Cost of Living Comparison Between Schio and Polokwane Cost of Living Comparison Between Schio and Polokwane

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,695 per month in Schio vs $992 in Polokwane, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,541 per month in Schio vs $1,461 in Polokwane, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,386 per month in Schio vs $1,931 in Polokwane, rent included.

Schio costs about 71% more than Polokwane, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Schio sits 23% above the global median, while Polokwane is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.82 €13.60

$12.44 R 199

27.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.4 €49.36

$31.20 R 499

84.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 €9.14

$7.38 R 118

44.17%

Cappuccino

$1.91 €1.64

$2.47 R 39.50

-22.67%

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

$2.50 €2.15

$0.98 R 15.75

155.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.02

$0.97 R 15.50

22.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 €5.07

$1.77 R 28.31

233.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 €4.41

$2.13 R 34.10

140.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.37 R 21.94

10.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 €2.01

$1.19 R 18.97

95.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 €2.80

$1.80 R 28.86

81.11%

Eggs

$3.58 €3.08

$2.62 R 41.85

36.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.23 €14.81

$7.70 R 123

123.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.17 €10.47

$4.11 R 65.7

196.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.48 €16.74

$6.09 R 97.5

219.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 €1.68

$2.10 R 33.56

-6.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.95 R 31.17

8.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 €2.00

$1.82 R 29.10

28.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 €2.03

$2.03 R 32.51

16.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.75 R 28.00

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 €1.64

$1.61 R 25.70

18.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 €1.48

$1.15 R 18.39

49.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 €0.56

$0.82 R 13.11

-19.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.02

$2.72 R 43.55

157.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.77 €5.82

$4.80 R 76.8

41.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.24 R 19.78

8.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.63 R 26.12

14.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 €1.47

$0.89 R 14.24

92.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.10 €39.63

$31.55 R 505

46.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.35 €8.04

$0.90 R 14.44

938.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 €1.46

$0.90 R 14.32

88.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.50 €39.97

$14.78 R 236

214.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.42 R 22.73

43.66%

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

$36.9K €31.8K

$26.1K R 418.1K

41.30%

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

$37.5K €32.2K

$29.3K R 468.5K

27.86%

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

$199 €171

$138 R 2,214

44.02%

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

$9.07 €7.80

$39.69 R 635

-77.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.48 €30.50

$34.33 R 549

3.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.6 €49.50

$23.26 R 372

147.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.09 €21.57

Cinema Ticket

$10.84 €9.32

$8.30 R 133

30.60%

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

$520 €447

$185 R 2,957

181.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K €12.2K

$1,482 R 23.7K

858.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.5 €70.0

$47.04 R 752

73.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.62 €29.76

$37.70 R 603

-8.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 €79.5

$82.3 R 1,316

12.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 €141

$96.6 R 1,545

70.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 €657

$297 R 4,745

157.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$539 €464

$211 R 3,371

155.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 €928

$438 R 7,001

146.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$976 €839

$289 R 4,617

237.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,683 €2,307

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,902 €1,635

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,546 R 24.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.34

10.91

-69.39%

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

Last update for Schio: August 30, 2026

Last update for Polokwane: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $764 in Schio versus $297 in Polokwane. 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 $57.0 in Schio versus $31.00 in Polokwane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $329 vs $187 – making Polokwane 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

Schio vs Polokwane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Schio costs about 71% more than Polokwane, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,543 per month in Schio and $1,488 in Polokwane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Polokwane, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $520 per month in Schio and $185 in Polokwane. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 76% more in Schio, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polokwane, where all-in costs run around $992, than in Schio at $1,695. In Polokwane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Schio it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Polokwane – 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 Polokwane. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Schio makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.