Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Roodepoort and Durban

For one person, living is cheaper in Durban: $1,130 a month against $1,172 in Roodepoort, rent and utilities included – about $500 less a year. The total is higher in Roodepoort despite lower rent and utilities.

Roodepoort, South Africa
Durban, South Africa
Roodepoort
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,172
/mo nomad
Durban
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,130
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Roodepoort and in Durban

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Roodepoort and in Durban actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,172 per month in Roodepoort vs $1,130 in Durban, rent included.

  • Roodepoort $1,172
  • Durban $1,130

A couple spends around $1,767 per month in Roodepoort vs $1,748 in Durban, rent included.

  • Roodepoort $1,767
  • Durban $1,748

A family of three spends $2,362 per month in Roodepoort vs $2,366 in Durban, rent included.

  • Roodepoort $2,362
  • Durban $2,366

Roodepoort costs about 4% more than Durban, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Roodepoort and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Roodepoort 14% lower, Durban 17% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Roodepoort
Durban
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.00 R 200
$7.93 R 132
51.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.96 R 751
$39.14 R 653
14.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.11 R 119
$6.15 R 103
15.61%
Cappuccino
$2.43 R 40.61
$2.73 R 45.60
-10.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13 R 18.93
$1.12 R 18.61
0.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98 R 16.34
$0.91 R 15.24
7.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.44 R 40.66
$2.43 R 40.55
0.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 R 46.41
$2.48 R 41.47
12.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Roodepoort
Durban
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 R 20.23
$1.17 R 19.55
3.42%
White Bread (500g)
$1.15 R 19.19
$1.01 R 16.78
13.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.78 R 29.78
$1.50 R 25.01
18.67%
Eggs
$2.51 R 41.91
$2.43 R 40.57
3.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.79 R 147
$8.22 R 137
6.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.38 R 89.8
$5.32 R 88.7
1.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.88 R 148
$7.28 R 122
21.98%
Apples (1kg)
$1.86 R 31.05
$1.95 R 32.50
-4.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.79 R 29.87
$1.95 R 32.51
-8.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.73 R 28.87
$1.94 R 32.40
-10.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 R 35.55
$1.65 R 27.47
29.09%
Potato (1kg)
$1.72 R 28.67
$1.55 R 25.86
10.97%
Onion (1kg)
$1.77 R 29.50
$1.46 R 24.36
21.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.21 R 20.24
$1.17 R 19.45
3.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 R 20.98
$1.14 R 19.00
10.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.50 R 58.4
$3.64 R 60.8
-3.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.85 R 97.6
$4.73 R 79.0
23.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 R 25.43
$1.41 R 23.46
7.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 R 31.85
$1.89 R 31.62
1.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Roodepoort
Durban
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.81 R 13.48
$1.79 R 29.83
-54.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$21.32 R 356
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.81 R 13.44
$0.41 R 6.80
97.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.88 R 14.76
$0.76 R 12.61
15.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.69 R 245
$7.72 R 129
90.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.56 R 25.99
$1.49 R 24.88
4.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.7K R 579.6K
$35.5K R 592.4K
-2.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.1K R 585.8K
$32.3K R 539.5K
8.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Roodepoort
Durban
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$226 R 3,774
$148 R 2,464
53.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.16 R 654
$35.49 R 592
10.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.33 R 623
$39.45 R 659
-5.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Roodepoort
Durban
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.68 R 796
$31.01 R 518
53.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$8.61 R 144
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.35 R 123
$7.39 R 123
-0.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Roodepoort
Durban
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$238 R 3,980
$317 R 5,284
-24.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,476 R 91.4K
$7,714 R 128.8K
-29.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Roodepoort
Durban
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.1 R 869
$53.2 R 889
-2.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.49 R 542
$30.50 R 509
6.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 R 1,829
$99.1 R 1,653
10.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 R 1,476
$85.0 R 1,419
4.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Roodepoort
Durban
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$598 R 9,991
$445 R 7,427
34.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$289 R 4,816
$374 R 6,251
-22.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,530 R 25.5K
$814 R 13.6K
88.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$531 R 8,858
$744 R 12.4K
-28.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$820 R 13.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$565 R 9,435
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Roodepoort
Durban
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,519 R 25.4K
$1,280 R 21.4K
18.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.25
11.78
-4.50%

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

Last update for Roodepoort: October 24, 2026

Last update for Durban: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Roodepoort
$303
Durban
$223 26.4% $80
Accommodation & Living
Roodepoort
$289
Durban
$374 29.8% $86
Groceries & Markets
Roodepoort
$210
Durban
$194 7.6% $16
Eating Out
Roodepoort
$173
Durban
$140 19% $33
Clothing & Footwear
Roodepoort
$127
Durban
$121 5.2% $6.6
Sport & Entertainment
Roodepoort
$62
Durban
$46 26.6% $17
Getting Around
Roodepoort
$8.5 *
Durban
$33 286% $24

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $598 in Roodepoort versus $445 in Durban. 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 19% higher in Roodepoort. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Roodepoort versus $39 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $194 – making Durban the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇿🇦 Roodepoort
🇿🇦 Durban
🕒 Local time
10:54 10:54 AM
10:54 10:54 AM
Same time as Roodepoort
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
325,000
3,442,361
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to ZAR – South African Rand Converter

South African Rand exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 16.69 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.99 USD). 1 EUR = 18.63 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.37 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Roodepoort Durban 510 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Roodepoort
  • Durban

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Roodepoort vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Durban cheaper than Roodepoort?
Yes – Roodepoort is pricier by about 4%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,758 per month in Roodepoort and $1,695 in Durban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Durban, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $445 there versus $598 in Roodepoort.
Is eating out cheaper in Roodepoort or in Durban?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Roodepoort and $39 in Durban. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Roodepoort and in Durban?
Groceries cost about 8% more in Roodepoort, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,500 enough for either Roodepoort or Durban?
$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,172 in Roodepoort and $1,130 in Durban, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Roodepoort or in Durban?
It depends on your priorities. Durban has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,130 in Durban to $1,172 in Roodepoort. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Durban. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Roodepoort makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Roodepoort vs other spots: cost of living compared

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