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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,052 per month in Pietermaritzburg vs $1,083 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,592 per month in Pietermaritzburg vs $1,560 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,133 per month in Pietermaritzburg vs $2,037 in Durban, rent included.

Pietermaritzburg is about 3% cheaper than Durban, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Pietermaritzburg and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Pietermaritzburg 21% lower, Durban 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.92 R 131

$7.52 R 124

5.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.07 R 711

$28.22 R 466

52.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.57 R 92.0

$4.94 R 81.6

12.75%

Cappuccino

$2.14 R 35.27

$1.90 R 31.28

12.63%

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

$0.93 R 15.28

$0.90 R 14.81

3.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 R 11.56

$0.67 R 11.00

4.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 R 26.98

$1.97 R 32.54

-16.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 R 39.96

$2.26 R 37.29

7.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 R 17.20

$1.05 R 17.30

-0.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 R 13.51

$0.96 R 15.88

-14.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.05

$1.44 R 23.75

5.56%

Eggs

$2.28 R 37.58

$2.09 R 34.55

9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 R 120

$7.50 R 124

-3.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 R 76.9

$4.52 R 74.6

3.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.06 R 117

$6.16 R 102

14.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 R 26.33

$1.56 R 25.68

2.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.85

$1.40 R 23.12

20.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 R 31.82

$1.33 R 22.00

45.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 R 28.58

$1.31 R 21.66

32.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 R 25.20

$1.31 R 21.60

16.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 R 28.88

$1.22 R 20.21

43.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 R 20.38

$0.97 R 16.03

26.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 R 14.95

$0.96 R 15.85

-5.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 R 47.71

$3.00 R 49.59

-3.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.02 R 66.3

$4.75 R 78.5

-15.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 R 23.08

$1.39 R 22.94

0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 R 29.38

$1.74 R 28.80

2.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 R 43.62

$1.51 R 24.92

74.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.28 R 302

$38.64 R 638

-52.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 R 28.16

$1.69 R 27.90

1.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 R 8.61

$0.58 R 9.62

-10.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 R 68.1

$6.78 R 112

-39.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R 20.04

$1.32 R 21.76

-8.33%

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

$23.7K R 391.0K

$20.5K R 339.0K

15.36%

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

$22.8K R 376.9K

$24.1K R 397.6K

-5.20%

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

$232 R 3,822

$146 R 2,403

59.07%

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

$30.00 R 495

$29.42 R 486

1.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 R 960

$34.24 R 565

69.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.55 R 636

$33.69 R 556

14.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.42 R 155

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 R 84.3

$6.88 R 114

-25.73%

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

$151 R 2,489

$205 R 3,383

-26.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,784 R 78.9K

$4,576 R 75.5K

4.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 R 1,033

$41.95 R 692

49.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.00 R 627

$29.69 R 490

27.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$180 R 2,967

$96.4 R 1,592

86.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.3 R 1,226

$71.5 R 1,180

3.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$205 R 3,383

$377 R 6,230

-45.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 R 3,105

$364 R 6,009

-48.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 R 8,438

$759 R 12.5K

-32.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 R 6,319

$588 R 9,702

-34.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,624 R 59.8K

$898 R 14.8K

303.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$447 R 7,383

$597 R 9,849

-25.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,071 R 17.7K

$1,247 R 20.6K

-14.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

12.01

-4.25%

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

Last update for Pietermaritzburg: July 12, 2026

Last update for Durban: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $205 in Pietermaritzburg versus $377 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 16% 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 $43.00 in Pietermaritzburg versus $28.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $168 – making Durban 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 Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,578 per month in Pietermaritzburg and $1,625 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 $1,052 in Pietermaritzburg and $1,083 in Durban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 111% less in Pietermaritzburg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,052 in Pietermaritzburg and $1,083 in Durban, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.