🙂A single person spends $1,048 per month in Kimberley vs $1,083 in Durban, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,772 per month in Kimberley vs $1,560 in Durban, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,496 per month in Kimberley vs $2,037 in Durban, rent included.
🙂Kimberley is about 3% cheaper than Durban, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Kimberley and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Kimberley22% lower, Durban19% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kimberley
Durban
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.05R 182
$7.52R 124
46.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.20R 564
$28.22R 466
21.19%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.77R 95.2
$4.94R 81.6
16.80%
Cappuccino
$2.76R 45.52
$1.90R 31.28
45.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.20R 19.73
$0.90R 14.81
33.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16R 19.10
$0.67R 11.00
73.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.47R 40.69
$1.97R 32.54
25.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45R 40.47
$2.26R 37.29
8.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kimberley
Durban
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.50R 24.73
$1.05R 17.30
42.86%
White Bread(500g)
$1.03R 16.94
$0.96R 15.88
7.29%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.84R 46.80
$1.44R 23.75
97.22%
Eggs
$2.61R 43.09
$2.09R 34.55
24.88%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.02R 99.4
$7.50R 124
-19.73%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.67R 93.6
$4.52R 74.6
25.44%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.85R 130
$6.16R 102
27.44%
Apples(1kg)
$2.05R 33.86
$1.56R 25.68
31.41%
Banana(1kg)
$2.26R 37.24
$1.40R 23.12
61.43%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53R 25.27
$1.33R 22.00
15.04%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.02R 49.90
$1.31R 21.66
130.53%
Potato(1kg)
$2.26R 37.23
$1.31R 21.60
72.52%
Onion(1kg)
$1.16R 19.15
$1.22R 20.21
-4.92%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.24R 20.41
$0.97R 16.03
27.84%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85R 14.08
$0.96R 15.85
-11.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.93R 48.31
$3.00R 49.59
-2.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.57R 108
$4.75R 78.5
38.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.15R 35.56
$1.39R 22.94
54.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60R 42.83
$1.74R 28.80
49.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Kimberley
Durban
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.69R 27.92
$1.51R 24.92
11.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$30.27R 500
$38.64R 638
-21.66%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.64R 10.55
$1.69R 27.90
-62.13%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.94R 15.51
$0.58R 9.62
62.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.11R 67.9
$6.78R 112
-39.38%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.38R 22.70
$1.32R 21.76
4.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2KR 349.7K
$20.5KR 339.0K
3.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9KR 394.7K
$24.1KR 397.6K
-0.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kimberley
Durban
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$96.8R 1,597
$146R 2,403
-33.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.38R 650
$29.42R 486
33.85%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.48R 751
$34.24R 565
32.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kimberley
Durban
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$20.90R 345
$33.69R 556
-37.96%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$9.42R 155
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91R 114
$6.88R 114
0.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kimberley
Durban
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$158R 2,611
$205R 3,383
-22.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,267R 70.4K
$4,576R 75.5K
-6.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kimberley
Durban
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.98R 561
$41.95R 692
-19.00%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.75R 541
$29.69R 490
10.31%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.3R 1,407
$96.4R 1,592
-11.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.6R 1,297
$71.5R 1,180
9.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kimberley
Durban
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$242R 4,002
$377R 6,230
-35.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$307R 5,068
$364R 6,009
-15.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$585R 9,651
$759R 12.5K
-22.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$863R 14.2K
$588R 9,702
46.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$879R 14.5K
$898R 14.8K
-2.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$802R 13.2K
$597R 9,849
34.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kimberley
Durban
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$930R 15.3K
$1,247R 20.6K
-25.44%
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 Kimberley: July 14, 2026
Last update for Durban: July 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $242 in Kimberley 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.
💰Salaries run about 34% higher in Durban, 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 $34.00 in Kimberley versus $28.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 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
Kimberley vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Durban cheaper than Kimberley?
Yes – Durban is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,572 per month in Kimberley and $1,625 in Durban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kimberley, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Kimberley and in Durban?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,048 in Kimberley and $1,083 in Durban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 28% less in Kimberley. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,000 enough for either Kimberley or Durban?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,048 in Kimberley and $1,083 in Durban, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Kimberley or Durban more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kimberley – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Kimberley. 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.