Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Elizabeth and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Elizabeth and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,167 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $1,083 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,849 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $1,560 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,532 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $2,037 in Durban, rent included.

Port Elizabeth costs about 8% more than Durban, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Port Elizabeth and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Port Elizabeth 13% lower, Durban 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.89 R 146

$7.52 R 124

18.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.06 R 724

$28.22 R 464

56.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 R 88.2

$4.94 R 81.3

8.50%

Cappuccino

$2.14 R 35.22

$1.90 R 31.16

12.63%

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

$1.14 R 18.70

$0.90 R 14.75

26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 R 16.38

$0.67 R 10.96

49.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 R 42.11

$1.97 R 32.41

29.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 R 49.69

$2.26 R 37.14

33.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R 18.40

$1.05 R 17.24

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 R 15.67

$0.96 R 15.82

-1.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.63

$1.44 R 23.65

4.17%

Eggs

$2.45 R 40.30

$2.09 R 34.41

17.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 R 128

$7.50 R 123

3.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 R 78.0

$4.52 R 74.3

4.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.03 R 132

$6.16 R 101

30.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.89

$1.56 R 25.57

5.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.40

$1.40 R 23.03

1.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.82

$1.33 R 21.91

22.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.72

$1.31 R 21.57

24.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 R 25.55

$1.31 R 21.52

18.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 R 18.45

$1.22 R 20.13

-8.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 R 19.29

$0.97 R 15.96

20.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 R 16.57

$0.96 R 15.79

5.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 R 48.41

$3.00 R 49.39

-1.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.86 R 79.8

$4.75 R 78.1

2.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R 18.09

$1.39 R 22.85

-20.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 R 28.20

$1.74 R 28.68

-1.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 R 18.61

$1.51 R 24.82

-25.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.27 R 563

$38.64 R 635

-11.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 R 43.87

$1.69 R 27.78

57.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 R 7.42

$0.58 R 9.59

-22.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.95 R 131

$6.78 R 112

17.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 20.83

$1.32 R 21.67

-3.79%

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

$23.9K R 393.4K

$20.5K R 337.6K

16.52%

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

$25.8K R 423.5K

$24.1K R 396.0K

6.95%

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

$114 R 1,879

$146 R 2,393

-21.50%

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

$31.86 R 524

$29.42 R 484

8.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.72 R 735

$34.24 R 563

30.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.14 R 479

$33.69 R 554

-13.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.28 R 350

$9.42 R 155

125.90%

Cinema Ticket

$9.73 R 160

$6.88 R 113

41.42%

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

$168 R 2,763

$205 R 3,369

-17.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,835 R 79.5K

$4,576 R 75.2K

5.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 R 1,105

$41.95 R 690

60.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.20 R 612

$29.69 R 488

25.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 R 1,588

$96.4 R 1,585

0.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 R 1,462

$71.5 R 1,175

24.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 R 9,602

$377 R 6,205

54.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 R 7,192

$364 R 5,985

20.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,097 R 18.0K

$759 R 12.5K

44.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$870 R 14.3K

$588 R 9,663

47.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$772 R 12.7K

$898 R 14.8K

-14.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$525 R 8,636

$597 R 9,809

-11.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,623 R 26.7K

$1,247 R 20.5K

30.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.04

12.01

0.25%

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

Last update for Port Elizabeth: July 11, 2026

Last update for Durban: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $584 in Port Elizabeth 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 30% higher in Port Elizabeth, 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 $44.00 in Port Elizabeth versus $28.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 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

Port Elizabeth vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Port Elizabeth is pricier by about 8%, 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 $1,750 per month in Port Elizabeth 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 Durban, 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 $1,167 in Port Elizabeth 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 13% less in Durban. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Durban, where all-in costs run around $1,083, than in Port Elizabeth at $1,167. In Durban it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Elizabeth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Durban – 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 Durban. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Port Elizabeth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.