🙂A single person spends $969 per month in Newcastle vs $1,174 in Pretoria, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,514 per month in Newcastle vs $1,795 in Pretoria, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,060 per month in Newcastle vs $2,417 in Pretoria, rent included.
🙂Newcastle is about 17% cheaper than Pretoria, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both Newcastle and Pretoria are more affordable than the global median – Newcastle28% lower, Pretoria12% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Newcastle
Pretoria
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.48R 142
$8.17R 137
3.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.00R 570
$34.21R 574
-0.61%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.89R 82.0
$4.71R 79.0
3.82%
Cappuccino
$2.10R 35.25
$2.01R 33.68
4.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02R 17.17
$1.05R 17.67
-2.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84R 14.01
$0.82R 13.77
2.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.18R 36.63
$2.21R 37.11
-1.36%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83R 47.50
$2.82R 47.23
0.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Newcastle
Pretoria
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.19R 20.03
$1.19R 19.99
-
White Bread(500g)
$1.02R 17.18
$1.02R 17.13
-
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.22R 20.51
$1.65R 27.61
-26.06%
Eggs
$1.70R 28.47
$2.37R 39.71
-28.27%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.10R 102
$7.76R 130
-21.39%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.58R 76.8
$4.58R 76.8
-
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.55R 110
$6.35R 107
3.15%
Apples(1kg)
$0.83R 13.89
$1.69R 28.34
-50.89%
Banana(1kg)
$0.95R 16.00
$1.60R 26.81
-40.63%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.87R 14.66
$1.59R 26.74
-45.28%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.28R 21.45
$1.64R 27.50
-21.95%
Potato(1kg)
$0.88R 14.82
$1.30R 21.87
-32.31%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17R 19.70
$1.16R 19.43
0.86%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67R 11.18
$1.09R 18.26
-38.53%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58R 9.73
$1.11R 18.65
-47.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.87R 48.09
$2.86R 48.00
0.35%
Wine(Bottle)
$2.97R 49.74
$5.04R 84.5
-41.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.35R 22.70
$1.50R 25.14
-10.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81R 13.61
$1.79R 30.04
-54.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Newcastle
Pretoria
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.62R 27.18
$3.12R 52.3
-48.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$63.5R 1,064
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.38R 23.22
$1.41R 23.73
-2.13%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.32R 22.18
$1.31R 22.01
0.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.99R 50.1
$3.02R 50.6
-0.99%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.32R 22.06
$1.31R 21.95
0.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.4KR 326.2K
$19.5KR 327.8K
-0.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2KR 439.0K
$26.2KR 440.2K
-0.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Newcastle
Pretoria
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122R 2,042
$126R 2,120
-3.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.88R 618
$38.00R 637
-2.95%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.69R 649
$38.28R 642
1.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Newcastle
Pretoria
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$31.23R 524
$32.47R 545
-3.82%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.57R 177
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.44R 125
$7.52R 126
-1.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Newcastle
Pretoria
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$195R 3,273
$196R 3,288
-0.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,405R 73.9K
$4,288R 71.9K
2.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Newcastle
Pretoria
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.1R 841
$51.1R 857
-1.90%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.78R 550
$32.25R 541
1.64%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$86.5R 1,451
$87.7R 1,471
-1.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.1R 1,512
$87.2R 1,462
3.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Newcastle
Pretoria
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$361R 6,058
$396R 6,640
-8.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$333R 5,585
$393R 6,599
-15.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$688R 11.5K
$723R 12.1K
-4.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$685R 11.5K
$770R 12.9K
-10.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$771R 12.9K
$898R 15.1K
-14.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$730R 12.2K
$700R 11.7K
4.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Newcastle
Pretoria
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$1,408R 23.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.69
11.69
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Newcastle: April 26, 2026
Last update for Pretoria: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $361 in Newcastle versus $396 in Pretoria. 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 $34.00 in Pretoria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $143 vs $181 – making Newcastle 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
Newcastle vs Pretoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Newcastle and Pretoria compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $969 in Newcastle, $1,174 in Pretoria – roughly 21% apart. Pretoria costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Newcastle compared to Pretoria?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,453 per month in Newcastle and $1,761 in Pretoria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Newcastle and Pretoria?
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.
Which city is more expensive overall: Newcastle or Pretoria?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $969 in Newcastle and $1,174 in Pretoria. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Newcastle and Pretoria?
Kindergarten costs $195 per month in Newcastle and $196 in Pretoria. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Newcastle, where all-in costs run around $969, than in Pretoria at $1,174. In Newcastle it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Newcastle or Pretoria?
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.
How do I decide between Newcastle and Pretoria?
If budget matters most, go with Newcastle. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pretoria makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.