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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,377 per month in Pretoria vs $800 in Rustenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,061 per month in Pretoria vs $1,341 in Rustenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,745 per month in Pretoria vs $1,882 in Rustenburg, rent included.

Pretoria costs about 72% more than Rustenburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Pretoria sits 1% above the global median, while Rustenburg is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.30 R 152

$6.30 R 103

47.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.02 R 623

$47.97 R 786

-20.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 R 93.5

$6.42 R 105

-11.06%

Cappuccino

$2.35 R 38.56

$2.12 R 34.68

10.85%

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

$1.06 R 17.35

$0.90 R 14.71

17.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.45

$0.48 R 7.83

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 R 43.45

$1.59 R 25.97

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 R 52.1

$2.21 R 36.15

43.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 R 20.18

$1.17 R 19.18

5.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 R 18.92

$1.01 R 16.59

14.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 R 30.24

$1.80 R 29.52

2.78%

Eggs

$2.54 R 41.66

$2.77 R 45.37

-8.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 R 139

$7.62 R 125

11.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 R 83.0

$4.92 R 80.6

3.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.24 R 119

$6.32 R 104

14.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 R 30.64

$1.88 R 30.72

-0.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.69

$1.66 R 27.23

-1.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 R 30.04

$1.79 R 29.39

2.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.05

$1.14 R 18.70

44.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 R 19.41

$1.36 R 22.25

-12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 R 20.20

$1.11 R 18.20

10.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 R 20.28

$1.30 R 21.27

-4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R 22.28

$0.96 R 15.67

41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 R 53.5

$3.22 R 52.7

1.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.03 R 82.3

$6.09 R 99.7

-17.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 R 25.22

$0.63 R 10.37

144.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 R 31.51

$0.91 R 14.89

110.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.80 R 78.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$179 R 2,924

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 R 5.31

$0.94 R 15.42

-65.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 R 12.74

$0.95 R 15.56

-17.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.56 R 239

$15.05 R 247

-3.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 R 24.14

$1.46 R 23.95

0.68%

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

$36.5K R 598.5K

$29.5K R 482.5K

24.03%

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

$34.0K R 556.9K

$27.3K R 447.2K

24.53%

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

$155 R 2,534

$76.2 R 1,249

102.91%

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

$37.47 R 614

$13.75 R 225

172.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.79 R 619

$37.01 R 606

2.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.74 R 520

$21.91 R 359

44.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.81 R 177

$6.05 R 99.2

78.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.41 R 121

$4.96 R 81.3

49.40%

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

$263 R 4,312

$112 R 1,831

135.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,086 R 132.4K

$5,636 R 92.3K

43.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 R 891

$43.42 R 711

25.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.97 R 540

$47.21 R 773

-30.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 R 1,525

$110 R 1,808

-15.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 R 1,411

$55.9 R 916

54.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 R 7,708

$333 R 5,461

41.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 R 6,840

$250 R 4,090

67.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,007 R 16.5K

$750 R 12.3K

34.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 R 12.5K

$520 R 8,525

46.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$900 R 14.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$713 R 11.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,447 R 23.7K

$1,117 R 18.3K

29.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.9

14.55%

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

Last update for Pretoria: September 14, 2026

Last update for Rustenburg: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $471 in Pretoria versus $333 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 30% 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 $38.00 in Pretoria versus $48.00 in Rustenburg. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Pretoria vs $179 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 72%, 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 $2,066 per month in Pretoria and $1,200 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,377 in Pretoria and $800 in Rustenburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $263 per month in Pretoria and $112 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 $800, than in Pretoria at $1,377. 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.