Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Newcastle Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Newcastle

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,161 per month in Pretoria vs $982 in Newcastle, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,768 per month in Pretoria vs $1,526 in Newcastle, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,375 per month in Pretoria vs $2,071 in Newcastle, rent included.

Pretoria costs about 18% more than Newcastle, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.26 R 134

$8.38 R 136

-1.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.24 R 554

$34.15 R 552

0.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 R 75.6

$4.66 R 75.3

0.21%

Cappuccino

$2.11 R 34.13

$2.03 R 32.90

3.94%

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

$1.06 R 17.14

$1.02 R 16.47

3.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R 13.97

$0.84 R 13.57

2.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 R 35.87

$2.26 R 36.58

-1.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 R 44.46

$2.88 R 46.56

-4.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 R 19.45

$1.20 R 19.46

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 R 16.38

$1.06 R 17.12

-4.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.47

$1.24 R 20.09

32.26%

Eggs

$2.39 R 38.70

$1.76 R 28.39

35.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 R 128

$6.07 R 98.1

29.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 R 75.7

$4.69 R 75.9

-0.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.32 R 102

$6.26 R 101

0.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.43

$0.77 R 12.52

120.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.87

$0.99 R 16.06

55.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 R 25.85

$0.87 R 13.99

83.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.35

$1.29 R 20.89

31.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 R 21.42

$0.88 R 14.19

51.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 R 19.48

$1.21 R 19.54

-0.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 R 17.47

$0.71 R 11.53

52.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 R 18.22

$0.54 R 8.75

109.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 R 44.75

$2.85 R 46.14

-2.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.18 R 83.8

$2.98 R 48.11

73.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 R 24.16

$1.33 R 21.55

12.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 R 28.74

$0.86 R 13.96

106.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.23 R 52.3

$1.63 R 26.42

98.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 R 1,049

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 R 22.17

$1.39 R 22.45

-1.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 R 21.29

$1.34 R 21.62

-1.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 R 51.0

$3.01 R 48.70

4.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 R 21.17

$1.31 R 21.25

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

$19.6K R 317.3K

$19.1K R 308.1K

2.98%

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

$25.7K R 415.5K

$26.5K R 428.5K

-3.03%

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

$126 R 2,035

$125 R 2,023

0.58%

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

$37.96 R 614

$37.02 R 598

2.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.60 R 608

$38.04 R 615

-1.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.78 R 530

$30.88 R 499

6.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.48 R 169

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 R 125

$7.47 R 121

3.21%

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

$195 R 3,146

$197 R 3,185

-1.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,381 R 70.8K

$4,302 R 69.5K

1.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 R 835

$51.6 R 834

0.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.69 R 512

$32.73 R 529

-3.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 R 1,439

$86.3 R 1,396

3.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 R 1,418

$88.5 R 1,431

-0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 R 6,450

$366 R 5,924

8.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 R 6,515

$327 R 5,293

23.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 R 11.8K

$685 R 11.1K

6.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$771 R 12.5K

$685 R 11.1K

12.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$872 R 14.1K

$924 R 14.9K

-5.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$695 R 11.2K

$662 R 10.7K

4.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,467 R 23.7K

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 Newcastle: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Pretoria versus $366 in Newcastle. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Pretoria versus $34.00 in Newcastle. Groceries tell a different story – $183 in Pretoria vs $144 in Newcastle – so Newcastle 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

Pretoria vs Newcastle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,161 in Pretoria, $982 in Newcastle – roughly 18% apart. Pretoria costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,742 per month in Pretoria and $1,472 in Newcastle. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Newcastle, 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 $1,161 in Pretoria and $982 in Newcastle. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $195 per month in Pretoria and $197 in Newcastle. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Newcastle, where all-in costs run around $982, than in Pretoria at $1,161. In Newcastle it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Newcastle – 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 Newcastle. 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.