Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Stilbaai Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Stilbaai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,174 per month in Pretoria vs $809 in Stilbaai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,795 per month in Pretoria vs $1,327 in Stilbaai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,417 per month in Pretoria vs $1,845 in Stilbaai, rent included.

Pretoria costs about 45% more than Stilbaai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pretoria and Stilbaai are more affordable than the global median – Pretoria 12% lower, Stilbaai 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.17 R 137

$5.43 R 91.1

50.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.21 R 574

$44.59 R 748

-23.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 R 79.0

$4.41 R 74.0

6.80%

Cappuccino

$2.01 R 33.68

$1.43 R 24.03

40.56%

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

$1.05 R 17.67

$0.59 R 9.82

77.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.77

$0.58 R 9.71

41.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 R 37.11

$2.75 R 46.15

-19.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 R 47.23

$1.66 R 27.77

69.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.99

$0.79 R 13.26

50.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 R 17.13

$0.51 R 8.57

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.61

$1.71 R 28.59

-3.51%

Eggs

$2.37 R 39.71

$2.45 R 41.13

-3.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 R 130

$4.36 R 73.1

77.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 R 76.8

$4.35 R 72.9

5.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.35 R 107

$7.46 R 125

-14.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 R 28.34

$1.20 R 20.07

40.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 R 26.81

$0.81 R 13.51

97.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 R 26.74

$1.13 R 18.97

40.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 R 27.50

$1.21 R 20.27

35.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R 21.87

$0.35 R 5.91

271.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R 19.43

$1.19 R 19.99

-2.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 18.26

$0.85 R 14.27

28.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R 18.65

$0.55 R 9.18

101.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 R 48.00

$3.13 R 52.5

-8.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 R 84.5

$4.82 R 80.9

4.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 R 25.14

$0.87 R 14.65

72.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 R 30.04

$1.14 R 19.06

57.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.12 R 52.3

$1.61 R 27.02

93.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.5 R 1,064

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 R 23.73

$1.42 R 23.82

-0.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 R 22.01

$0.28 R 4.74

367.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 R 50.6

$4.40 R 73.9

-31.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 R 21.95

$1.19 R 19.89

10.08%

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

$19.5K R 327.8K

$17.0K R 284.4K

15.26%

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

$26.2K R 440.2K

$16.6K R 277.8K

58.42%

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

$126 R 2,120

$52.1 R 873

142.79%

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

$38.00 R 637

$32.87 R 551

15.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.28 R 642

$27.50 R 461

39.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.47 R 545

$30.71 R 515

5.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.57 R 177

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 R 126

$4.92 R 82.5

52.85%

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

$196 R 3,288

$210 R 3,518

-6.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,288 R 71.9K

$1,126 R 18.9K

280.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 R 857

$28.12 R 472

81.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.25 R 541

$16.86 R 283

91.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 R 1,471

$56.2 R 942

56.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 R 1,462

$56.2 R 942

55.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 R 6,640

$357 R 5,994

10.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 R 6,599

$335 R 5,615

17.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 R 12.1K

$693 R 11.6K

4.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 R 12.9K

$679 R 11.4K

13.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$898 R 15.1K

$686 R 11.5K

30.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$700 R 11.7K

$635 R 10.6K

10.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,408 R 23.6K

$2,414 R 40.5K

-41.69%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Stilbaai: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $396 in Pretoria versus $357 in Stilbaai. 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 71% higher in Stilbaai, 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 $34.00 in Pretoria versus $45.00 in Stilbaai. Groceries tell a different story – $181 in Pretoria vs $138 in Stilbaai – so Stilbaai 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 Stilbaai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pretoria is pricier by about 45%, 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 $1,214 in Stilbaai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stilbaai, 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 $809 in Stilbaai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $196 per month in Pretoria and $210 in Stilbaai. 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 Stilbaai, where all-in costs run around $809, than in Pretoria at $1,174. In Stilbaai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Stilbaai – 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 Stilbaai. 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.