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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,158 per month in Pretoria vs $1,058 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,776 per month in Pretoria vs $1,552 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,394 per month in Pretoria vs $2,046 in Durban, rent included.

Pretoria costs about 9% more than Durban, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pretoria and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Pretoria 14% lower, Durban 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.23 R 134

$7.60 R 123

8.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 R 537

$28.12 R 457

17.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 R 76.6

$4.97 R 80.8

-5.23%

Cappuccino

$2.02 R 32.84

$1.97 R 31.98

2.54%

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

$1.01 R 16.48

$0.87 R 14.12

16.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R 13.57

$0.67 R 10.94

23.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 R 35.34

$1.93 R 31.30

12.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 R 45.89

$2.22 R 36.02

27.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.37

$1.00 R 16.18

19.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 R 17.15

$0.91 R 14.80

16.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.49

$1.48 R 24.13

6.08%

Eggs

$2.38 R 38.71

$2.11 R 34.25

12.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 R 127

$7.28 R 118

6.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 R 74.1

$4.59 R 74.7

-0.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.39 R 104

$6.33 R 103

0.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.49

$1.57 R 25.53

3.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.28

$1.36 R 22.08

19.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.28

$1.38 R 22.43

17.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.55

$1.36 R 22.14

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 R 21.99

$1.27 R 20.66

6.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 R 18.99

$1.18 R 19.18

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 R 18.24

$0.97 R 15.82

15.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 R 18.24

$0.96 R 15.57

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 R 45.77

$3.13 R 50.9

-9.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 R 86.0

$5.02 R 81.6

5.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 R 25.25

$1.46 R 23.74

6.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 R 29.78

$1.75 R 28.39

4.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.22 R 52.3

$1.50 R 24.33

114.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 R 1,038

$37.86 R 615

68.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 R 22.34

$1.71 R 27.76

-19.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 R 21.41

$0.61 R 9.95

116.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 R 50.7

$6.78 R 110

-53.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R 21.39

$1.28 R 20.73

3.13%

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

$19.3K R 313.1K

$20.3K R 330.0K

-5.12%

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

$25.7K R 417.9K

$24.2K R 393.9K

6.11%

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

$122 R 1,979

$147 R 2,388

-17.10%

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

$37.75 R 614

$29.29 R 476

28.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.89 R 616

$33.72 R 548

12.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.18 R 523

$34.46 R 560

-6.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.50 R 171

$9.14 R 149

14.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 R 121

$6.56 R 107

13.72%

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

$196 R 3,183

$210 R 3,405

-6.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,381 R 71.2K

$4,585 R 74.5K

-4.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 R 824

$42.78 R 695

18.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.29 R 525

$29.50 R 479

9.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 R 1,419

$93.3 R 1,515

-6.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.8 R 1,459

$73.1 R 1,187

22.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 R 6,491

$373 R 6,063

7.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 R 6,385

$368 R 5,974

6.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 R 11.9K

$754 R 12.2K

-2.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$766 R 12.4K

$594 R 9,651

28.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$889 R 14.4K

$910 R 14.8K

-2.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$707 R 11.5K

$581 R 9,440

21.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,510 R 24.5K

$1,395 R 22.7K

8.21%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Durban: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Pretoria versus $373 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 8% 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 9%, 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 $1,737 per month in Pretoria and $1,587 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 $1,158 in Pretoria and $1,058 in Durban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 69% 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 $1,058, than in Pretoria at $1,158. 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.