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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,093 per month in George vs $1,043 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,771 per month in George vs $1,554 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,449 per month in George vs $2,065 in Durban, rent included.

George costs about 5% more than Durban, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both George and Durban are more affordable than the global median – George 18% lower, Durban 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.09 R 180

$7.35 R 119

50.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.33 R 604

$28.44 R 460

31.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 R 82.7

$5.12 R 82.9

-0.20%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R 31.95

$1.93 R 31.23

2.07%

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

$1.55 R 25.13

$0.87 R 14.01

78.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 R 19.44

$0.71 R 11.47

69.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 R 39.87

$1.98 R 32.03

24.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 R 46.83

$2.27 R 36.71

27.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 18.75

$1.03 R 16.73

12.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 R 17.89

$0.90 R 14.65

23.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 R 26.94

$1.41 R 22.83

17.73%

Eggs

$2.96 R 47.84

$2.18 R 35.35

35.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 R 155

$7.41 R 120

28.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 R 76.6

$4.54 R 73.5

4.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 R 123

$6.35 R 103

19.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 R 28.50

$1.51 R 24.41

16.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.20

$1.35 R 21.93

24.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 R 22.16

$1.34 R 21.68

2.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.15

$1.36 R 22.07

19.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.39

$1.31 R 21.18

19.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.31

$1.17 R 19.00

44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 R 21.46

$0.98 R 15.80

35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 R 14.60

$0.91 R 14.75

-1.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 R 49.60

$3.01 R 48.70

1.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.93 R 79.8

$4.96 R 80.4

-0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 R 18.94

$1.39 R 22.52

-15.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 R 25.30

$1.74 R 28.13

-10.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 R 12.05

$1.53 R 24.71

-51.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.09 R 422

$38.82 R 628

-32.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 17.70

$1.63 R 26.41

-33.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R 14.50

$0.58 R 9.47

55.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 R 66.8

$6.53 R 106

-36.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 R 19.17

$1.29 R 20.84

-8.53%

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

$21.4K R 346.7K

$20.5K R 332.0K

4.43%

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

$21.1K R 341.1K

$24.4K R 395.2K

-13.69%

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

$125 R 2,029

$147 R 2,374

-14.54%

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

$16.21 R 262

$29.37 R 475

-44.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 R 837

$33.28 R 539

55.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.57 R 446

$33.64 R 545

-18.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.17 R 181

$9.40 R 152

18.83%

Cinema Ticket

$5.52 R 89.4

$6.67 R 108

-17.24%

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

$128 R 2,071

$209 R 3,389

-38.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,765 R 77.1K

$4,571 R 74.0K

4.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 R 1,165

$42.21 R 683

70.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.74 R 514

$30.15 R 488

5.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 R 1,590

$96.0 R 1,554

2.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 R 1,416

$73.2 R 1,185

19.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 R 6,407

$365 R 5,912

8.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 R 5,303

$367 R 5,942

-10.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 R 11.4K

$761 R 12.3K

-7.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$803 R 13.0K

$577 R 9,340

39.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$373 R 6,035

$926 R 15.0K

-59.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$246 R 3,985

$592 R 9,583

-58.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,367 R 22.1K

$1,387 R 22.5K

-1.49%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Durban: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $396 in George versus $365 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 2% 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 $37.00 in George versus $28.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $167 – 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 – George is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,639 per month in George and $1,565 in Durban. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,093 in George and $1,043 in Durban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 49% less in Durban. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,093 in George and $1,043 in Durban, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.

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 Durban. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, George makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.