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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $992 per month in Polokwane vs $1,150 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,461 per month in Polokwane vs $1,789 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,931 per month in Polokwane vs $2,428 in Durban, rent included.

Polokwane is about 14% cheaper than Durban, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Polokwane and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Polokwane 28% lower, Durban 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.44 R 199

$8.10 R 130

53.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.20 R 499

$40.00 R 640

-22.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 R 118

$5.80 R 92.8

27.24%

Cappuccino

$2.47 R 39.50

$2.78 R 44.52

-11.15%

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

$0.98 R 15.75

$1.14 R 18.28

-14.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R 15.50

$0.93 R 14.90

4.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 R 28.31

$2.42 R 38.76

-26.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 R 34.10

$2.77 R 44.37

-23.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 R 21.94

$1.25 R 20.07

9.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 R 18.97

$0.99 R 15.85

20.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 R 28.86

$1.64 R 26.25

9.76%

Eggs

$2.62 R 41.85

$2.44 R 39.08

7.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 R 123

$8.65 R 138

-10.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 R 65.7

$5.64 R 90.2

-27.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.09 R 97.5

$7.30 R 117

-16.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 R 33.56

$1.88 R 30.12

11.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 R 31.17

$1.91 R 30.54

2.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 R 29.10

$1.93 R 30.82

-5.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 R 32.51

$1.67 R 26.77

21.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 R 28.00

$1.55 R 24.81

12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 R 25.70

$1.53 R 24.46

5.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 R 18.39

$1.22 R 19.57

-5.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.11

$1.25 R 19.94

-34.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 R 43.55

$3.72 R 59.5

-26.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.80 R 76.8

$4.83 R 77.2

-0.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 R 19.78

$1.51 R 24.17

-17.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 R 26.12

$1.97 R 31.54

-17.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 R 14.24

$1.93 R 30.83

-53.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.55 R 505

$22.24 R 356

41.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 R 14.44

$0.45 R 7.21

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R 14.32

$0.77 R 12.28

16.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.78 R 236

$7.72 R 123

91.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 R 22.73

$1.47 R 23.45

-3.40%

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

$26.1K R 418.1K

$36.5K R 583.5K

-28.35%

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

$29.3K R 468.5K

$33.0K R 527.4K

-11.17%

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

$138 R 2,214

$148 R 2,369

-6.55%

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

$39.69 R 635

$35.25 R 564

12.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.33 R 549

$38.89 R 622

-11.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.26 R 372

$31.54 R 504

-26.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.41 R 150

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 R 133

$6.68 R 107

24.25%

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

$185 R 2,957

$331 R 5,295

-44.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,482 R 23.7K

$7,462 R 119.3K

-80.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.04 R 752

$53.4 R 854

-11.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.70 R 603

$30.55 R 489

23.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 R 1,316

$101 R 1,615

-18.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 R 1,545

$88.7 R 1,419

8.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$297 R 4,745

$490 R 7,829

-39.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 R 3,371

$400 R 6,396

-47.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 R 7,001

$862 R 13.8K

-49.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 R 4,617

$790 R 12.6K

-63.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$934 R 14.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$590 R 9,436

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,546 R 24.7K

$1,250 R 20.0K

23.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

11.66

-6.43%

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

Last update for Polokwane: September 1, 2026

Last update for Durban: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $297 in Polokwane 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 24% 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 $31.00 in Polokwane versus $40.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $201 – making Polokwane 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

Polokwane vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,488 per month in Polokwane 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 Polokwane, 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 $992 in Polokwane 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 42% less in Polokwane. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polokwane, where all-in costs run around $992, than in Durban at $1,150. In Polokwane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Durban it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.