Cost of Living Comparison Between Polokwane and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Polokwane and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $820 per month in Polokwane vs $1,058 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,289 per month in Polokwane vs $1,552 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,757 per month in Polokwane vs $2,046 in Durban, rent included.

Polokwane is about 22% cheaper than Durban, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Polokwane and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Polokwane 39% lower, Durban 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 R 160

$7.60 R 123

29.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.61 R 692

$28.12 R 457

51.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 R 76.9

$4.97 R 80.8

-4.83%

Cappuccino

$2.17 R 35.33

$1.97 R 31.98

10.15%

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

$0.81 R 13.14

$0.87 R 14.12

-6.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 R 13.06

$0.67 R 10.94

19.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 R 27.52

$1.93 R 31.30

-12.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 R 32.78

$2.22 R 36.02

-9.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.34

$1.00 R 16.18

19.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 R 15.51

$0.91 R 14.80

4.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 R 27.89

$1.48 R 24.13

16.22%

Eggs

$2.47 R 40.13

$2.11 R 34.25

17.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 R 116

$7.28 R 118

-2.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 R 52.9

$4.59 R 74.7

-28.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.73 R 93.1

$6.33 R 103

-9.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.55

$1.57 R 25.53

3.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.78

$1.36 R 22.08

11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.76

$1.38 R 22.43

10.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R 26.97

$1.36 R 22.14

22.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 R 23.54

$1.27 R 20.66

14.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 R 19.97

$1.18 R 19.18

4.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 R 17.06

$0.97 R 15.82

8.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 R 11.59

$0.96 R 15.57

-26.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 R 42.66

$3.13 R 50.9

-16.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.76 R 77.3

$5.02 R 81.6

-5.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 R 17.41

$1.46 R 23.74

-26.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 R 20.12

$1.75 R 28.39

-29.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.19 R 51.9

$1.50 R 24.33

112.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.86 R 615

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 R 14.30

$1.71 R 27.76

-48.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.34

$0.61 R 9.95

54.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 R 65.3

$6.78 R 110

-40.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R 19.59

$1.28 R 20.73

-5.47%

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

$13.7K R 223.1K

$20.3K R 330.0K

-32.38%

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

$22.6K R 366.5K

$24.2K R 393.9K

-6.95%

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

$119 R 1,928

$147 R 2,388

-19.25%

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

$39.74 R 646

$29.29 R 476

35.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.33 R 607

$33.72 R 548

10.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.36 R 363

$34.46 R 560

-35.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.14 R 149

Cinema Ticket

$7.09 R 115

$6.56 R 107

8.08%

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

$169 R 2,751

$210 R 3,405

-19.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,354 R 22.0K

$4,585 R 74.5K

-70.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.90 R 551

$42.78 R 695

-20.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.31 R 541

$29.50 R 479

12.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 R 1,229

$93.3 R 1,515

-18.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.8 R 1,296

$73.1 R 1,187

9.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$249 R 4,041

$373 R 6,063

-33.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 R 2,864

$368 R 5,974

-52.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 R 6,228

$754 R 12.2K

-49.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 R 4,474

$594 R 9,651

-53.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$910 R 14.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$581 R 9,440

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,529 R 24.9K

$1,395 R 22.7K

9.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

12.01

-4.16%

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

Last update for Polokwane: June 1, 2026

Last update for Durban: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $249 in Polokwane versus $373 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 10% higher in Polokwane, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Polokwane versus $28.00 in Durban. Groceries tell a different story – $162 in Polokwane vs $168 in Durban – so Polokwane 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

Polokwane vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,230 per month in Polokwane and $1,587 in Durban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Polokwane and $28.00 in Durban. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Durban, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $820 in Polokwane and $1,058 in Durban, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Polokwane – 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 Polokwane. 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.