Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and St Francis Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and St Francis Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,174 per month in Pretoria vs $1,003 in St Francis Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,795 per month in Pretoria vs $1,569 in St Francis Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,417 per month in Pretoria vs $2,134 in St Francis Bay, rent included.

Pretoria costs about 17% more than St Francis Bay, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pretoria and St Francis Bay are more affordable than the global median – Pretoria 12% lower, St Francis Bay 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.17 R 137

$8.29 R 139

-1.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.21 R 574

$33.26 R 558

2.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 R 79.0

$4.80 R 80.5

-1.87%

Cappuccino

$2.01 R 33.68

$2.06 R 34.54

-2.43%

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

$1.05 R 17.67

$1.04 R 17.37

0.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.77

$0.81 R 13.57

1.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 R 37.11

$2.30 R 38.58

-3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 R 47.23

$2.46 R 41.33

14.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.99

$1.12 R 18.78

6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 R 17.13

$1.05 R 17.63

-2.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.61

$1.64 R 27.44

0.61%

Eggs

$2.37 R 39.71

$2.39 R 40.13

-0.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 R 130

$7.87 R 132

-1.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 R 76.8

$4.61 R 77.4

-0.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.35 R 107

$6.88 R 115

-7.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 R 28.34

$1.65 R 27.74

2.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 R 26.81

$1.51 R 25.37

5.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 R 26.74

$1.55 R 25.94

2.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 R 27.50

$1.59 R 26.68

3.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R 21.87

$1.36 R 22.81

-4.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R 19.43

$1.22 R 20.53

-4.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 18.26

$1.05 R 17.56

3.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R 18.65

$0.98 R 16.51

13.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 R 48.00

$2.76 R 46.36

3.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 R 84.5

$4.86 R 81.5

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 R 25.14

$1.34 R 22.43

11.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 R 30.04

$1.66 R 27.91

7.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.12 R 52.3

$1.69 R 28.34

84.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.5 R 1,064

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 R 23.73

$1.13 R 19.02

24.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 R 22.01

$0.96 R 16.17

36.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 R 50.6

$4.14 R 69.4

-27.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 R 21.95

$1.28 R 21.52

2.34%

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

$19.5K R 327.8K

$21.6K R 362.8K

-9.63%

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

$26.2K R 440.2K

$23.4K R 393.0K

12.00%

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

$126 R 2,120

$119 R 1,998

6.11%

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

$38.00 R 637

$35.75 R 600

6.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.28 R 642

$41.17 R 690

-7.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.47 R 545

$30.49 R 511

6.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.57 R 177

$11.03 R 185

-4.17%

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 R 126

$6.61 R 111

13.77%

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

$196 R 3,288

$193 R 3,243

1.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,288 R 71.9K

$4,310 R 72.3K

-0.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 R 857

$49.76 R 835

2.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.25 R 541

$31.85 R 534

1.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 R 1,471

$88.8 R 1,489

-1.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 R 1,462

$79.7 R 1,336

9.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 R 6,640

$367 R 6,147

8.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 R 6,599

$336 R 5,636

17.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 R 12.1K

$685 R 11.5K

5.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 R 12.9K

$702 R 11.8K

9.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$898 R 15.1K

$673 R 11.3K

33.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$700 R 11.7K

$590 R 9,895

18.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,408 R 23.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

11.51

1.56%

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

Last update for Pretoria: April 26, 2026

Last update for St Francis Bay: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $396 in Pretoria versus $367 in St Francis Bay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Pretoria versus $33.00 in St Francis Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $179 – making St Francis Bay 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 St Francis Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pretoria is pricier by about 17%, 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 $1,761 per month in Pretoria and $1,505 in St Francis Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in St Francis Bay, 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 $1,174 in Pretoria and $1,003 in St Francis Bay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $196 per month in Pretoria and $193 in St Francis Bay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in St Francis Bay, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Pretoria at $1,174. In St Francis Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward St Francis Bay – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with St Francis Bay. 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.