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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,158 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $1,158 in Pretoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,839 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $1,776 in Pretoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,519 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $2,394 in Pretoria, rent included.

Port Elizabeth and Pretoria have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Port Elizabeth and Pretoria are more affordable than the global median – Port Elizabeth 14% lower, Pretoria 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.00 R 146

$8.23 R 134

9.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.72 R 727

$33.05 R 537

35.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 R 86.2

$4.71 R 76.6

12.53%

Cappuccino

$2.23 R 36.16

$2.02 R 32.84

10.40%

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

$1.17 R 19.08

$1.01 R 16.48

15.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 R 16.83

$0.83 R 13.57

25.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 R 40.57

$2.17 R 35.34

15.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 R 47.99

$2.82 R 45.89

4.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R 18.12

$1.19 R 19.37

-5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 R 15.13

$1.06 R 17.15

-12.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.17

$1.57 R 25.49

-8.92%

Eggs

$2.49 R 40.42

$2.38 R 38.71

4.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 R 128

$7.78 R 127

1.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 R 79.0

$4.56 R 74.1

6.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.05 R 131

$6.39 R 104

25.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.26

$1.63 R 26.49

3.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 R 22.98

$1.62 R 26.28

-12.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.81

$1.62 R 26.28

-1.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.34

$1.70 R 27.55

-4.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.31

$1.35 R 21.99

11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R 18.10

$1.17 R 18.99

-5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 R 19.37

$1.12 R 18.24

6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 15.05

$1.12 R 18.24

-16.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 R 48.15

$2.82 R 45.77

4.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.00 R 81.2

$5.29 R 86.0

-5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 18.88

$1.55 R 25.25

-25.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 R 27.87

$1.83 R 29.78

-6.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 R 17.79

$3.22 R 52.3

-66.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.50 R 561

$63.9 R 1,038

-45.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 R 43.49

$1.37 R 22.34

95.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 R 7.22

$1.32 R 21.41

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.04 R 131

$3.12 R 50.7

157.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 20.92

$1.32 R 21.39

-2.27%

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

$23.5K R 382.4K

$19.3K R 313.1K

22.16%

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

$25.5K R 413.8K

$25.7K R 417.9K

-0.99%

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

$118 R 1,913

$122 R 1,979

-3.33%

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

$32.46 R 527

$37.75 R 614

-14.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.22 R 719

$37.89 R 616

16.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.98 R 471

$32.18 R 523

-9.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.80 R 338

$10.50 R 171

98.10%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 R 155

$7.46 R 121

27.61%

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

$164 R 2,661

$196 R 3,183

-16.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,714 R 76.6K

$4,381 R 71.2K

7.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.6 R 1,083

$50.7 R 824

31.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.40 R 608

$32.29 R 525

15.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 R 1,524

$87.3 R 1,419

7.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 R 1,471

$89.8 R 1,459

0.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 R 9,532

$399 R 6,491

46.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 R 7,276

$393 R 6,385

13.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 R 18.1K

$733 R 11.9K

52.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$871 R 14.2K

$766 R 12.4K

13.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$776 R 12.6K

$889 R 14.4K

-12.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 R 8,864

$707 R 11.5K

-22.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,620 R 26.3K

$1,510 R 24.5K

7.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.04

11.69

2.99%

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

Last update for Port Elizabeth: May 31, 2026

Last update for Pretoria: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $587 in Port Elizabeth versus $399 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 7% higher in Port Elizabeth. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Port Elizabeth versus $33.00 in Pretoria. Groceries tell a different story – $181 in Port Elizabeth vs $183 in Pretoria – so Port Elizabeth 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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,737 per month in Port Elizabeth and $1,737 in Pretoria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 1% more in Pretoria, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $164 per month in Port Elizabeth and $196 in Pretoria. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Elizabeth, where all-in costs run around $1,158, than in Pretoria at $1,158. In Port Elizabeth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Port Elizabeth – 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 Port Elizabeth. 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.