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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,179 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,058 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,810 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,552 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,442 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,046 in Durban, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 11% more than Durban, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Johannesburg and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Johannesburg 12% lower, Durban 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 R 180

$7.60 R 124

45.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.02 R 736

$28.12 R 460

60.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 R 80.2

$4.97 R 81.3

-1.21%

Cappuccino

$2.27 R 37.11

$1.97 R 32.17

15.23%

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

$0.99 R 16.16

$0.87 R 14.21

13.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 R 12.66

$0.67 R 11.00

14.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 R 43.05

$1.93 R 31.48

36.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 R 41.36

$2.22 R 36.23

13.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.38

$1.00 R 16.27

19.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 R 17.25

$0.91 R 14.89

16.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.75

$1.48 R 24.27

14.86%

Eggs

$2.52 R 41.14

$2.11 R 34.46

19.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 R 137

$7.28 R 119

14.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 R 76.4

$4.59 R 75.1

1.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.67 R 109

$6.33 R 104

5.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.41

$1.57 R 25.68

7.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.18

$1.36 R 22.21

8.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.42

$1.38 R 22.57

7.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.93

$1.36 R 22.27

16.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.32

$1.27 R 20.78

12.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 R 23.88

$1.18 R 19.29

23.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 R 17.31

$0.97 R 15.92

9.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.35

$0.96 R 15.67

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 R 49.60

$3.13 R 51.3

-3.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 R 99.8

$5.02 R 82.1

21.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R 22.16

$1.46 R 23.88

-6.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 R 27.29

$1.75 R 28.55

-4.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 R 28.04

$1.50 R 24.47

14.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.0 R 1,127

$37.86 R 619

82.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R 17.98

$1.71 R 27.92

-35.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 15.46

$0.61 R 10.01

55.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 R 66.5

$6.78 R 111

-39.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.98

$1.28 R 20.85

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

$22.6K R 369.2K

$20.3K R 331.9K

11.22%

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

$24.4K R 398.3K

$24.2K R 396.2K

0.53%

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

$119 R 1,940

$147 R 2,402

-19.22%

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

$39.96 R 653

$29.29 R 479

36.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.32 R 708

$33.72 R 551

28.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.66 R 550

$34.46 R 563

-2.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.96 R 228

$9.14 R 149

52.74%

Cinema Ticket

$7.40 R 121

$6.56 R 107

12.80%

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

$206 R 3,374

$210 R 3,425

-1.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,959 R 81.1K

$4,585 R 75.0K

8.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 R 838

$42.78 R 699

19.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.03 R 556

$29.50 R 482

15.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 R 1,502

$93.3 R 1,524

-1.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 R 1,288

$73.1 R 1,194

7.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$419 R 6,857

$373 R 6,099

12.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 R 6,074

$368 R 6,009

1.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 R 15.0K

$754 R 12.3K

21.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$718 R 11.7K

$594 R 9,708

20.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,063 R 17.4K

$910 R 14.9K

16.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$765 R 12.5K

$581 R 9,496

31.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,714 R 28.0K

$1,395 R 22.8K

22.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

12.01

-4.16%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: May 30, 2026

Last update for Durban: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $419 in Johannesburg versus $373 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 23% 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 $45.00 in Johannesburg versus $28.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $168 – 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 11%, 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 $1,768 per month in Johannesburg and $1,587 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 $1,179 in Johannesburg and $1,058 in Durban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 82% 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 $1,058, than in Johannesburg at $1,179. 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.