Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Randburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Randburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,158 per month in Pretoria vs $1,048 in Randburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,776 per month in Pretoria vs $1,609 in Randburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,394 per month in Pretoria vs $2,169 in Randburg, rent included.

Pretoria costs about 10% more than Randburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pretoria and Randburg are more affordable than the global median – Pretoria 14% lower, Randburg 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.23 R 135

$11.39 R 186

-27.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 R 540

$41.68 R 681

-20.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 R 77.0

$4.83 R 78.9

-2.48%

Cappuccino

$2.02 R 33.04

$2.25 R 36.76

-10.22%

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

$1.01 R 16.58

$1.02 R 16.65

-0.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R 13.65

$0.83 R 13.60

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 R 35.55

$2.51 R 40.97

-13.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 R 46.16

$2.83 R 46.20

-0.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.48

$1.14 R 18.65

4.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 R 17.25

$1.02 R 16.61

3.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.64

$1.64 R 26.87

-4.27%

Eggs

$2.38 R 38.94

$2.44 R 39.96

-2.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 R 127

$7.58 R 124

2.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 R 74.5

$4.72 R 77.1

-3.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.39 R 105

$6.54 R 107

-2.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.65

$1.64 R 26.75

-0.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.43

$1.48 R 24.17

9.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.44

$1.54 R 25.16

5.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.71

$1.62 R 26.40

4.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 R 22.12

$1.38 R 22.55

-2.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 R 19.10

$1.40 R 22.81

-16.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 R 18.35

$1.05 R 17.11

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 R 18.35

$0.96 R 15.73

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 R 46.04

$3.05 R 49.90

-7.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 R 86.5

$5.32 R 87.0

-0.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 R 25.40

$1.51 R 24.73

2.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 R 29.96

$1.79 R 29.27

2.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.22 R 52.7

$1.68 R 27.42

91.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 R 1,044

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 R 22.47

$1.11 R 18.11

23.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 R 21.54

$1.10 R 17.95

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 R 51.0

$3.00 R 49.00

4.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R 21.51

$1.25 R 20.39

5.60%

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

$19.3K R 314.9K

$22.0K R 359.0K

-12.27%

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

$25.7K R 420.4K

$24.3K R 396.5K

6.04%

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

$122 R 1,991

$125 R 2,040

-2.41%

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

$37.75 R 617

$40.24 R 658

-6.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.89 R 619

$42.12 R 689

-10.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.18 R 526

$17.87 R 292

80.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.50 R 172

$4.32 R 70.7

143.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 R 122

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

$196 R 3,202

$211 R 3,450

-7.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,381 R 71.6K

$4,294 R 70.2K

2.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 R 829

$51.0 R 833

-0.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.29 R 528

$31.86 R 521

1.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 R 1,427

$90.0 R 1,471

-2.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.8 R 1,467

$78.8 R 1,287

13.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 R 6,529

$279 R 4,558

43.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 R 6,422

$340 R 5,565

15.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 R 12.0K

$507 R 8,289

44.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$766 R 12.5K

$642 R 10.5K

19.23%

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

$1,980 R 32.4K

-23.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

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

Last update for Pretoria: June 1, 2026

Last update for Randburg: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Pretoria versus $279 in Randburg. 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 31% higher in Randburg, 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 $42.00 in Randburg. Groceries tell a different story – $183 in Pretoria vs $180 in Randburg – so Randburg 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 Randburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pretoria is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,737 per month in Pretoria and $1,572 in Randburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,158 in Pretoria and $1,048 in Randburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $196 per month in Pretoria and $211 in Randburg. 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 Randburg, where all-in costs run around $1,048, than in Pretoria at $1,158. In Randburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Randburg – 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 Randburg. 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.