Cost of Living Comparison Between Newcastle and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Newcastle and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $969 per month in Newcastle vs $1,068 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,514 per month in Newcastle vs $1,560 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,060 per month in Newcastle vs $2,052 in Durban, rent included.

Newcastle is about 9% cheaper than Durban, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Newcastle and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Newcastle 28% lower, Durban 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.48 R 140

$7.36 R 122

15.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.00 R 563

$27.78 R 460

22.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 R 80.9

$5.18 R 85.7

-5.60%

Cappuccino

$2.10 R 34.79

$1.92 R 31.72

9.38%

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

$1.02 R 16.94

$0.87 R 14.45

17.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 R 13.83

$0.68 R 11.18

23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 R 36.15

$1.91 R 31.59

14.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 R 46.88

$2.27 R 37.53

24.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.76

$1.00 R 16.51

19.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 R 16.96

$0.96 R 15.85

6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 R 20.24

$1.43 R 23.62

-14.69%

Eggs

$1.70 R 28.09

$2.13 R 35.24

-20.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.10 R 101

$7.47 R 124

-18.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 R 75.8

$4.60 R 76.1

-0.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.55 R 108

$6.27 R 104

4.47%

Apples (1kg)

$0.83 R 13.71

$1.57 R 26.04

-47.13%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 R 15.79

$1.37 R 22.64

-30.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 R 14.47

$1.32 R 21.89

-34.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 R 21.16

$1.31 R 21.70

-2.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 R 14.62

$1.27 R 21.06

-30.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 R 19.44

$1.18 R 19.53

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 R 11.03

$0.98 R 16.23

-31.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R 9.60

$0.90 R 14.95

-35.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 R 47.46

$3.02 R 50.0

-4.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.97 R 49.09

$4.90 R 81.1

-39.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R 22.40

$1.46 R 24.13

-7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 R 13.44

$1.74 R 28.78

-53.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 R 26.83

$1.50 R 24.79

8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.01 R 629

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 R 22.92

$1.65 R 27.27

-16.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 R 21.89

$0.58 R 9.60

127.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 R 49.45

$6.62 R 110

-54.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R 21.77

$1.33 R 21.98

-0.75%

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

$19.4K R 321.9K

$20.4K R 338.2K

-4.82%

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

$26.2K R 433.3K

$24.1K R 399.0K

8.59%

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

$122 R 2,015

$142 R 2,355

-14.44%

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

$36.88 R 610

$29.90 R 495

23.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.69 R 640

$34.35 R 569

12.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.23 R 517

$34.01 R 563

-8.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.31 R 154

Cinema Ticket

$7.44 R 123

$6.64 R 110

12.05%

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

$195 R 3,230

$203 R 3,367

-4.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,405 R 72.9K

$4,644 R 76.9K

-5.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 R 830

$42.65 R 706

17.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.78 R 543

$30.30 R 501

8.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 R 1,432

$95.7 R 1,584

-9.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.1 R 1,492

$71.7 R 1,186

25.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 R 5,979

$374 R 6,182

-3.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 R 5,511

$358 R 5,927

-7.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$688 R 11.4K

$753 R 12.5K

-8.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 R 11.3K

$593 R 9,820

15.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$771 R 12.8K

$945 R 15.6K

-18.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$730 R 12.1K

$680 R 11.3K

7.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,262 R 20.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

12.01

-2.66%

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

Last update for Newcastle: April 26, 2026

Last update for Durban: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $361 in Newcastle versus $374 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 $34.00 in Newcastle versus $28.00 in Durban. Groceries tell a different story – $143 in Newcastle vs $167 in Durban – so Newcastle wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Newcastle vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,453 per month in Newcastle and $1,601 in Durban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Newcastle, 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 $34.00 in Newcastle 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 17% more in Durban, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $969 in Newcastle and $1,068 in Durban, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Newcastle – 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 Newcastle. 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.