Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Stellenbosch Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Stellenbosch

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,158 per month in Pretoria vs $1,061 in Stellenbosch, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,776 per month in Pretoria vs $1,726 in Stellenbosch, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,394 per month in Pretoria vs $2,391 in Stellenbosch, rent included.

Pretoria costs about 9% more than Stellenbosch, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pretoria and Stellenbosch are more affordable than the global median – Pretoria 14% lower, Stellenbosch 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.23 R 135

$8.31 R 136

-0.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 R 540

$33.72 R 551

-1.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 R 77.0

$4.24 R 69.3

11.08%

Cappuccino

$2.02 R 33.04

$1.84 R 30.01

9.78%

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

$1.01 R 16.58

$0.80 R 13.12

26.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R 13.65

$0.59 R 9.61

40.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 R 35.55

$2.22 R 36.30

-2.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 R 46.16

$2.22 R 36.25

27.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.48

$0.85 R 13.91

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 R 17.25

$0.75 R 12.18

41.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.64

$1.53 R 24.98

2.61%

Eggs

$2.38 R 38.94

$1.90 R 31.09

25.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 R 127

$6.85 R 112

13.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 R 74.5

$4.69 R 76.7

-2.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.39 R 105

$7.12 R 116

-10.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.65

$1.04 R 17.04

56.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.43

$1.23 R 20.05

31.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.44

$0.77 R 12.58

110.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.71

$1.38 R 22.61

23.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 R 22.12

$0.82 R 13.38

64.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 R 19.10

$1.18 R 19.35

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 R 18.35

$0.98 R 15.98

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 R 18.35

$0.85 R 13.82

31.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 R 46.04

$2.89 R 47.22

-2.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 R 86.5

$6.30 R 103

-16.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 R 25.40

$1.39 R 22.75

11.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 R 29.96

$1.75 R 28.61

4.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.22 R 52.7

$1.11 R 18.12

190.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 R 1,044

$8.21 R 134

677.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 R 22.47

$1.37 R 22.42

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 R 21.54

$0.93 R 15.19

41.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 R 51.0

$2.73 R 44.69

14.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R 21.51

$1.20 R 19.60

10.00%

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

$19.3K R 314.9K

$13.0K R 212.0K

48.53%

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

$25.7K R 420.4K

$23.5K R 383.7K

9.56%

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

$122 R 1,991

$92.7 R 1,516

31.35%

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

$37.75 R 617

$28.94 R 473

30.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.89 R 619

$40.35 R 660

-6.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.18 R 526

$35.56 R 581

-9.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.50 R 172

$2.87 R 46.92

265.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 R 122

$5.55 R 90.7

34.41%

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

$196 R 3,202

$212 R 3,462

-7.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,381 R 71.6K

$1,338 R 21.9K

227.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 R 829

$45.23 R 739

12.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.29 R 528

$19.98 R 327

61.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 R 1,427

$99.2 R 1,621

-11.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.8 R 1,467

$55.5 R 908

61.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 R 6,529

$560 R 9,154

-28.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 R 6,422

$457 R 7,472

-14.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 R 12.0K

$1,343 R 22.0K

-45.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$766 R 12.5K

$1,068 R 17.5K

-28.29%

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

$2,503 R 40.9K

-39.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

11.77

-0.68%

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

Last update for Pretoria: June 1, 2026

Last update for Stellenbosch: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Pretoria versus $560 in Stellenbosch. 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 66% higher in Stellenbosch, 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 $34.00 in Stellenbosch. Groceries tell a different story – $183 in Pretoria vs $160 in Stellenbosch – so Stellenbosch 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 Stellenbosch: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pretoria is pricier by about 9%, 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 $1,592 in Stellenbosch. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 678% less in Stellenbosch. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $196 per month in Pretoria and $212 in Stellenbosch. 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 Stellenbosch, where all-in costs run around $1,061, than in Pretoria at $1,158. In Stellenbosch it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Stellenbosch – 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 Stellenbosch. 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.