Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Secunda Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Secunda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,151 per month in Pretoria vs $890 in Secunda, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,764 per month in Pretoria vs $1,354 in Secunda, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,377 per month in Pretoria vs $1,818 in Secunda, rent included.

Pretoria costs about 29% more than Secunda, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pretoria and Secunda are more affordable than the global median – Pretoria 14% lower, Secunda 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 R 135

$5.47 R 90.3

49.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.02 R 545

$27.89 R 460

18.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 R 80.8

$4.80 R 79.3

2.08%

Cappuccino

$2.12 R 35.07

$2.04 R 33.75

3.92%

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

$1.02 R 16.91

$0.75 R 12.32

36.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.39

$0.43 R 7.17

102.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R 37.46

$1.00 R 16.45

127.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 R 45.98

$1.26 R 20.76

121.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.58

$1.20 R 19.84

-0.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 R 16.85

$0.91 R 15.03

12.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.78

$1.61 R 26.64

-3.11%

Eggs

$2.45 R 40.45

$2.39 R 39.51

2.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 R 126

$7.90 R 130

-3.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 R 77.7

$4.69 R 77.5

0.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.40 R 106

$6.29 R 104

1.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.87

$1.67 R 27.62

-2.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 R 25.20

$1.61 R 26.64

-4.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.58

$1.68 R 27.66

-4.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.23

$1.71 R 28.16

-3.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 R 21.78

$1.37 R 22.65

-3.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 R 19.82

$1.21 R 19.95

-0.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 R 18.72

$1.13 R 18.59

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 R 18.98

$1.11 R 18.31

3.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 R 47.03

$2.74 R 45.19

4.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.32 R 87.9

$5.24 R 86.5

1.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 R 26.17

$1.51 R 24.99

5.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 R 30.72

$1.86 R 30.77

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 R 51.4

$1.61 R 26.59

93.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 R 1,074

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 R 22.83

$1.39 R 22.86

-0.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 R 22.46

$1.37 R 22.64

-0.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 R 50.0

$3.09 R 51.0

-1.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 R 21.49

$1.31 R 21.63

-0.76%

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

$19.1K R 315.3K

$19.0K R 312.8K

0.78%

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

$25.9K R 426.6K

$26.1K R 430.6K

-0.93%

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

$126 R 2,086

$85.6 R 1,412

47.65%

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

$36.89 R 609

$37.49 R 619

-1.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.13 R 629

$37.67 R 622

1.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.17 R 531

$16.59 R 274

93.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.56 R 174

$11.07 R 183

-4.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 R 128

$6.68 R 110

15.72%

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

$200 R 3,309

$169 R 2,782

18.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,263 R 70.4K

$4,407 R 72.7K

-3.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 R 832

$51.5 R 850

-2.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.06 R 529

$31.66 R 523

1.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 R 1,421

$87.3 R 1,441

-1.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 R 1,475

$88.2 R 1,456

1.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 R 6,583

$337 R 5,560

18.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 R 6,626

$303 R 4,994

32.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$731 R 12.1K

$678 R 11.2K

7.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 R 12.8K

$467 R 7,711

65.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$877 R 14.5K

$833 R 13.7K

5.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$715 R 11.8K

$768 R 12.7K

-6.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,482 R 24.5K

$1,486 R 24.5K

-0.26%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Secunda: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Pretoria versus $337 in Secunda. 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 0% higher in Secunda, 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 $28.00 in Secunda. Groceries tell a different story – $183 in Pretoria vs $183 in Secunda – so Pretoria 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 Secunda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pretoria is pricier by about 29%, 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 $1,726 per month in Pretoria and $1,336 in Secunda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Secunda, 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 $1,151 in Pretoria and $890 in Secunda. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $200 per month in Pretoria and $169 in Secunda. 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 Secunda, where all-in costs run around $890, than in Pretoria at $1,151. In Secunda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Secunda – 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 Secunda. 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.