Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Rustenburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Rustenburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,169 per month in Pretoria vs $979 in Rustenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,765 per month in Pretoria vs $1,499 in Rustenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,361 per month in Pretoria vs $2,018 in Rustenburg, rent included.

Pretoria costs about 19% more than Rustenburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pretoria and Rustenburg are more affordable than the global median – Pretoria 12% lower, Rustenburg 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 R 141

$11.06 R 182

-22.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.08 R 561

$44.98 R 740

-24.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 R 77.1

$3.94 R 64.9

19.04%

Cappuccino

$2.13 R 35.01

$1.95 R 32.03

9.23%

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

$1.06 R 17.40

$0.90 R 14.75

17.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.50

$0.45 R 7.45

95.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 R 37.67

$1.44 R 23.63

59.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 R 44.86

$2.03 R 33.39

33.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 R 19.82

$1.07 R 17.53

12.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.53

$0.88 R 14.52

21.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.87

$1.71 R 28.16

-4.68%

Eggs

$2.40 R 39.51

$1.92 R 31.64

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.49 R 123

$5.66 R 93.1

32.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 R 75.5

$4.29 R 70.6

6.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.63 R 109

$6.68 R 110

-0.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.52

$1.61 R 26.54

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R 26.07

$1.33 R 21.91

18.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 R 26.19

$1.29 R 21.29

23.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.75

$1.56 R 25.60

8.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.40

$0.79 R 12.98

72.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 R 20.09

$0.76 R 12.49

60.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 R 18.56

$1.05 R 17.33

7.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R 18.28

$0.95 R 15.65

16.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 R 47.35

$2.49 R 41.05

15.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.03 R 82.9

$4.53 R 74.7

11.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 R 25.57

$1.14 R 18.80

35.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 R 30.77

$1.10 R 18.09

70.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.27 R 53.8

$1.14 R 18.82

186.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.0 R 1,070

$45.51 R 749

42.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 R 22.48

$0.94 R 15.42

45.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 R 22.75

$0.96 R 15.83

43.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 R 49.67

$3.95 R 65.0

-23.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R 21.70

$1.21 R 19.97

9.09%

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

$18.9K R 312.0K

$22.6K R 371.4K

-16.00%

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

$26.5K R 436.7K

$23.6K R 388.8K

12.32%

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

$127 R 2,084

$68.9 R 1,133

83.86%

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

$37.37 R 615

$12.47 R 205

199.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.46 R 633

$43.62 R 718

-11.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.65 R 521

$23.59 R 388

34.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.30 R 170

$5.71 R 94.0

80.39%

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 R 124

$4.45 R 73.3

69.66%

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

$195 R 3,207

$102 R 1,685

90.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,269 R 70.3K

$5,010 R 82.5K

-14.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 R 837

$50.1 R 824

1.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.73 R 539

$33.16 R 546

-1.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.4 R 1,438

$88.3 R 1,453

-1.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 R 1,434

$79.7 R 1,313

9.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 R 6,562

$302 R 4,979

31.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 R 6,432

$336 R 5,526

16.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 R 12.1K

$665 R 10.9K

10.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$753 R 12.4K

$565 R 9,300

33.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$855 R 14.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$688 R 11.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,418 R 23.3K

$1,309 R 21.6K

8.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

9.9

18.08%

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

Last update for Pretoria: July 26, 2026

Last update for Rustenburg: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Pretoria versus $302 in Rustenburg. 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 8% higher in Pretoria, 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 $34.00 in Pretoria versus $45.00 in Rustenburg. Groceries tell a different story – $182 in Pretoria vs $158 in Rustenburg – so Rustenburg 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 Rustenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pretoria is pricier by about 19%, 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 $1,753 per month in Pretoria and $1,468 in Rustenburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 43% less in Rustenburg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $195 per month in Pretoria and $102 in Rustenburg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rustenburg, where all-in costs run around $979, than in Pretoria at $1,169. In Rustenburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rustenburg – 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 Rustenburg. 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.