Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,435 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,150 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,252 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,789 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,069 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,428 in Durban, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 25% more than Durban, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Johannesburg sits 4% above the global median, while Durban is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.61 R 202

$8.10 R 130

55.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.05 R 736

$40.00 R 640

15.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 R 120

$5.80 R 92.8

29.48%

Cappuccino

$2.49 R 39.82

$2.78 R 44.52

-10.43%

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

$1.26 R 20.23

$1.14 R 18.28

10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.07

$0.93 R 14.90

1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 R 33.11

$2.42 R 38.76

-14.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R 44.24

$2.77 R 44.37

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 R 21.79

$1.25 R 20.07

8.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 R 20.57

$0.99 R 15.85

30.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.27

$1.64 R 26.25

11.59%

Eggs

$2.68 R 42.86

$2.44 R 39.08

9.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 R 149

$8.65 R 138

7.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.00 R 96.0

$5.64 R 90.2

6.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 R 146

$7.30 R 117

25.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 R 35.97

$1.88 R 30.12

19.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 R 31.25

$1.91 R 30.54

2.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 R 29.09

$1.93 R 30.82

-5.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 R 34.08

$1.67 R 26.77

27.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 R 28.66

$1.55 R 24.81

15.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 R 29.95

$1.53 R 24.46

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 R 24.14

$1.22 R 19.57

23.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 R 21.44

$1.25 R 19.94

7.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 R 54.4

$3.72 R 59.5

-8.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.05 R 96.8

$4.83 R 77.2

25.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 R 29.76

$1.51 R 24.17

23.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 R 39.14

$1.97 R 31.54

24.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 R 34.08

$1.93 R 30.83

10.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 R 1,501

$22.24 R 356

321.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 R 14.43

$0.45 R 7.21

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.10

$0.77 R 12.28

22.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.16 R 243

$7.72 R 123

96.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 R 24.56

$1.47 R 23.45

4.76%

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

$36.4K R 581.6K

$36.5K R 583.5K

-0.33%

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

$32.9K R 525.6K

$33.0K R 527.4K

-0.35%

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

$222 R 3,552

$148 R 2,369

49.91%

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

$38.73 R 619

$35.25 R 564

9.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.69 R 635

$38.89 R 622

2.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.29 R 612

$31.54 R 504

21.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.46 R 279

$9.41 R 150

85.55%

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 R 128

$6.68 R 107

19.61%

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

$248 R 3,964

$331 R 5,295

-25.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,745 R 91.9K

$7,462 R 119.3K

-23.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 R 958

$53.4 R 854

12.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.00 R 768

$30.55 R 489

57.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 R 1,748

$101 R 1,615

8.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 R 1,760

$88.7 R 1,419

24.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 R 8,731

$490 R 7,829

11.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 R 7,081

$400 R 6,396

10.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 R 17.7K

$862 R 13.8K

28.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$939 R 15.0K

$790 R 12.6K

18.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 R 16.3K

$934 R 14.9K

9.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$773 R 12.4K

$590 R 9,436

31.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,787 R 28.6K

$1,250 R 20.0K

42.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

11.66

-6.43%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: August 30, 2026

Last update for Durban: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $546 in Johannesburg 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 43% higher in Johannesburg, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Johannesburg versus $40.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 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

Johannesburg vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Johannesburg is pricier by about 25%, 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 $2,152 per month in Johannesburg 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,435 in Johannesburg and $1,150 in Durban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 322% less in Durban. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Durban, where all-in costs run around $1,150, than in Johannesburg at $1,435. In Durban it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg 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.

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