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: $1,058 in George versus $1,169 in Pretoria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,752 in George versus $1,765 in Pretoria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,445 in George versus $2,361 in Pretoria.

Living in George costs roughly 9% less than in Pretoria, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: George 21% lower, Pretoria 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.39 R 187

$8.57 R 141

32.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.28 R 630

$34.08 R 561

12.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 R 81.8

$4.69 R 77.1

5.97%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R 32.34

$2.13 R 35.01

-7.98%

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

$1.50 R 24.66

$1.06 R 17.40

41.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 19.15

$0.88 R 14.50

31.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 R 42.36

$2.29 R 37.67

12.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 R 49.44

$2.72 R 44.86

10.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 19.07

$1.20 R 19.82

-3.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.57

$1.07 R 17.53

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.18

$1.63 R 26.87

1.23%

Eggs

$2.90 R 47.66

$2.40 R 39.51

20.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 R 154

$7.49 R 123

24.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 R 78.2

$4.58 R 75.5

3.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 R 123

$6.63 R 109

12.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 R 28.94

$1.61 R 26.52

9.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.50

$1.58 R 26.07

5.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.39

$1.59 R 26.19

-10.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.47

$1.69 R 27.75

-4.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.27

$1.36 R 22.40

13.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.48

$1.22 R 20.09

36.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 R 21.04

$1.13 R 18.56

13.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 R 15.64

$1.11 R 18.28

-14.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 R 52.2

$2.88 R 47.35

10.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.69 R 77.3

$5.03 R 82.9

-6.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R 19.89

$1.55 R 25.57

-21.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 R 25.84

$1.87 R 30.77

-16.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 R 12.67

$3.27 R 53.8

-76.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.56 R 421

$65.0 R 1,070

-60.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R 18.92

$1.37 R 22.48

-16.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R 15.81

$1.38 R 22.75

-30.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 R 64.5

$3.02 R 49.67

29.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.59

$1.32 R 21.70

-9.85%

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

$21.3K R 350.1K

$18.9K R 312.0K

12.22%

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

$21.1K R 346.7K

$26.5K R 436.7K

-20.60%

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

$126 R 2,074

$127 R 2,084

-0.49%

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

$16.00 R 263

$37.37 R 615

-57.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 R 847

$38.46 R 633

33.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.54 R 453

$31.65 R 521

-12.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.38 R 187

$10.30 R 170

10.49%

Cinema Ticket

$5.47 R 90.1

$7.55 R 124

-27.55%

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

$128 R 2,104

$195 R 3,207

-34.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,782 R 78.7K

$4,269 R 70.3K

12.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.9 R 1,217

$50.8 R 837

45.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.24 R 531

$32.73 R 539

-1.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 R 1,613

$87.4 R 1,438

12.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 R 1,441

$87.1 R 1,434

0.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 R 6,639

$399 R 6,562

1.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 R 5,343

$391 R 6,432

-16.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 R 11.7K

$733 R 12.1K

-3.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$808 R 13.3K

$753 R 12.4K

7.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$352 R 5,802

$855 R 14.1K

-58.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$240 R 3,957

$688 R 11.3K

-65.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,311 R 21.6K

$1,418 R 23.3K

-7.55%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Pretoria: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in George and $399 in Pretoria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pretoria pays 8% 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 $190 vs $182 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 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Pretoria. 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: $403 in George versus $399 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 $1,058 per month in George versus $1,169 in Pretoria – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,058 in George versus $1,169 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 10% less than in Pretoria. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.