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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $890 per month in Secunda vs $1,083 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Secunda vs $1,560 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,818 per month in Secunda vs $2,037 in Durban, rent included.

Secunda is about 18% cheaper than Durban, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Secunda and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Secunda 33% lower, Durban 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 R 90.3

$7.52 R 124

-27.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.89 R 460

$28.22 R 466

-1.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.80 R 79.3

$4.94 R 81.6

-2.83%

Cappuccino

$2.04 R 33.75

$1.90 R 31.28

7.37%

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

$0.75 R 12.32

$0.90 R 14.81

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 R 7.17

$0.67 R 11.00

-35.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 R 16.45

$1.97 R 32.54

-49.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 R 20.76

$2.26 R 37.29

-44.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 R 19.84

$1.05 R 17.30

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 R 15.03

$0.96 R 15.88

-5.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.64

$1.44 R 23.75

11.81%

Eggs

$2.39 R 39.51

$2.09 R 34.55

14.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.90 R 130

$7.50 R 124

5.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 R 77.5

$4.52 R 74.6

3.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.29 R 104

$6.16 R 102

2.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.62

$1.56 R 25.68

7.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.64

$1.40 R 23.12

15.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.66

$1.33 R 22.00

26.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 R 28.16

$1.31 R 21.66

30.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 R 22.65

$1.31 R 21.60

4.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 R 19.95

$1.22 R 20.21

-0.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 R 18.59

$0.97 R 16.03

16.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R 18.31

$0.96 R 15.85

15.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 R 45.19

$3.00 R 49.59

-8.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.24 R 86.5

$4.75 R 78.5

10.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 R 24.99

$1.39 R 22.94

8.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 R 30.77

$1.74 R 28.80

6.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 R 26.59

$1.51 R 24.92

6.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.64 R 638

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 R 22.86

$1.69 R 27.90

-17.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 R 22.64

$0.58 R 9.62

136.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 R 51.0

$6.78 R 112

-54.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 R 21.63

$1.32 R 21.76

-0.76%

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

$19.0K R 312.8K

$20.5K R 339.0K

-7.71%

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

$26.1K R 430.6K

$24.1K R 397.6K

8.31%

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

$85.6 R 1,412

$146 R 2,403

-41.21%

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

$37.49 R 619

$29.42 R 486

27.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.67 R 622

$34.24 R 565

10.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.59 R 274

$33.69 R 556

-50.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 R 183

$9.42 R 155

17.52%

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 R 110

$6.88 R 114

-2.91%

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

$169 R 2,782

$205 R 3,383

-17.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,407 R 72.7K

$4,576 R 75.5K

-3.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 R 850

$41.95 R 692

22.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.66 R 523

$29.69 R 490

6.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 R 1,441

$96.4 R 1,592

-9.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.2 R 1,456

$71.5 R 1,180

23.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 R 5,560

$377 R 6,230

-10.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 R 4,994

$364 R 6,009

-16.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 R 11.2K

$759 R 12.5K

-10.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 R 7,711

$588 R 9,702

-20.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$833 R 13.7K

$898 R 14.8K

-7.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$768 R 12.7K

$597 R 9,849

28.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,486 R 24.5K

$1,247 R 20.6K

19.17%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Durban: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $337 in Secunda 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 19% 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 – $183 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 22%, 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 $1,336 per month in Secunda 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 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 $890 in Secunda and $1,083 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.