Cost of Living Comparison Between Rustenburg and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Rustenburg and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $952 per month in Rustenburg vs $1,083 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,505 per month in Rustenburg vs $1,560 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,058 per month in Rustenburg vs $2,037 in Durban, rent included.

Rustenburg is about 12% cheaper than Durban, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rustenburg and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Rustenburg 29% lower, Durban 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.38 R 188

$7.52 R 124

51.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.54 R 737

$28.22 R 467

57.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.81 R 63.1

$4.94 R 81.8

-22.87%

Cappuccino

$1.95 R 32.26

$1.90 R 31.38

2.63%

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

$0.86 R 14.23

$0.90 R 14.85

-4.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 R 7.56

$0.67 R 11.03

-31.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 R 23.56

$1.97 R 32.64

-27.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 R 32.79

$2.26 R 37.40

-12.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R 17.66

$1.05 R 17.36

1.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 R 14.49

$0.96 R 15.93

-8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 R 28.09

$1.44 R 23.82

18.06%

Eggs

$1.97 R 32.62

$2.09 R 34.66

-5.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.77 R 95.5

$7.50 R 124

-23.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 R 70.9

$4.52 R 74.8

-5.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.59 R 109

$6.16 R 102

6.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 R 27.22

$1.56 R 25.76

5.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 R 22.04

$1.40 R 23.19

-5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 R 22.02

$1.33 R 22.06

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R 26.48

$1.31 R 21.72

22.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 R 13.42

$1.31 R 21.67

-38.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 R 13.39

$1.22 R 20.27

-33.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 R 17.22

$0.97 R 16.08

7.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.94

$0.96 R 15.90

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 R 41.52

$3.00 R 49.74

-16.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.45 R 73.7

$4.75 R 78.7

-6.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 19.17

$1.39 R 23.01

-16.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 R 18.95

$1.74 R 28.88

-34.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 R 18.02

$1.51 R 25.00

-27.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.55 R 754

$38.64 R 640

17.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 R 15.18

$1.69 R 27.98

-45.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.59

$0.58 R 9.65

62.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 R 65.1

$6.78 R 112

-42.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R 20.48

$1.32 R 21.83

-6.06%

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

$22.2K R 366.7K

$20.5K R 340.0K

7.85%

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

$24.2K R 400.8K

$24.1K R 398.8K

0.51%

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

$70.4 R 1,166

$146 R 2,410

-51.61%

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

$12.52 R 207

$29.42 R 487

-57.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.42 R 702

$34.24 R 567

23.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.94 R 380

$33.69 R 558

-31.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.63 R 93.1

$9.42 R 156

-40.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 R 73.3

$6.88 R 114

-35.61%

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

$102 R 1,685

$205 R 3,393

-50.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,924 R 81.5K

$4,576 R 75.8K

7.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 R 837

$41.95 R 694

20.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.14 R 565

$29.69 R 491

14.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 R 1,507

$96.4 R 1,596

-5.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 R 1,325

$71.5 R 1,183

11.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 R 5,089

$377 R 6,249

-18.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 R 5,547

$364 R 6,028

-7.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 R 11.3K

$759 R 12.6K

-9.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 R 9,461

$588 R 9,732

-2.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$898 R 14.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$597 R 9,879

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,331 R 22.0K

$1,247 R 20.6K

6.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.9

12.01

-17.57%

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

Last update for Rustenburg: July 13, 2026

Last update for Durban: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $307 in Rustenburg versus $377 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 7% higher in Rustenburg, 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 $45.00 in Rustenburg versus $28.00 in Durban. Groceries tell a different story – $159 in Rustenburg vs $168 in Durban – so Rustenburg 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

Rustenburg vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,428 per month in Rustenburg and $1,625 in Durban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rustenburg, 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 $952 in Rustenburg and $1,083 in Durban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 18% less in Rustenburg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $952 in Rustenburg and $1,083 in Durban, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Rustenburg – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Rustenburg. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Durban makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.