Cost of Living Comparison Between Grahamstown and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Grahamstown and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,170 per month in Grahamstown vs $1,150 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,816 per month in Grahamstown vs $1,789 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,462 per month in Grahamstown vs $2,428 in Durban, rent included.

Grahamstown costs about 2% more than Durban, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Grahamstown and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Grahamstown 15% lower, Durban 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.63 R 155

$8.10 R 130

18.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.16 R 709

$40.00 R 643

10.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.22 R 99.9

$5.80 R 93.2

7.24%

Cappuccino

$2.12 R 34.04

$2.78 R 44.72

-23.74%

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

$1.08 R 17.35

$1.14 R 18.36

-5.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 R 11.79

$0.93 R 14.96

-21.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 R 45.49

$2.42 R 38.93

16.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 R 52.9

$2.77 R 44.56

18.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 R 19.39

$1.25 R 20.15

-3.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 R 16.53

$0.99 R 15.92

4.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 R 24.92

$1.64 R 26.36

-5.49%

Eggs

$2.89 R 46.50

$2.44 R 39.25

18.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 R 145

$8.65 R 139

4.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 R 91.5

$5.64 R 90.6

0.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 R 138

$7.30 R 117

17.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 R 35.73

$1.88 R 30.25

18.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.70

$1.91 R 30.67

-19.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 R 28.36

$1.93 R 30.95

-8.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 R 29.54

$1.67 R 26.88

10.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 R 28.07

$1.55 R 24.92

12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 R 23.65

$1.53 R 24.56

-3.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 R 20.53

$1.22 R 19.66

4.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 R 16.45

$1.25 R 20.03

-18.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 R 53.3

$3.72 R 59.7

-10.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.02 R 80.6

$4.83 R 77.6

3.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.03

$1.51 R 24.28

-13.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 R 29.98

$1.97 R 31.68

-5.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 R 24.36

$1.93 R 30.96

-21.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.24 R 357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 R 9.50

$0.45 R 7.24

31.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 R 8.21

$0.77 R 12.33

-33.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.66 R 139

$7.72 R 124

12.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 R 22.70

$1.47 R 23.55

-4.08%

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

$36.4K R 584.7K

$36.5K R 586.1K

-0.23%

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

$35.1K R 564.2K

$33.0K R 529.7K

6.50%

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

$129 R 2,071

$148 R 2,380

-12.98%

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

$35.74 R 574

$35.25 R 566

1.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.65 R 749

$38.89 R 625

19.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.30 R 535

$31.54 R 507

5.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.41 R 151

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 R 176

$6.68 R 107

63.92%

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

$186 R 2,985

$331 R 5,318

-43.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,029 R 80.8K

$7,462 R 119.9K

-32.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.9 R 1,187

$53.4 R 858

38.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.96 R 674

$30.55 R 491

37.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 R 1,847

$101 R 1,622

13.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 R 1,573

$88.7 R 1,425

10.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 R 6,468

$490 R 7,863

-17.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 R 6,077

$400 R 6,424

-5.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 R 12.3K

$862 R 13.8K

-11.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$766 R 12.3K

$790 R 12.7K

-3.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$902 R 14.5K

$934 R 15.0K

-3.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$642 R 10.3K

$590 R 9,477

8.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,244 R 20.0K

$1,250 R 20.1K

-0.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.94

11.66

2.40%

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

Last update for Grahamstown: August 30, 2026

Last update for Durban: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $403 in Grahamstown versus $490 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 0% 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 $44.00 in Grahamstown versus $40.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $201 – 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

Grahamstown vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Grahamstown is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,755 per month in Grahamstown and $1,726 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Grahamstown and $40.00 in Durban. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Grahamstown, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Durban, where all-in costs run around $1,150, than in Grahamstown at $1,170. In Durban it covers expenses comfortably, while in Grahamstown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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, Grahamstown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.