Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Port Elizabeth Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Port Elizabeth

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A couple spends around $1,776 per month in Pretoria vs $1,839 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,394 per month in Pretoria vs $2,519 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

Pretoria and Port Elizabeth have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.23 R 134

$9.00 R 146

-8.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 R 537

$44.72 R 727

-26.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 R 76.6

$5.30 R 86.2

-11.13%

Cappuccino

$2.02 R 32.84

$2.23 R 36.16

-9.42%

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

$1.01 R 16.48

$1.17 R 19.08

-13.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R 13.57

$1.04 R 16.83

-20.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 R 35.34

$2.50 R 40.57

-13.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 R 45.89

$2.95 R 47.99

-4.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.37

$1.12 R 18.12

6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 R 17.15

$0.93 R 15.13

13.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.49

$1.43 R 23.17

9.79%

Eggs

$2.38 R 38.71

$2.49 R 40.42

-4.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 R 127

$7.86 R 128

-1.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 R 74.1

$4.86 R 79.0

-6.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.39 R 104

$8.05 R 131

-20.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.49

$1.68 R 27.26

-2.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.28

$1.41 R 22.98

14.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.28

$1.59 R 25.81

1.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.55

$1.62 R 26.34

4.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 R 21.99

$1.50 R 24.31

-10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 R 18.99

$1.11 R 18.10

5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 R 18.24

$1.19 R 19.37

-5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 R 18.24

$0.93 R 15.05

20.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 R 45.77

$2.96 R 48.15

-4.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 R 86.0

$5.00 R 81.2

5.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 R 25.25

$1.16 R 18.88

33.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 R 29.78

$1.71 R 27.87

7.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.22 R 52.3

$1.09 R 17.79

195.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 R 1,038

$34.50 R 561

85.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 R 22.34

$2.68 R 43.49

-48.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 R 21.41

$0.44 R 7.22

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 R 50.7

$8.04 R 131

-61.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R 21.39

$1.29 R 20.92

2.33%

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

$19.3K R 313.1K

$23.5K R 382.4K

-18.14%

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

$25.7K R 417.9K

$25.5K R 413.8K

1.00%

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

$122 R 1,979

$118 R 1,913

3.45%

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

$37.75 R 614

$32.46 R 527

16.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.89 R 616

$44.22 R 719

-14.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.18 R 523

$28.98 R 471

11.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.50 R 171

$20.80 R 338

-49.52%

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 R 121

$9.52 R 155

-21.64%

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

$196 R 3,183

$164 R 2,661

19.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,381 R 71.2K

$4,714 R 76.6K

-7.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 R 824

$66.6 R 1,083

-23.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.29 R 525

$37.40 R 608

-13.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 R 1,419

$93.8 R 1,524

-6.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.8 R 1,459

$90.5 R 1,471

-0.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 R 6,491

$587 R 9,532

-31.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 R 6,385

$448 R 7,276

-12.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 R 11.9K

$1,115 R 18.1K

-34.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$766 R 12.4K

$871 R 14.2K

-12.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$889 R 14.4K

$776 R 12.6K

14.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$707 R 11.5K

$545 R 8,864

29.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,510 R 24.5K

$1,620 R 26.3K

-6.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

12.04

-2.91%

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

Last update for Pretoria: June 1, 2026

Last update for Port Elizabeth: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Pretoria versus $587 in Port Elizabeth. 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 7% higher in Port Elizabeth. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Pretoria versus $45.00 in Port Elizabeth. Groceries tell a different story – $183 in Pretoria vs $181 in Port Elizabeth – so Port Elizabeth 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 Port Elizabeth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,737 per month in Pretoria and $1,737 in Port Elizabeth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 1% more in Pretoria, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $196 per month in Pretoria and $164 in Port Elizabeth. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Elizabeth, where all-in costs run around $1,158, than in Pretoria at $1,158. In Port Elizabeth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Port Elizabeth – 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 Port Elizabeth. 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.