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 $1,151 per month in Pretoria vs $1,167 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,764 per month in Pretoria vs $1,849 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,377 per month in Pretoria vs $2,532 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

Pretoria is about 1% cheaper than Port Elizabeth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pretoria and Port Elizabeth are more affordable than the global median – Pretoria 14% lower, Port Elizabeth 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 R 134

$8.89 R 146

-7.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.02 R 543

$44.06 R 724

-25.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 R 80.5

$5.36 R 88.2

-8.58%

Cappuccino

$2.12 R 34.93

$2.14 R 35.22

-0.93%

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

$1.02 R 16.85

$1.14 R 18.70

-10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.33

$1.00 R 16.38

-13.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R 37.31

$2.56 R 42.11

-11.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 R 45.80

$3.02 R 49.69

-7.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.50

$1.12 R 18.40

6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 R 16.78

$0.95 R 15.67

7.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.67

$1.50 R 24.63

4.00%

Eggs

$2.45 R 40.28

$2.45 R 40.30

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 R 126

$7.79 R 128

-1.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 R 77.4

$4.74 R 78.0

-0.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.40 R 105

$8.03 R 132

-20.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.76

$1.64 R 26.89

-0.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 R 25.10

$1.42 R 23.40

7.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.47

$1.63 R 26.82

-1.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.12

$1.63 R 26.72

1.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 R 21.69

$1.55 R 25.55

-14.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 R 19.74

$1.12 R 18.45

7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 R 18.64

$1.17 R 19.29

-3.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 R 18.91

$1.01 R 16.57

13.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 R 46.84

$2.95 R 48.41

-3.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.32 R 87.5

$4.86 R 79.8

9.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 R 26.06

$1.10 R 18.09

44.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 R 30.59

$1.72 R 28.20

8.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 R 51.2

$1.13 R 18.61

175.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 R 1,070

$34.27 R 563

89.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 R 22.73

$2.67 R 43.87

-48.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 R 22.37

$0.45 R 7.42

202.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 R 49.80

$7.95 R 131

-61.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 R 21.40

$1.27 R 20.83

2.36%

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

$19.1K R 314.0K

$23.9K R 393.4K

-20.18%

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

$25.9K R 424.9K

$25.8K R 423.5K

0.33%

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

$126 R 2,077

$114 R 1,879

10.58%

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

$36.89 R 606

$31.86 R 524

15.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.13 R 627

$44.72 R 735

-14.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.17 R 529

$29.14 R 479

10.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.56 R 174

$21.28 R 350

-50.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 R 127

$9.73 R 160

-20.55%

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

$200 R 3,295

$168 R 2,763

19.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,263 R 70.1K

$4,835 R 79.5K

-11.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 R 828

$67.2 R 1,105

-25.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.06 R 527

$37.20 R 612

-13.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 R 1,415

$96.6 R 1,588

-10.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 R 1,469

$89.0 R 1,462

0.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 R 6,557

$584 R 9,602

-31.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 R 6,600

$438 R 7,192

-8.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$731 R 12.0K

$1,097 R 18.0K

-33.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 R 12.7K

$870 R 14.3K

-10.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$877 R 14.4K

$772 R 12.7K

13.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$715 R 11.7K

$525 R 8,636

36.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,482 R 24.4K

$1,623 R 26.7K

-8.64%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Port Elizabeth: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Pretoria versus $584 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 9% higher in Port Elizabeth, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Pretoria versus $44.00 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

Port Elizabeth costs about 1% more than Pretoria, 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 $1,726 per month in Pretoria and $1,750 in Port Elizabeth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Port Elizabeth – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Pretoria and $44.00 in Port Elizabeth. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pretoria, where all-in costs run around $1,151, than in Port Elizabeth at $1,167. In Pretoria it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Elizabeth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pretoria – 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 Pretoria. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Port Elizabeth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.