Cost of Living Comparison Between Pietermaritzburg and Da Nang Cost of Living Comparison Between Pietermaritzburg and Da Nang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,052 per month in Pietermaritzburg vs $704 in Da Nang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,592 per month in Pietermaritzburg vs $1,081 in Da Nang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,133 per month in Pietermaritzburg vs $1,458 in Da Nang, rent included.

Pietermaritzburg costs about 49% more than Da Nang, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Pietermaritzburg and Da Nang are more affordable than the global median – Pietermaritzburg 21% lower, Da Nang 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.92 R 131

$1.93 ₫50.8K

310.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.07 R 711

$19.46 ₫511.5K

121.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.57 R 92.0

$4.65 ₫122.2K

19.78%

Cappuccino

$2.14 R 35.27

$1.61 ₫42.3K

32.92%

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

$0.93 R 15.28

$0.51 ₫13.4K

82.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 R 11.56

$0.29 ₫7,592

141.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 R 26.98

$1.07 ₫28.2K

53.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 R 39.96

$1.59 ₫41.7K

52.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 R 17.20

$1.38 ₫36.3K

-24.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 R 13.51

$0.95 ₫24.9K

-13.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.05

$1.17 ₫30.7K

29.91%

Eggs

$2.28 R 37.58

$1.43 ₫37.5K

59.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 R 120

$12.59 ₫331.0K

-42.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 R 76.9

$3.64 ₫95.8K

28.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.06 R 117

$9.79 ₫257.3K

-27.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 R 26.33

$2.76 ₫72.4K

-42.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.85

$0.94 ₫24.8K

79.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 R 31.82

$1.12 ₫29.4K

72.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 R 28.58

$1.05 ₫27.6K

64.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 R 25.20

$1.10 ₫28.9K

39.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 R 28.88

$1.19 ₫31.4K

47.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 R 20.38

$1.00 ₫26.3K

23.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 R 14.95

$0.48 ₫12.7K

89.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 R 47.71

$1.38 ₫36.3K

109.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.02 R 66.3

$7.52 ₫197.7K

-46.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 R 23.08

$0.81 ₫21.4K

72.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 R 29.38

$1.60 ₫42.1K

11.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 R 43.62

$0.32 ₫8,321

725.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.28 R 302

$3.73 ₫98.2K

390.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 R 28.16

$0.82 ₫21.5K

108.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 R 8.61

$0.69 ₫18.3K

-24.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 R 68.1

$12.03 ₫316.4K

-65.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R 20.04

$0.91 ₫24.0K

32.97%

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

$23.7K R 391.0K

$27.2K ₫715.1M

-12.90%

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

$22.8K R 376.9K

$28.1K ₫739.2M

-18.78%

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

$232 R 3,822

$74.1 ₫1.9M

212.68%

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

$30.00 R 495

$5.97 ₫157.0K

402.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 R 960

$8.07 ₫212.3K

621.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.55 R 636

$20.06 ₫527.5K

92.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.52 ₫197.6K

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 R 84.3

$3.00 ₫78.9K

70.33%

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

$151 R 2,489

$153 ₫4.0M

-1.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,784 R 78.9K

$12.8K ₫336.9M

-62.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 R 1,033

$39.61 ₫1.0M

58.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.00 R 627

$25.60 ₫673.1K

48.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$180 R 2,967

$52.7 ₫1.4M

240.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.3 R 1,226

$76.9 ₫2.0M

-3.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$205 R 3,383

$365 ₫9.6M

-43.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 R 3,105

$244 ₫6.4M

-22.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 R 8,438

$732 ₫19.2M

-30.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 R 6,319

$458 ₫12.0M

-16.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,624 R 59.8K

$3,767 ₫99.0M

-3.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$447 R 7,383

$1,304 ₫34.3M

-65.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,071 R 17.7K

$359 ₫9.4M

198.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

10.67

7.78%

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

Last update for Pietermaritzburg: July 12, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $205 in Pietermaritzburg versus $365 in Da Nang. 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 198% higher in Pietermaritzburg, 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 $19.00 in Da Nang. Groceries tell a different story – $177 in Pietermaritzburg vs $186 in Da Nang – so Pietermaritzburg 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

Pietermaritzburg vs Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,052 in Pietermaritzburg, $704 in Da Nang – roughly 49% apart. Pietermaritzburg costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,578 per month in Pietermaritzburg and $1,056 in Da Nang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Da Nang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Pietermaritzburg – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Pietermaritzburg and $19.00 in Da Nang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,052 in Pietermaritzburg and $704 in Da Nang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Da Nang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $704 in Da Nang to $1,052 in Pietermaritzburg. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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