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 $1,158 per month in Pretoria vs $1,020 in Sun City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,776 per month in Pretoria vs $1,620 in Sun City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,394 per month in Pretoria vs $2,219 in Sun City, rent included.

Pretoria costs about 14% 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 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.23 R 134

$11.05 R 180

-25.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 R 537

$44.96 R 731

-26.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 R 76.6

$4.85 R 78.8

-2.89%

Cappuccino

$2.02 R 32.84

$2.16 R 35.03

-6.48%

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

$1.01 R 16.48

$1.03 R 16.70

-1.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R 13.57

$0.76 R 12.39

9.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 R 35.34

$2.68 R 43.50

-19.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 R 45.89

$2.45 R 39.78

15.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.37

$1.15 R 18.63

3.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 R 17.15

$0.78 R 12.73

35.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.49

$1.70 R 27.56

-7.65%

Eggs

$2.38 R 38.71

$2.55 R 41.51

-6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 R 127

$8.48 R 138

-8.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 R 74.1

$4.92 R 79.9

-7.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.39 R 104

$6.71 R 109

-4.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.49

$1.67 R 27.22

-2.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.28

$1.52 R 24.66

6.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.28

$1.47 R 23.97

10.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.55

$1.59 R 25.82

6.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 R 21.99

$1.50 R 24.33

-10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 R 18.99

$1.40 R 22.69

-16.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 R 18.24

$1.10 R 17.83

1.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 R 18.24

$0.89 R 14.51

25.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 R 45.77

$3.02 R 49.12

-6.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 R 86.0

$6.20 R 101

-14.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 R 25.25

$1.35 R 21.92

14.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 R 29.78

$1.66 R 27.02

10.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.22 R 52.3

$1.61 R 26.19

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 R 1,038

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 R 22.34

$1.09 R 17.68

25.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 R 21.41

$0.96 R 15.60

37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 R 50.7

$3.94 R 64.0

-20.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R 21.39

$1.23 R 19.95

7.32%

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

$19.3K R 313.1K

$22.6K R 367.6K

-14.83%

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

$25.7K R 417.9K

$23.5K R 382.4K

9.28%

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

$122 R 1,979

$95.2 R 1,547

27.95%

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

$37.75 R 614

$41.19 R 669

-8.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.89 R 616

$43.07 R 700

-12.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.18 R 523

$30.76 R 500

4.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.50 R 171

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 R 121

$3.16 R 51.4

136.08%

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

$196 R 3,183

$206 R 3,350

-4.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,381 R 71.2K

$4,843 R 78.7K

-9.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 R 824

$49.68 R 807

2.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.29 R 525

$33.12 R 538

-2.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 R 1,419

$66.7 R 1,083

30.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.8 R 1,459

$80.2 R 1,303

11.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 R 6,491

$360 R 5,857

10.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 R 6,385

$328 R 5,331

19.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 R 11.9K

$699 R 11.4K

4.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$766 R 12.4K

$687 R 11.2K

11.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$889 R 14.4K

$1,024 R 16.6K

-13.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$707 R 11.5K

$776 R 12.6K

-8.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,510 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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sun City: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Pretoria versus $360 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 $45.00 in Sun City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $183 – making Pretoria 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 Sun City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pretoria is pricier by about 14%, 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 $1,530 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 $1,158 in Pretoria and $1,020 in Sun City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $196 per month in Pretoria and $206 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 $1,020, than in Pretoria at $1,158. 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.