Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,151 per month in Pretoria vs $1,083 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,764 per month in Pretoria vs $1,560 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,377 per month in Pretoria vs $2,037 in Durban, rent included.

Pretoria costs about 6% more than Durban, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pretoria and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Pretoria 14% lower, Durban 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 R 134

$7.52 R 124

8.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.02 R 543

$28.22 R 464

17.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 R 80.5

$4.94 R 81.3

-0.81%

Cappuccino

$2.12 R 34.93

$1.90 R 31.16

11.58%

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

$1.02 R 16.85

$0.90 R 14.75

13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.33

$0.67 R 10.96

29.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R 37.31

$1.97 R 32.41

15.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 R 45.80

$2.26 R 37.14

23.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.50

$1.05 R 17.24

13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 R 16.78

$0.96 R 15.82

6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.67

$1.44 R 23.65

8.33%

Eggs

$2.45 R 40.28

$2.09 R 34.41

17.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 R 126

$7.50 R 123

2.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 R 77.4

$4.52 R 74.3

4.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.40 R 105

$6.16 R 101

3.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.76

$1.56 R 25.57

4.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 R 25.10

$1.40 R 23.03

9.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.47

$1.33 R 21.91

21.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.12

$1.31 R 21.57

25.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 R 21.69

$1.31 R 21.52

0.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 R 19.74

$1.22 R 20.13

-1.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 R 18.64

$0.97 R 15.96

16.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 R 18.91

$0.96 R 15.79

19.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 R 46.84

$3.00 R 49.39

-5.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.32 R 87.5

$4.75 R 78.1

12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 R 26.06

$1.39 R 22.85

14.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 R 30.59

$1.74 R 28.68

6.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 R 51.2

$1.51 R 24.82

105.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 R 1,070

$38.64 R 635

68.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 R 22.73

$1.69 R 27.78

-18.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 R 22.37

$0.58 R 9.59

134.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 R 49.80

$6.78 R 112

-55.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 R 21.40

$1.32 R 21.67

-1.52%

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

$19.1K R 314.0K

$20.5K R 337.6K

-6.99%

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

$25.9K R 424.9K

$24.1K R 396.0K

7.31%

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

$126 R 2,077

$146 R 2,393

-13.20%

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

$36.89 R 606

$29.42 R 484

25.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.13 R 627

$34.24 R 563

11.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.17 R 529

$33.69 R 554

-4.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.56 R 174

$9.42 R 155

12.10%

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 R 127

$6.88 R 113

12.35%

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

$200 R 3,295

$205 R 3,369

-2.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,263 R 70.1K

$4,576 R 75.2K

-6.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 R 828

$41.95 R 690

20.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.06 R 527

$29.69 R 488

7.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 R 1,415

$96.4 R 1,585

-10.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 R 1,469

$71.5 R 1,175

24.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 R 6,557

$377 R 6,205

5.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 R 6,600

$364 R 5,985

10.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$731 R 12.0K

$759 R 12.5K

-3.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 R 12.7K

$588 R 9,663

31.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$877 R 14.4K

$898 R 14.8K

-2.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$715 R 11.7K

$597 R 9,809

19.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,482 R 24.4K

$1,247 R 20.5K

18.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

12.01

-2.66%

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

Last update for Pretoria: July 11, 2026

Last update for Durban: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Pretoria 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 19% higher in Pretoria, 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 $33.00 in Pretoria versus $28.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 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

Pretoria vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pretoria is pricier by about 6%, 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 $1,726 per month in Pretoria 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 $1,151 in Pretoria 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 68% 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 Pretoria at $1,151. In Durban it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria 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, Pretoria makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.