Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Sun City Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Sun City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,151 per month in Pretoria vs $985 in Sun City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,764 per month in Pretoria vs $1,589 in Sun City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,377 per month in Pretoria vs $2,194 in Sun City, rent included.

Pretoria costs about 17% more than Sun City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Pretoria and Sun City are more affordable than the global median – Pretoria 14% lower, Sun City 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 R 135

$11.29 R 186

-27.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.02 R 545

$43.93 R 725

-24.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 R 80.8

$4.90 R 80.9

Cappuccino

$2.12 R 35.07

$2.24 R 37.02

-5.36%

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

$1.02 R 16.91

$1.03 R 16.94

-0.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.39

$0.78 R 12.81

11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R 37.46

$2.62 R 43.17

-13.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 R 45.98

$2.47 R 40.72

12.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.58

$1.09 R 17.99

9.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 R 16.85

$0.78 R 12.95

30.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.78

$1.71 R 28.29

-8.77%

Eggs

$2.45 R 40.45

$2.42 R 39.95

1.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 R 126

$8.06 R 133

-5.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 R 77.7

$4.70 R 77.5

0.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.40 R 106

$6.60 R 109

-3.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.87

$1.69 R 27.95

-3.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 R 25.20

$1.47 R 24.32

4.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.58

$1.48 R 24.41

8.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.23

$1.60 R 26.36

3.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 R 21.78

$1.49 R 24.53

-11.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 R 19.82

$1.44 R 23.75

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 R 18.72

$1.06 R 17.46

6.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 R 18.98

$0.96 R 15.77

19.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 R 47.03

$3.04 R 50.3

-6.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.32 R 87.9

$6.14 R 101

-13.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 R 26.17

$1.36 R 22.43

16.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 R 30.72

$1.59 R 26.32

16.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 R 51.4

$1.64 R 27.04

89.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 R 1,074

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 R 22.83

$1.14 R 18.86

21.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 R 22.46

$0.94 R 15.55

44.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 R 50.0

$4.05 R 66.9

-25.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 R 21.49

$1.27 R 21.02

2.36%

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

$19.1K R 315.3K

$22.3K R 367.5K

-14.21%

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

$25.9K R 426.6K

$24.0K R 396.4K

7.62%

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

$126 R 2,086

$96.5 R 1,593

30.91%

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

$36.89 R 609

$39.92 R 659

-7.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.13 R 629

$42.82 R 707

-10.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.17 R 531

$30.51 R 504

5.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.56 R 174

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 R 128

$3.11 R 51.3

148.55%

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

$200 R 3,309

$203 R 3,353

-1.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,263 R 70.4K

$4,820 R 79.5K

-11.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 R 832

$49.90 R 823

0.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.06 R 529

$33.37 R 551

-3.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 R 1,421

$67.1 R 1,108

28.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 R 1,475

$80.1 R 1,321

11.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 R 6,583

$366 R 6,034

9.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 R 6,626

$331 R 5,470

21.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$731 R 12.1K

$685 R 11.3K

6.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 R 12.8K

$685 R 11.3K

13.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$877 R 14.5K

$777 R 12.8K

12.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$715 R 11.8K

$802 R 13.2K

-10.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,482 R 24.5K

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Sun City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Pretoria versus $366 in Sun City. 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 $33.00 in Pretoria versus $44.00 in Sun City. Groceries tell a different story – $183 in Pretoria vs $179 in Sun City – so Sun City 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 Sun City: 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 $1,726 per month in Pretoria and $1,477 in Sun City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sun City, 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 $985 in Sun City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $200 per month in Pretoria and $203 in Sun City. 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 Sun City, where all-in costs run around $985, than in Pretoria at $1,151. In Sun City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sun City – 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 Sun City. 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.