.11

27.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 R 49.44

$2.21 R 36.33

35.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 19.07

$1.04 R 17.19

11.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.57

$0.92 R 15.11

16.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.18

$1.48 R 24.34

11.49%

Eggs

$2.90 R 47.66

$2.16 R 35.61

34.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 R 154

$7.43 R 122

25.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 R 78.2

$4.50 R 74.1

5.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 R 123

$6.36 R 105

17.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 R 28.94

$1.57 R 25.77

12.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.50

$1.36 R 22.33

22.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.39

$1.33 R 21.89

6.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.47

$1.36 R 22.37

18.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.27

$1.26 R 20.68

22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.48

$1.21 R 19.93

38.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 R 21.04

$1.03 R 16.90

24.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 R 15.64

$0.97 R 15.96

-2.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 R 52.2

$3.07 R 50.5

3.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.69 R 77.3

$4.75 R 78.2

-1.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R 19.89

$1.40 R 23.05

-13.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 R 25.84

$1.73 R 28.55

-9.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 R 12.67

$1.56 R 25.61

-50.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.56 R 421

$38.48 R 633

-33.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R 18.92

$1.69 R 27.84

-31.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R 15.81

$0.59 R 9.71

62.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 R 64.5

$6.64 R 109

-40.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.59

$1.34 R 21.99

-11.19%

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

$21.3K R 350.1K

$20.2K R 333.2K

5.05%

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

$21.1K R 346.7K

$24.4K R 401.5K

-13.64%

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

$126 R 2,074

$144 R 2,375

-12.67%

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

$16.00 R 263

$29.66 R 488

-46.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 R 847

$34.15 R 562

50.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.54 R 453

$34.48 R 568

-20.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.38 R 187

$8.93 R 147

27.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.47 R 90.1

$6.65 R 110

-17.74%

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

$128 R 2,104

$204 R 3,354

-37.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,782 R 78.7K

$4,638 R 76.4K

3.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.9 R 1,217

$42.59 R 701

73.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.24 R 531

$29.49 R 486

9.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 R 1,613

$93.3 R 1,536

4.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 R 1,441

$73.1 R 1,203

19.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 R 6,639

$372 R 6,125

8.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 R 5,343

$366 R 6,021

-11.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 R 11.7K

$756 R 12.5K

-6.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$808 R 13.3K

$582 R 9,584

38.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$352 R 5,802

$872 R 14.4K

-59.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$240 R 3,957

$581 R 9,569

-58.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,311 R 21.6K

$1,212 R 20.0K

8.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.88

12.01

-9.41%

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

Last update for George: July 26, 2026

Last update for Durban: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $403 in George versus $372 in Durban. 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 8% higher in George, 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 $38.00 in George versus $28.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $168 – 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

George vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,587 per month in George and $1,609 in Durban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in George, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,058 in George and $1,073 in Durban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 51% less in George. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,058 in George and $1,073 in Durban, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward George – 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 George. 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.