Cost of Living Comparison Between Polokwane and Pretoria Cost of Living Comparison Between Polokwane and Pretoria

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $992 per month in Polokwane vs $1,370 in Pretoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,461 per month in Polokwane vs $2,090 in Pretoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,931 per month in Polokwane vs $2,811 in Pretoria, rent included.

Polokwane is about 28% cheaper than Pretoria, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Polokwane sits 28% below the global median, while Pretoria is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.44 R 199

$9.58 R 153

29.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.20 R 499

$39.57 R 633

-21.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 R 118

$5.52 R 88.2

33.70%

Cappuccino

$2.47 R 39.50

$2.28 R 36.46

8.33%

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

$0.98 R 15.75

$1.08 R 17.24

-9.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R 15.50

$0.90 R 14.46

7.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 R 28.31

$2.65 R 42.39

-33.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 R 34.10

$3.35 R 53.6

-36.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 R 21.94

$1.19 R 19.06

15.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 R 18.97

$1.11 R 17.83

7.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 R 28.86

$1.89 R 30.21

-4.76%

Eggs

$2.62 R 41.85

$2.53 R 40.52

3.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 R 123

$8.56 R 137

-10.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 R 65.7

$4.99 R 79.9

-17.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.09 R 97.5

$7.51 R 120

-18.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 R 33.56

$1.92 R 30.77

9.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 R 31.17

$1.66 R 26.51

17.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 R 29.10

$1.80 R 28.72

1.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 R 32.51

$1.68 R 26.88

20.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 R 28.00

$1.19 R 19.06

47.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 R 25.70

$1.22 R 19.54

31.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 R 18.39

$1.25 R 19.95

-8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.11

$1.38 R 22.06

-40.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 R 43.55

$3.33 R 53.2

-18.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.80 R 76.8

$5.13 R 82.0

-6.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 R 19.78

$1.55 R 24.74

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 R 26.12

$2.05 R 32.84

-20.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 R 14.24

$4.73 R 75.6

-81.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.55 R 505

$180 R 2,879

-82.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 R 14.44

$0.32 R 5.15

181.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R 14.32

$0.80 R 12.74

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.78 R 236

$15.15 R 242

-2.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 R 22.73

$1.53 R 24.53

-7.19%

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

$26.1K R 418.1K

$36.0K R 575.5K

-27.35%

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

$29.3K R 468.5K

$35.4K R 566.6K

-17.32%

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

$138 R 2,214

$154 R 2,461

-10.03%

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

$39.69 R 635

$37.44 R 599

6.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.33 R 549

$37.80 R 604

-9.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.26 R 372

$33.04 R 528

-29.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.86 R 174

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 R 133

$7.25 R 116

14.48%

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

$185 R 2,957

$267 R 4,265

-30.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,482 R 23.7K

$8,119 R 129.9K

-81.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.04 R 752

$54.8 R 876

-14.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.70 R 603

$32.45 R 519

16.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 R 1,316

$94.4 R 1,510

-12.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 R 1,545

$85.2 R 1,362

13.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$297 R 4,745

$476 R 7,615

-37.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 R 3,371

$410 R 6,563

-48.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 R 7,001

$980 R 15.7K

-55.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 R 4,617

$774 R 12.4K

-62.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$905 R 14.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$719 R 11.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,546 R 24.7K

$1,417 R 22.7K

9.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

11.34

-3.79%

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

Last update for Polokwane: September 1, 2026

Last update for Pretoria: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $297 in Polokwane versus $476 in Pretoria. 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 9% 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 Pretoria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $199 – 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 Pretoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pretoria costs about 38% more than Polokwane, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,488 per month in Polokwane and $2,054 in Pretoria. 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.

Kindergarten costs $185 per month in Polokwane and $267 in Pretoria. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Pretoria, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polokwane, where all-in costs run around $992, than in Pretoria at $1,370. In Polokwane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria 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, Pretoria makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.