Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Howick Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Howick

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,161 in Pretoria versus $864 in Howick.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,768 in Pretoria versus $1,329 in Howick.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,375 in Pretoria versus $1,793 in Howick.

Living in Pretoria is roughly 34% more expensive than Howick, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pretoria 14% lower, Howick 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.26 R 134

$3.28 R 53.1

151.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.24 R 554

$28.38 R 459

20.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 R 75.6

$3.45 R 55.8

35.36%

Cappuccino

$2.11 R 34.13

$1.90 R 30.74

11.05%

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

$1.06 R 17.14

$0.58 R 9.31

82.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R 13.97

$0.47 R 7.58

82.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 R 35.87

$1.95 R 31.50

13.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 R 44.46

$2.28 R 36.93

20.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 R 19.45

$1.04 R 16.78

15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 R 16.38

$0.82 R 13.27

23.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.47

$1.11 R 17.90

47.75%

Eggs

$2.39 R 38.70

$2.12 R 34.33

12.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 R 128

$4.94 R 79.9

59.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 R 75.7

$2.27 R 36.74

106.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.32 R 102

$4.91 R 79.3

28.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.43

$1.50 R 24.30

13.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.87

$1.13 R 18.31

36.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 R 25.85

$1.38 R 22.30

15.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.35

$1.13 R 18.27

49.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 R 21.42

$0.87 R 14.02

52.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 R 19.48

$1.18 R 19.06

1.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 R 17.47

$0.91 R 14.68

18.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 R 18.22

$0.90 R 14.50

25.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 R 44.75

$3.10 R 50.1

-10.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.18 R 83.8

$4.81 R 77.7

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 R 24.16

$1.15 R 18.57

29.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 R 28.74

$1.10 R 17.76

61.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.23 R 52.3

$1.63 R 26.27

98.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 R 1,049

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 R 22.17

$1.65 R 26.64

-16.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 R 21.29

$0.61 R 9.92

116.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 R 51.0

$6.75 R 109

-53.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 R 21.17

$1.19 R 19.18

10.08%

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

$19.6K R 317.3K

$14.0K R 226.1K

40.34%

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

$25.7K R 415.5K

$22.8K R 367.9K

12.95%

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

$126 R 2,035

$146 R 2,360

-13.76%

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

$37.96 R 614

$13.82 R 223

174.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.60 R 608

$33.73 R 545

11.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.78 R 530

$30.89 R 499

6.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.48 R 169

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 R 125

$5.47 R 88.4

40.95%

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

$195 R 3,146

$101 R 1,636

92.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,381 R 70.8K

$4,579 R 74.0K

-4.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 R 835

$41.52 R 671

24.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.69 R 512

$14.12 R 228

124.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 R 1,439

$83.0 R 1,342

7.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 R 1,418

$44.18 R 714

98.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 R 6,450

$364 R 5,886

9.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 R 6,515

$336 R 5,424

20.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 R 11.8K

$680 R 11.0K

7.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 R 12.5K

$694 R 11.2K

11.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$872 R 14.1K

$1,000 R 16.2K

-12.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$695 R 11.2K

$634 R 10.2K

9.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,467 R 23.7K

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 7, 2026

Last update for Howick: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $399 in Pretoria and $364 in Howick. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Pretoria vs $28.00 in Howick for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $135 per month, with Howick cheaper across the board.

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 Howick: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Howick is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,742 in Pretoria and $1,296 in Howick to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $399 in Pretoria versus $364 in Howick. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $195 in Pretoria versus $101 in Howick. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Howick – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $34.00 in Pretoria. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $864 in Howick versus $1,161 in Pretoria, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Howick but tight or insufficient in Pretoria. The gap between the two cities makes Howick the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Pretoria and Howick are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Howick gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Pretoria. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.