Cost of Living Comparison Between Margate and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Margate and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $907 per month in Margate vs $1,083 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,420 per month in Margate vs $1,560 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,933 per month in Margate vs $2,037 in Durban, rent included.

Margate is about 16% cheaper than Durban, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Margate and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Margate 32% lower, Durban 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.16 R 119

$7.52 R 124

-4.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.17 R 466

$28.22 R 467

-0.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.40 R 56.3

$4.94 R 81.8

-31.17%

Cappuccino

$1.22 R 20.27

$1.90 R 31.38

-35.79%

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

$0.67 R 11.10

$0.90 R 14.85

-25.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 R 6.76

$0.67 R 11.03

-38.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 R 32.69

$1.97 R 32.64

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 R 23.37

$2.26 R 37.40

-37.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 R 14.34

$1.05 R 17.36

-17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 R 12.53

$0.96 R 15.93

-20.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 R 20.56

$1.44 R 23.82

-13.89%

Eggs

$2.18 R 36.11

$2.09 R 34.66

4.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.68 R 77.4

$7.50 R 124

-37.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.44 R 40.47

$4.52 R 74.8

-46.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.52 R 58.2

$6.16 R 102

-42.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.43

$1.56 R 25.76

-8.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 R 23.35

$1.40 R 23.19

0.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 R 21.39

$1.33 R 22.06

-3.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 R 21.46

$1.31 R 21.72

-0.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 R 15.44

$1.31 R 21.67

-29.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 R 19.45

$1.22 R 20.27

-4.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 R 16.96

$0.97 R 16.08

5.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.53

$0.96 R 15.90

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.51 R 25.03

$3.00 R 49.74

-49.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.49 R 57.7

$4.75 R 78.7

-26.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 15.34

$1.39 R 23.01

-33.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 R 23.86

$1.74 R 28.88

-17.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 R 17.49

$1.51 R 25.00

-29.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.64 R 640

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 R 11.72

$1.69 R 27.98

-57.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 R 10.28

$0.58 R 9.65

6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 R 73.2

$6.78 R 112

-34.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 21.30

$1.32 R 21.83

-2.27%

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

$20.5K R 338.6K

$20.5K R 340.0K

-0.41%

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

$24.5K R 406.0K

$24.1K R 398.8K

1.81%

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

$147 R 2,432

$146 R 2,410

0.91%

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

$28.74 R 476

$29.42 R 487

-2.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.82 R 560

$34.24 R 567

-1.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.48 R 505

$33.69 R 558

-9.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.35 R 55.4

$9.42 R 156

-64.44%

Cinema Ticket

$3.67 R 60.8

$6.88 R 114

-46.66%

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

$206 R 3,408

$205 R 3,393

0.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,584 R 75.9K

$4,576 R 75.8K

0.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.29 R 700

$41.95 R 694

0.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.64 R 507

$29.69 R 491

3.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 R 1,538

$96.4 R 1,596

-3.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.4 R 1,199

$71.5 R 1,183

1.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 R 6,026

$377 R 6,249

-3.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 R 5,524

$364 R 6,028

-8.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$683 R 11.3K

$759 R 12.6K

-9.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$687 R 11.4K

$588 R 9,732

16.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$844 R 14.0K

$898 R 14.9K

-6.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$708 R 11.7K

$597 R 9,879

18.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,502 R 24.9K

$1,247 R 20.6K

20.48%

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 Margate: July 12, 2026

Last update for Durban: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $364 in Margate 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 20% higher in Margate, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Margate versus $28.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $128 vs $168 – making Margate 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

Margate vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 19%, 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 $1,361 per month in Margate 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 Margate, 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 Margate 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 31% more in Durban, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $907 in Margate and $1,083 in Durban, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Margate – 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 Margate. 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.