😐A single person spends $1,141 per month in Roodepoort vs $1,121 in Durban, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,764 per month in Roodepoort vs $1,782 in Durban, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,386 per month in Roodepoort vs $2,442 in Durban, rent included.
😐Roodepoort costs about 2% more than Durban, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Roodepoort and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Roodepoort17% lower, Durban18% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Roodepoort
Durban
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.49R 203
$7.97R 130
56.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.93R 763
$39.63R 644
18.42%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.58R 123
$6.11R 99.3
24.06%
Cappuccino
$2.44R 39.74
$2.82R 45.88
-13.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23R 19.93
$1.16R 18.90
6.03%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93R 15.19
$0.87R 14.07
6.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.33R 37.87
$2.43R 39.50
-4.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94R 47.72
$2.58R 41.88
13.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Roodepoort
Durban
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.24R 20.11
$1.25R 20.38
-0.80%
White Bread(500g)
$1.15R 18.70
$1.04R 16.95
10.58%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.80R 29.34
$1.59R 25.84
13.21%
Eggs
$2.71R 44.12
$2.50R 40.61
8.40%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.57R 139
$8.58R 139
-0.12%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.55R 90.3
$5.34R 86.7
3.93%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.71R 142
$7.08R 115
23.02%
Apples(1kg)
$2.17R 35.28
$1.93R 31.37
12.44%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70R 27.65
$1.91R 31.09
-10.99%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.75R 28.44
$1.99R 32.40
-12.06%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.05R 33.40
$1.63R 26.52
25.77%
Potato(1kg)
$1.72R 27.93
$1.51R 24.54
13.91%
Onion(1kg)
$1.71R 27.73
$1.47R 23.86
16.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.20R 19.51
$1.24R 20.24
-3.23%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.34R 21.80
$1.22R 19.90
9.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.43R 55.7
$3.78R 61.4
-9.26%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.02R 97.8
$5.01R 81.5
20.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58R 25.70
$1.43R 23.32
10.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00R 32.59
$1.97R 32.10
1.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Roodepoort
Durban
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.90R 14.58
$1.89R 30.80
-52.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$22.03R 358
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.99R 16.14
$0.47R 7.64
110.64%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.90R 14.63
$0.71R 11.49
26.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.71R 239
$7.76R 126
89.56%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.53R 24.92
$1.50R 24.45
2.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.8KR 581.3K
$35.7KR 580.2K
0.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.6KR 561.9K
$32.2KR 523.7K
7.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Roodepoort
Durban
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$221R 3,595
$142R 2,308
55.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.04R 618
$33.63R 547
13.11%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.34R 607
$39.63R 644
-5.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Roodepoort
Durban
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.96R 796
$32.30R 525
51.58%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$9.25R 150
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.25R 118
$6.75R 110
7.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Roodepoort
Durban
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$247R 4,017
$326R 5,302
-24.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,591R 90.9K
$7,698R 125.1K
-27.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Roodepoort
Durban
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.5R 885
$55.2R 897
-1.38%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.23R 540
$30.38R 494
9.38%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$108R 1,762
$101R 1,641
7.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.8R 1,508
$87.4R 1,420
6.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Roodepoort
Durban
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$623R 10.1K
$483R 7,848
29.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$249R 4,054
$374R 6,077
-33.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,569R 25.5K
$825R 13.4K
90.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$538R 8,751
$789R 12.8K
-31.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$890R 14.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$581R 9,448
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Roodepoort
Durban
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,528R 24.8K
$1,269R 20.6K
20.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.25
11.81
-4.74%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Roodepoort: September 13, 2026
Last update for Durban: September 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $623 in Roodepoort versus $483 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 20% higher in Roodepoort, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Roodepoort versus $40.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $198 – making Durban 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
Roodepoort vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Durban cheaper than Roodepoort?
Yes – Roodepoort is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,712 per month in Roodepoort and $1,681 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Roodepoort or in Durban?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Roodepoort and $40.00 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 7% more in Roodepoort, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Roodepoort or in Durban?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Durban, where all-in costs run around $1,121, than in Roodepoort at $1,141. In Durban it covers expenses comfortably, while in Roodepoort it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Roodepoort or Durban more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Durban – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Durban. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, 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