Cost of Living Comparison Between Hillcrest and Pretoria Cost of Living Comparison Between Hillcrest and Pretoria

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,339 per month in Hillcrest vs $1,158 in Pretoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,887 per month in Hillcrest vs $1,776 in Pretoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,435 per month in Hillcrest vs $2,394 in Pretoria, rent included.

Hillcrest costs about 16% more than Pretoria, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Hillcrest sits 0% above the global median, while Pretoria is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 R 125

$8.23 R 134

-6.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.16 R 458

$33.05 R 537

-14.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 R 81.2

$4.71 R 76.6

6.16%

Cappuccino

$1.89 R 30.78

$2.02 R 32.84

-6.44%

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

$0.94 R 15.33

$1.01 R 16.48

-6.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 R 11.46

$0.83 R 13.57

-14.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 R 31.03

$2.17 R 35.34

-11.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 R 35.33

$2.82 R 45.89

-23.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 R 14.18

$1.19 R 19.37

-26.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 R 8.88

$1.06 R 17.15

-48.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 R 19.54

$1.57 R 25.49

-23.57%

Eggs

$2.14 R 34.74

$2.38 R 38.71

-10.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.51 R 122

$7.78 R 127

-3.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.94 R 64.0

$4.56 R 74.1

-13.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.22 R 101

$6.39 R 104

-2.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 R 22.75

$1.63 R 26.49

-14.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 R 17.86

$1.62 R 26.28

-32.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 R 21.42

$1.62 R 26.28

-18.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.17

$1.70 R 27.55

-20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R 20.43

$1.35 R 21.99

-6.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 R 20.04

$1.17 R 18.99

5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 R 15.92

$1.12 R 18.24

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 R 13.82

$1.12 R 18.24

-24.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 R 46.30

$2.82 R 45.77

1.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.98 R 80.9

$5.29 R 86.0

-5.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 R 23.91

$1.55 R 25.25

-5.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 R 27.34

$1.83 R 29.78

-8.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 R 26.05

$3.22 R 52.3

-50.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 R 1,038

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 R 27.64

$1.37 R 22.34

24.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 R 10.08

$1.32 R 21.41

-53.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 R 107

$3.12 R 50.7

111.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 20.58

$1.32 R 21.39

-3.79%

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

$20.0K R 324.3K

$19.3K R 313.1K

3.59%

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

$24.3K R 394.3K

$25.7K R 417.9K

-5.66%

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

$145 R 2,356

$122 R 1,979

19.05%

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

$28.78 R 468

$37.75 R 614

-23.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.30 R 557

$37.89 R 616

-9.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.99 R 504

$32.18 R 523

-3.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.50 R 171

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 R 110

$7.46 R 121

-9.52%

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

$209 R 3,397

$196 R 3,183

6.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,543 R 73.8K

$4,381 R 71.2K

3.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.37 R 672

$50.7 R 824

-18.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.04 R 488

$32.29 R 525

-6.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 R 1,566

$87.3 R 1,419

10.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 R 1,193

$89.8 R 1,459

-18.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$369 R 5,999

$399 R 6,491

-7.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$672 R 10.9K

$393 R 6,385

71.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 R 11.3K

$733 R 11.9K

-5.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 R 18.6K

$766 R 12.4K

49.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$986 R 16.0K

$889 R 14.4K

10.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$771 R 12.5K

$707 R 11.5K

9.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,510 R 24.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.01

11.69

2.74%

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

Last update for Hillcrest: June 2, 2026

Last update for Pretoria: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $369 in Hillcrest versus $399 in Pretoria. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Hillcrest versus $33.00 in Pretoria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $155 vs $183 – making Hillcrest 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

Hillcrest vs Pretoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hillcrest costs about 16% more than Pretoria, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,009 per month in Hillcrest and $1,737 in Pretoria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pretoria, 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 $28.00 in Hillcrest and $33.00 in Pretoria. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Hillcrest – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pretoria, where all-in costs run around $1,158, than in Hillcrest at $1,339. In Pretoria it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hillcrest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Hillcrest has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,158 in Pretoria to $1,339 in Hillcrest. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Pretoria. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hillcrest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.