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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,370 per month in Pretoria vs $992 in Polokwane, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,090 per month in Pretoria vs $1,461 in Polokwane, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,811 per month in Pretoria vs $1,931 in Polokwane, rent included.

Pretoria costs about 38% more than Polokwane, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Pretoria sits 0% above the global median, while Polokwane is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.58 R 153

$12.44 R 199

-22.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.57 R 633

$31.20 R 499

26.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 R 88.2

$7.38 R 118

-25.20%

Cappuccino

$2.28 R 36.46

$2.47 R 39.50

-7.69%

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

$1.08 R 17.24

$0.98 R 15.75

10.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R 14.46

$0.97 R 15.50

-7.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 R 42.39

$1.77 R 28.31

49.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 R 53.6

$2.13 R 34.10

57.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.06

$1.37 R 21.94

-13.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 R 17.83

$1.19 R 18.97

-6.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 R 30.21

$1.80 R 28.86

5.00%

Eggs

$2.53 R 40.52

$2.62 R 41.85

-3.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.56 R 137

$7.70 R 123

11.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 R 79.9

$4.11 R 65.7

21.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.51 R 120

$6.09 R 97.5

23.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 R 30.77

$2.10 R 33.56

-8.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 R 26.51

$1.95 R 31.17

-14.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 R 28.72

$1.82 R 29.10

-1.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 R 26.88

$2.03 R 32.51

-17.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 R 19.06

$1.75 R 28.00

-32.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 R 19.54

$1.61 R 25.70

-24.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 R 19.95

$1.15 R 18.39

8.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 R 22.06

$0.82 R 13.11

68.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 R 53.2

$2.72 R 43.55

22.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.13 R 82.0

$4.80 R 76.8

6.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 R 24.74

$1.24 R 19.78

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R 32.84

$1.63 R 26.12

25.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.73 R 75.6

$0.89 R 14.24

431.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$180 R 2,879

$31.55 R 505

470.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 R 5.15

$0.90 R 14.44

-64.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 R 12.74

$0.90 R 14.32

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.15 R 242

$14.78 R 236

2.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 R 24.53

$1.42 R 22.73

7.75%

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

$36.0K R 575.5K

$26.1K R 418.1K

37.65%

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

$35.4K R 566.6K

$29.3K R 468.5K

20.94%

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

$154 R 2,461

$138 R 2,214

11.14%

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

$37.44 R 599

$39.69 R 635

-5.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 R 604

$34.33 R 549

10.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.04 R 528

$23.26 R 372

42.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.86 R 174

Cinema Ticket

$7.25 R 116

$8.30 R 133

-12.65%

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

$267 R 4,265

$185 R 2,957

44.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,119 R 129.9K

$1,482 R 23.7K

447.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 R 876

$47.04 R 752

16.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.45 R 519

$37.70 R 603

-13.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.4 R 1,510

$82.3 R 1,316

14.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.2 R 1,362

$96.6 R 1,545

-11.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 R 7,615

$297 R 4,745

60.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 R 6,563

$211 R 3,371

94.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 R 15.7K

$438 R 7,001

123.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 R 12.4K

$289 R 4,617

168.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$905 R 14.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$719 R 11.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,417 R 22.7K

$1,546 R 24.7K

-8.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

10.91

3.94%

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

Last update for Pretoria: August 31, 2026

Last update for Polokwane: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Pretoria versus $297 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 9% 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 $40.00 in Pretoria versus $31.00 in Polokwane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $187 – making Polokwane 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 Polokwane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pretoria costs about 38% 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 $2,054 per month in Pretoria and $1,488 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.

Kindergarten costs $267 per month in Pretoria and $185 in Polokwane. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $992, than in Pretoria at $1,370. 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.