Cost of Living Comparison Between Howick and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Howick and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $887 per month in Howick vs $1,083 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,352 per month in Howick vs $1,560 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,818 per month in Howick vs $2,037 in Durban, rent included.

Howick is about 18% cheaper than Durban, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Howick and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Howick 34% lower, Durban 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.30 R 54.7

$7.52 R 124

-56.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.64 R 458

$28.22 R 467

-2.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.40 R 56.3

$4.94 R 81.8

-31.17%

Cappuccino

$1.98 R 32.84

$1.90 R 31.38

4.21%

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

$0.57 R 9.46

$0.90 R 14.85

-36.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 R 7.08

$0.67 R 11.03

-35.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 R 31.57

$1.97 R 32.64

-3.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 R 37.56

$2.26 R 37.40

0.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 R 17.06

$1.05 R 17.36

-1.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 R 14.41

$0.96 R 15.93

-9.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 R 18.27

$1.44 R 23.82

-23.61%

Eggs

$2.21 R 36.53

$2.09 R 34.66

5.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.14 R 85.0

$7.50 R 124

-31.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.27 R 37.56

$4.52 R 74.8

-49.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.03 R 83.3

$6.16 R 102

-18.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.86

$1.56 R 25.76

-3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 R 18.93

$1.40 R 23.19

-18.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.77

$1.33 R 22.06

-1.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 R 18.05

$1.31 R 21.72

-16.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 R 14.08

$1.31 R 21.67

-35.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 R 20.35

$1.22 R 20.27

0.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 R 16.19

$0.97 R 16.08

1.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 R 15.98

$0.96 R 15.90

1.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 R 51.8

$3.00 R 49.74

4.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.98 R 82.5

$4.75 R 78.7

4.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 R 18.02

$1.39 R 23.01

-21.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 R 18.71

$1.74 R 28.88

-35.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 27.03

$1.51 R 25.00

7.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.64 R 640

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 R 27.00

$1.69 R 27.98

-3.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 R 10.40

$0.58 R 9.65

8.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 R 110

$6.78 R 112

-2.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 R 20.37

$1.32 R 21.83

-6.82%

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

$14.2K R 235.3K

$20.5K R 340.0K

-30.78%

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

$22.6K R 373.7K

$24.1K R 398.8K

-6.30%

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

$145 R 2,407

$146 R 2,410

-0.10%

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

$13.94 R 231

$29.42 R 487

-52.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.12 R 565

$34.24 R 567

-0.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.67 R 508

$33.69 R 558

-8.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.42 R 156

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 R 93.6

$6.88 R 114

-17.88%

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

$102 R 1,683

$205 R 3,393

-50.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,645 R 76.9K

$4,576 R 75.8K

1.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.49 R 687

$41.95 R 694

-1.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.09 R 233

$29.69 R 491

-52.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 R 1,394

$96.4 R 1,596

-12.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.67 R 740

$71.5 R 1,183

-37.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 R 6,040

$377 R 6,249

-3.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 R 5,588

$364 R 6,028

-7.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 R 11.5K

$759 R 12.6K

-8.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 R 11.5K

$588 R 9,732

18.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$719 R 11.9K

$898 R 14.9K

-19.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$749 R 12.4K

$597 R 9,879

25.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,247 R 20.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.01

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

Last update for Howick: July 14, 2026

Last update for Durban: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $365 in Howick versus $377 in Durban. 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 Howick versus $28.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $137 vs $168 – making Howick 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

Howick vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 22%, 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 $1,330 per month in Howick and $1,625 in Durban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 22% more in Durban, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $887 in Howick and $1,083 in Durban, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Howick – 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 Howick. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Durban makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.