Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Polokwane Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Polokwane

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,158 per month in Pretoria vs $820 in Polokwane, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,776 per month in Pretoria vs $1,289 in Polokwane, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,394 per month in Pretoria vs $1,757 in Polokwane, rent included.

Pretoria costs about 41% more than Polokwane, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pretoria and Polokwane are more affordable than the global median – Pretoria 14% lower, Polokwane 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.23 R 135

$9.87 R 161

-16.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 R 540

$42.61 R 696

-22.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 R 77.0

$4.73 R 77.3

-0.42%

Cappuccino

$2.02 R 33.04

$2.17 R 35.54

-6.91%

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

$1.01 R 16.58

$0.81 R 13.21

24.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R 13.65

$0.80 R 13.14

3.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 R 35.55

$1.69 R 27.68

28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 R 46.16

$2.02 R 32.98

39.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.48

$1.19 R 19.45

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 R 17.25

$0.95 R 15.60

11.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.64

$1.72 R 28.06

-8.72%

Eggs

$2.38 R 38.94

$2.47 R 40.37

-3.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 R 127

$7.11 R 116

9.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 R 74.5

$3.26 R 53.2

39.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.39 R 105

$5.73 R 93.7

11.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.65

$1.63 R 26.71

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.43

$1.52 R 24.93

6.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.44

$1.52 R 24.91

6.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.71

$1.66 R 27.13

2.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 R 22.12

$1.45 R 23.68

-6.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 R 19.10

$1.23 R 20.09

-4.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 R 18.35

$1.05 R 17.16

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 R 18.35

$0.71 R 11.66

57.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 R 46.04

$2.62 R 42.91

7.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 R 86.5

$4.76 R 77.7

11.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 R 25.40

$1.07 R 17.51

44.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 R 29.96

$1.24 R 20.24

47.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.22 R 52.7

$3.19 R 52.2

0.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 R 1,044

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 R 22.47

$0.88 R 14.38

55.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 R 21.54

$0.94 R 15.43

40.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 R 51.0

$4.02 R 65.7

-22.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R 21.51

$1.21 R 19.71

9.09%

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

$19.3K R 314.9K

$13.7K R 224.5K

40.31%

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

$25.7K R 420.4K

$22.6K R 368.6K

14.04%

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

$122 R 1,991

$119 R 1,939

2.66%

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

$37.75 R 617

$39.74 R 650

-5.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.89 R 619

$37.33 R 610

1.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.18 R 526

$22.36 R 365

43.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.50 R 172

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 R 122

$7.09 R 116

5.22%

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

$196 R 3,202

$169 R 2,767

15.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,381 R 71.6K

$1,354 R 22.1K

223.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 R 829

$33.90 R 554

49.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.29 R 528

$33.31 R 545

-3.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 R 1,427

$75.7 R 1,237

15.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.8 R 1,467

$79.8 R 1,304

12.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 R 6,529

$249 R 4,065

60.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 R 6,422

$176 R 2,881

122.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 R 12.0K

$383 R 6,265

91.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$766 R 12.5K

$275 R 4,501

178.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$889 R 14.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$707 R 11.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,510 R 24.7K

$1,529 R 25.0K

-1.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

11.51

1.56%

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

Last update for Pretoria: June 1, 2026

Last update for Polokwane: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Pretoria versus $249 in Polokwane. 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 1% higher in Polokwane, 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 $33.00 in Pretoria versus $43.00 in Polokwane. Groceries tell a different story – $183 in Pretoria vs $162 in Polokwane – so Polokwane 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 Polokwane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pretoria costs about 41% more than Polokwane, 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 $1,737 per month in Pretoria and $1,230 in Polokwane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Polokwane, 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 $33.00 in Pretoria and $43.00 in Polokwane. 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 Polokwane, where all-in costs run around $820, than in Pretoria at $1,158. In Polokwane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Polokwane – 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 Polokwane. 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.