Cost of Living Comparison Between Pietermaritzburg and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Pietermaritzburg and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,072 per month in Pietermaritzburg vs $1,150 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,600 per month in Pietermaritzburg vs $1,789 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,129 per month in Pietermaritzburg vs $2,428 in Durban, rent included.

Pietermaritzburg is about 7% cheaper than Durban, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Pietermaritzburg and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Pietermaritzburg 22% lower, Durban 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.92 R 126

$8.10 R 129

-2.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.51 R 598

$40.00 R 638

-6.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.78 R 92.2

$5.80 R 92.6

-0.34%

Cappuccino

$2.44 R 38.96

$2.78 R 44.41

-12.23%

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

$1.21 R 19.29

$1.14 R 18.24

6.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 R 16.33

$0.93 R 14.86

9.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 R 37.23

$2.42 R 38.65

-3.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 R 41.71

$2.77 R 44.25

-5.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 R 22.00

$1.25 R 20.01

10.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 R 15.18

$0.99 R 15.81

-4.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 R 28.52

$1.64 R 26.18

9.15%

Eggs

$3.33 R 53.1

$2.44 R 38.98

36.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 R 115

$8.65 R 138

-16.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 R 83.5

$5.64 R 90.0

-7.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.93 R 111

$7.30 R 116

-5.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 R 33.52

$1.88 R 30.04

11.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 R 32.25

$1.91 R 30.46

5.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 R 38.32

$1.93 R 30.74

24.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 R 32.74

$1.67 R 26.70

22.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 R 28.53

$1.55 R 24.75

15.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 R 28.91

$1.53 R 24.39

18.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 R 25.34

$1.22 R 19.52

30.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R 17.67

$1.25 R 19.89

-11.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 R 52.1

$3.72 R 59.3

-12.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.06 R 64.8

$4.83 R 77.0

-15.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 R 22.69

$1.51 R 24.11

-5.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 R 29.42

$1.97 R 31.46

-6.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 R 47.32

$1.93 R 30.75

53.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.96 R 318

$22.24 R 355

-10.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 R 27.20

$0.45 R 7.19

280.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 R 17.00

$0.77 R 12.24

38.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.72 R 123

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 R 22.55

$1.47 R 23.39

-4.08%

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

$27.8K R 442.7K

$36.5K R 582.0K

-23.94%

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

$27.6K R 440.1K

$33.0K R 526.0K

-16.34%

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

$210 R 3,351

$148 R 2,363

41.80%

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

$32.58 R 520

$35.25 R 562

-7.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.29 R 611

$38.89 R 620

-1.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.49 R 710

$31.54 R 503

41.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.10 R 49.40

$9.41 R 150

-67.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 R 77.8

$6.68 R 107

-26.95%

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

$186 R 2,970

$331 R 5,281

-43.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,342 R 85.2K

$7,462 R 119.0K

-28.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 R 930

$53.4 R 852

9.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 R 562

$30.55 R 487

15.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 R 1,915

$101 R 1,611

18.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 R 1,122

$88.7 R 1,415

-20.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$228 R 3,636

$490 R 7,809

-53.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 R 3,616

$400 R 6,379

-43.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$617 R 9,841

$862 R 13.8K

-28.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 R 6,763

$790 R 12.6K

-46.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,128 R 97.7K

$934 R 14.9K

556.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$152 R 2,428

$590 R 9,411

-74.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,090 R 17.4K

$1,250 R 19.9K

-12.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.67

11.66

0.09%

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

Last update for Pietermaritzburg: August 29, 2026

Last update for Durban: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $228 in Pietermaritzburg versus $490 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 15% higher in Durban, 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 $38.00 in Pietermaritzburg versus $40.00 in Durban. Groceries tell a different story – $202 in Pietermaritzburg vs $201 in Durban – so Durban 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 Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,608 per month in Pietermaritzburg and $1,726 in Durban. 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 $1,072 in Pietermaritzburg and $1,150 in Durban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% 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 $1,072, than in Durban at $1,150. In Pietermaritzburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Durban it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pietermaritzburg – 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 Pietermaritzburg. 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.