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 $1,370 per month in Pretoria vs $1,236 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,090 per month in Pretoria vs $1,900 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,811 per month in Pretoria vs $2,563 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

Pretoria costs about 11% more than Port Elizabeth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Pretoria sits 0% above the global median, while Port Elizabeth is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.58 R 154

$11.37 R 183

-15.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.57 R 636

$44.17 R 709

-10.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 R 88.6

$6.12 R 98.3

-9.80%

Cappuccino

$2.28 R 36.62

$2.13 R 34.16

7.04%

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

$1.08 R 17.31

$1.10 R 17.69

-1.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R 14.52

$0.80 R 12.91

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 R 42.57

$2.84 R 45.69

-6.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 R 53.8

$3.23 R 51.9

3.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.14

$1.22 R 19.56

-2.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 R 17.91

$1.09 R 17.47

1.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 R 30.34

$1.49 R 24.00

26.85%

Eggs

$2.53 R 40.70

$2.81 R 45.09

-9.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.56 R 137

$9.08 R 146

-5.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 R 80.2

$5.56 R 89.4

-10.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.51 R 121

$8.62 R 138

-12.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 R 30.91

$2.14 R 34.44

-10.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 R 26.63

$1.59 R 25.62

4.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 R 28.84

$1.68 R 26.95

7.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 R 26.99

$1.77 R 28.44

-5.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 R 19.15

$1.77 R 28.50

-32.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 R 19.63

$1.42 R 22.80

-14.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 R 20.04

$1.33 R 21.32

-6.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 R 22.15

$1.04 R 16.77

32.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 R 53.5

$3.37 R 54.1

-1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.13 R 82.4

$4.83 R 77.5

6.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 R 24.84

$1.31 R 21.03

18.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R 32.98

$1.81 R 29.05

13.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.73 R 75.9

$1.18 R 18.99

300.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$180 R 2,891

$36.87 R 592

388.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 R 5.17

$2.17 R 34.93

-85.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 R 12.79

$0.49 R 7.81

63.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.15 R 243

$8.56 R 138

76.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 R 24.64

$1.41 R 22.68

8.51%

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

$36.0K R 578.0K

$36.5K R 586.0K

-1.36%

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

$35.4K R 569.1K

$34.5K R 553.8K

2.77%

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

$154 R 2,472

$125 R 2,013

22.82%

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

$37.44 R 601

$35.65 R 573

5.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 R 607

$46.87 R 753

-19.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.04 R 531

$32.16 R 517

2.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.86 R 175

$24.02 R 386

-54.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.25 R 116

$10.92 R 175

-33.61%

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

$267 R 4,284

$185 R 2,974

44.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,119 R 130.4K

$6,340 R 101.8K

28.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 R 880

$72.1 R 1,158

-23.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.45 R 521

$38.23 R 614

-15.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.4 R 1,517

$115 R 1,841

-17.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.2 R 1,368

$99.9 R 1,604

-14.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 R 7,648

$633 R 10.2K

-24.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 R 6,592

$429 R 6,896

-4.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 R 15.7K

$846 R 13.6K

15.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 R 12.4K

$704 R 11.3K

9.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$905 R 14.5K

$799 R 12.8K

13.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$719 R 11.6K

$545 R 8,755

31.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,417 R 22.8K

$1,641 R 26.4K

-13.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

11.94

-5.03%

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

Last update for Pretoria: August 31, 2026

Last update for Port Elizabeth: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Pretoria versus $633 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 16% higher in Port Elizabeth, 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 $44.00 in Port Elizabeth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $203 – making Pretoria 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 Port Elizabeth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pretoria costs about 11% more than Port Elizabeth, 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 $1,854 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Pretoria – 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 $40.00 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Elizabeth, where all-in costs run around $1,236, than in Pretoria at $1,370. 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.