Cost of Living Comparison Between George and Pretoria Cost of Living Comparison Between George and Pretoria

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,078 in George versus $1,174 in Pretoria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,760 in George versus $1,795 in Pretoria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,441 in George versus $2,417 in Pretoria.

Living in George costs roughly 8% less than in Pretoria, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: George 19% lower, Pretoria 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 R 185

$8.17 R 135

36.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.91 R 627

$34.21 R 566

10.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 R 84.7

$4.71 R 77.9

8.70%

Cappuccino

$1.93 R 32.02

$2.01 R 33.24

-3.98%

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

$1.52 R 25.19

$1.05 R 17.44

44.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 R 20.03

$0.82 R 13.59

47.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 R 41.95

$2.21 R 36.62

14.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 R 49.10

$2.82 R 46.61

5.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 R 18.24

$1.19 R 19.73

-7.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 R 18.27

$1.02 R 16.90

7.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 R 26.47

$1.65 R 27.25

-3.03%

Eggs

$2.99 R 49.41

$2.37 R 39.19

26.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.74 R 161

$7.76 R 128

25.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 R 77.9

$4.58 R 75.8

2.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 R 128

$6.35 R 105

21.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 R 29.16

$1.69 R 27.97

4.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.83

$1.60 R 26.46

1.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.68

$1.59 R 26.38

-10.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R 25.63

$1.64 R 27.14

-5.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.96

$1.30 R 21.59

20.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 R 29.32

$1.16 R 19.17

52.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 R 21.18

$1.09 R 18.02

17.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.62

$1.11 R 18.41

-15.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 R 51.7

$2.86 R 47.37

9.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.71 R 78.0

$5.04 R 83.4

-6.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R 20.01

$1.50 R 24.81

-19.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 R 26.59

$1.79 R 29.65

-10.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 R 12.73

$3.12 R 51.6

-75.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.75 R 426

$63.5 R 1,050

-59.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 R 18.81

$1.41 R 23.42

-19.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 R 14.64

$1.31 R 21.72

-32.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 R 67.4

$3.02 R 49.96

34.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 R 19.43

$1.31 R 21.66

-10.69%

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

$20.9K R 346.3K

$19.5K R 323.5K

7.03%

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

$20.5K R 339.9K

$26.2K R 434.4K

-21.75%

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

$129 R 2,133

$126 R 2,092

1.95%

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

$15.95 R 264

$38.00 R 629

-58.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.4 R 867

$38.28 R 634

36.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.18 R 450

$32.47 R 537

-16.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.30 R 187

$10.57 R 175

6.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.73 R 94.9

$7.52 R 124

-23.80%

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

$125 R 2,070

$196 R 3,245

-36.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,785 R 79.2K

$4,288 R 71.0K

11.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.5 R 1,200

$51.1 R 846

41.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.91 R 528

$32.25 R 534

-1.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 R 1,627

$87.7 R 1,452

12.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.3 R 1,461

$87.2 R 1,443

1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 R 6,451

$396 R 6,553

-1.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 R 5,491

$393 R 6,512

-15.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 R 11.9K

$723 R 12.0K

-0.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$784 R 13.0K

$770 R 12.7K

1.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$720 R 11.9K

$898 R 14.9K

-19.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$542 R 8,974

$700 R 11.6K

-22.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,327 R 22.0K

$1,408 R 23.3K

-5.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.88

11.69

-6.93%

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

Last update for George: April 25, 2026

Last update for Pretoria: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $390 in George and $396 in Pretoria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pretoria pays 6% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $38.00 in George vs $34.00 in Pretoria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $181 per month, with Pretoria cheaper across the board.

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 Pretoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Pretoria earns 6% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $390 in George versus $396 in Pretoria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in George – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $34.00 in Pretoria. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,078 per month in George versus $1,174 in Pretoria – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,078 in George versus $1,174 in Pretoria, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George but tight or insufficient in Pretoria. The gap between the two cities makes George the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, George and Pretoria are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find George gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Pretoria. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.