Cost of Living Comparison Between Secunda and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Secunda and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $891 per month in Secunda vs $1,058 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,346 per month in Secunda vs $1,552 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Secunda vs $2,046 in Durban, rent included.

Secunda is about 16% cheaper than Durban, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Secunda and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Secunda 34% lower, Durban 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.56 R 90.4

$7.60 R 123

-26.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.50 R 447

$28.12 R 457

-2.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 R 77.7

$4.97 R 80.8

-3.82%

Cappuccino

$2.03 R 32.93

$1.97 R 31.98

3.05%

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

$0.74 R 12.09

$0.87 R 14.12

-14.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 R 7.05

$0.67 R 10.94

-35.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 R 16.76

$1.93 R 31.30

-46.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 R 20.29

$2.22 R 36.02

-43.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 R 19.43

$1.00 R 16.18

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 R 16.09

$0.91 R 14.80

8.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.68

$1.48 R 24.13

6.76%

Eggs

$2.38 R 38.71

$2.11 R 34.25

12.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.73 R 126

$7.28 R 118

6.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 R 75.6

$4.59 R 74.7

1.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.59 R 107

$6.33 R 103

4.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.32

$1.57 R 25.53

3.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 R 24.87

$1.36 R 22.08

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.17

$1.38 R 22.43

21.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.31

$1.36 R 22.14

19.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 R 21.46

$1.27 R 20.66

3.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 R 19.89

$1.18 R 19.18

3.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 R 18.48

$0.97 R 15.82

17.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 R 18.18

$0.96 R 15.57

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 R 46.19

$3.13 R 50.9

-9.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.18 R 84.2

$5.02 R 81.6

3.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 R 25.70

$1.46 R 23.74

8.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 R 30.46

$1.75 R 28.39

6.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 R 26.39

$1.50 R 24.33

8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.86 R 615

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 R 22.94

$1.71 R 27.76

-17.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 R 21.43

$0.61 R 9.95

116.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 R 49.62

$6.78 R 110

-55.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 20.65

$1.28 R 20.73

-0.78%

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

$19.1K R 309.8K

$20.3K R 330.0K

-6.10%

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

$25.6K R 416.0K

$24.2K R 393.9K

5.62%

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

$84.1 R 1,366

$147 R 2,388

-42.78%

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

$36.75 R 597

$29.29 R 476

25.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.49 R 626

$33.72 R 548

14.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.56 R 269

$34.46 R 560

-51.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.27 R 183

$9.14 R 149

23.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 R 108

$6.56 R 107

1.68%

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

$165 R 2,683

$210 R 3,405

-21.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,419 R 71.8K

$4,585 R 74.5K

-3.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.76 R 809

$42.78 R 695

16.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.63 R 530

$29.50 R 479

10.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 R 1,409

$93.3 R 1,515

-7.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 R 1,431

$73.1 R 1,187

20.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 R 5,434

$373 R 6,063

-10.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 R 5,044

$368 R 5,974

-15.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$680 R 11.0K

$754 R 12.2K

-9.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 R 7,816

$594 R 9,651

-19.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,024 R 16.6K

$910 R 14.8K

12.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$633 R 10.3K

$581 R 9,440

9.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,486 R 24.1K

$1,395 R 22.7K

6.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.69

12.01

-2.66%

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

Last update for Secunda: May 31, 2026

Last update for Durban: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $334 in Secunda versus $373 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 Secunda, 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 $28.00 in Secunda versus $28.00 in Durban. Groceries tell a different story – $182 in Secunda vs $168 in Durban – so Durban 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

Secunda vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 19%, 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 $1,337 per month in Secunda and $1,587 in Durban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Secunda and $28.00 in Durban. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Durban – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $891 in Secunda and $1,058 in Durban, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Secunda – 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 Secunda. 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.