Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Fourways Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Fourways

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,161 per month in Pretoria vs $977 in Fourways, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,768 per month in Pretoria vs $1,472 in Fourways, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,375 per month in Pretoria vs $1,966 in Fourways, rent included.

Pretoria costs about 19% more than Fourways, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pretoria and Fourways are more affordable than the global median – Pretoria 14% lower, Fourways 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.26 R 134

$8.53 R 138

-3.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.24 R 554

$27.94 R 452

22.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 R 75.6

$4.72 R 76.2

-1.06%

Cappuccino

$2.11 R 34.13

$2.12 R 34.31

-0.47%

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

$1.06 R 17.14

$1.03 R 16.60

2.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R 13.97

$0.88 R 14.25

-2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 R 35.87

$2.20 R 35.56

0.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 R 44.46

$2.88 R 46.49

-4.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 R 19.45

$0.97 R 15.63

23.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 R 16.38

$0.83 R 13.45

21.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.47

$1.54 R 24.91

6.49%

Eggs

$2.39 R 38.70

$2.08 R 33.63

14.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 R 128

$6.29 R 102

25.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 R 75.7

$3.50 R 56.5

33.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.32 R 102

$6.54 R 106

-3.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.43

$1.37 R 22.17

24.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.87

$1.55 R 25.06

-0.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 R 25.85

$1.66 R 26.90

-3.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.35

$1.58 R 25.61

6.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 R 21.42

$1.31 R 21.10

1.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 R 19.48

$1.18 R 19.02

1.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 R 17.47

$1.08 R 17.41

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 R 18.22

$0.89 R 14.44

26.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 R 44.75

$2.85 R 46.13

-2.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.18 R 83.8

$5.27 R 85.2

-1.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 R 24.16

$1.50 R 24.20

-0.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 R 28.74

$1.83 R 29.60

-2.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.23 R 52.3

$1.62 R 26.18

99.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 R 1,049

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 R 22.17

$1.38 R 22.26

-0.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 R 21.29

$1.32 R 21.27

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 R 51.0

$3.12 R 50.4

0.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 R 21.17

$1.27 R 20.55

3.15%

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

$19.6K R 317.3K

$14.2K R 230.0K

37.94%

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

$25.7K R 415.5K

$22.5K R 364.4K

14.04%

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

$126 R 2,035

$83.0 R 1,342

51.64%

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

$37.96 R 614

$37.40 R 605

1.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.60 R 608

$38.21 R 618

-1.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.78 R 530

$30.36 R 491

7.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.48 R 169

$15.69 R 254

-33.21%

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 R 125

$7.17 R 116

7.53%

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

$195 R 3,146

$195 R 3,160

-0.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,381 R 70.8K

$4,384 R 70.9K

-0.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 R 835

$50.4 R 814

2.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.69 R 512

$31.80 R 514

-0.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 R 1,439

$73.1 R 1,182

21.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 R 1,418

$89.8 R 1,451

-2.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 R 6,450

$361 R 5,840

10.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 R 6,515

$363 R 5,870

10.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 R 11.8K

$695 R 11.2K

4.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 R 12.5K

$641 R 10.4K

20.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$872 R 14.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$695 R 11.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,467 R 23.7K

$1,647 R 26.6K

-10.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

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

Last update for Pretoria: June 7, 2026

Last update for Fourways: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Pretoria versus $361 in Fourways. 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 12% higher in Fourways, 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 $34.00 in Pretoria versus $28.00 in Fourways. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $162 – making Fourways 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 Fourways: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pretoria costs about 19% more than Fourways, 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 $1,742 per month in Pretoria and $1,466 in Fourways. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Pretoria and $28.00 in Fourways. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 Fourways, where all-in costs run around $977, than in Pretoria at $1,161. In Fourways it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fourways costs $977 versus $1,161 in Pretoria. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Fourways. 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.