Cost of Living Comparison Between Pietermaritzburg and Cape Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Pietermaritzburg and Cape Town

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,061 per month in Pietermaritzburg vs $1,273 in Cape Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,607 per month in Pietermaritzburg vs $1,983 in Cape Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,153 per month in Pietermaritzburg vs $2,693 in Cape Town, rent included.

Pietermaritzburg is about 17% cheaper than Cape Town, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Pietermaritzburg and Cape Town are more affordable than the global median – Pietermaritzburg 21% lower, Cape Town 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.32 R 135

$11.02 R 179

-24.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.99 R 699

$44.99 R 731

-4.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 R 93.6

$4.91 R 79.8

17.31%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R 36.35

$2.00 R 32.49

12.00%

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

$0.88 R 14.31

$1.10 R 17.94

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 R 11.20

$0.83 R 13.43

-16.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 R 27.13

$2.87 R 46.56

-41.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 R 38.12

$2.48 R 40.35

-5.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R 17.04

$1.15 R 18.61

-8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 R 13.06

$1.08 R 17.59

-25.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.33

$1.87 R 30.38

-19.79%

Eggs

$2.35 R 38.19

$2.47 R 40.11

-4.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.99 R 114

$8.57 R 139

-18.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 R 76.5

$5.14 R 83.5

-8.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.82 R 111

$7.66 R 124

-10.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 R 26.91

$1.49 R 24.24

11.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 R 28.61

$1.49 R 24.26

18.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 R 31.58

$1.49 R 24.28

30.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 R 28.20

$1.59 R 25.85

9.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.11

$1.08 R 17.54

42.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 R 28.64

$1.24 R 20.16

41.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 R 21.06

$1.10 R 17.83

18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R 16.19

$0.96 R 15.57

4.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 R 47.55

$3.04 R 49.33

-3.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.55 R 57.6

$6.18 R 100

-42.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 R 23.27

$1.41 R 22.97

1.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 R 28.92

$1.68 R 27.23

5.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.73 R 44.44

$0.93 R 15.17

193.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.34 R 298

$47.91 R 779

-61.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 R 27.48

$1.38 R 22.43

22.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 R 8.49

$0.93 R 15.14

-44.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 R 64.7

$4.36 R 70.9

-8.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 R 19.47

$1.25 R 20.33

-4.00%

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

$23.4K R 380.4K

$21.3K R 346.9K

9.67%

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

$22.9K R 371.7K

$24.5K R 397.5K

-6.48%

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

$238 R 3,861

$98.3 R 1,598

141.73%

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

$30.61 R 497

$33.19 R 539

-7.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 R 948

$40.75 R 662

43.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.05 R 618

$41.68 R 677

-8.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.15 R 133

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 R 80.3

$6.55 R 107

-24.58%

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

$148 R 2,401

$211 R 3,435

-30.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,723 R 76.8K

$5,300 R 86.1K

-10.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.2 R 1,011

$55.7 R 906

11.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 R 615

$32.78 R 533

15.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$178 R 2,885

$115 R 1,869

54.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.4 R 1,226

$84.5 R 1,374

-10.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 R 3,280

$765 R 12.4K

-73.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 R 2,986

$520 R 8,453

-64.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 R 8,492

$1,430 R 23.2K

-63.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 R 6,161

$1,014 R 16.5K

-62.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$916 R 14.9K

$2,344 R 38.1K

-60.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$442 R 7,187

$1,506 R 24.5K

-70.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$919 R 14.9K

$1,683 R 27.4K

-45.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

11.77

-2.29%

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

Last update for Pietermaritzburg: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $202 in Pietermaritzburg versus $765 in Cape Town. 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 83% higher in Cape Town, 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 $43.00 in Pietermaritzburg versus $45.00 in Cape Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $189 – making Pietermaritzburg 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

Pietermaritzburg vs Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Town costs about 20% more than Pietermaritzburg, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,591 per month in Pietermaritzburg and $1,909 in Cape Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pietermaritzburg, 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 $1,061 in Pietermaritzburg and $1,273 in Cape Town. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 161% less in Pietermaritzburg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pietermaritzburg, where all-in costs run around $1,061, than in Cape Town at $1,273. In Pietermaritzburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cape Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pietermaritzburg costs $1,061 versus $1,273 in Cape Town. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Pietermaritzburg. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cape Town makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.