Cost of Living Comparison Between Somerset West and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Somerset West and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,186 per month in Somerset West vs $1,171 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,965 per month in Somerset West vs $1,816 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,744 per month in Somerset West vs $2,461 in Durban, rent included.

Somerset West costs about 1% more than Durban, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Somerset West and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Somerset West 14% lower, Durban 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.27 R 196

$7.90 R 126

55.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.27 R 756

$39.25 R 628

20.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 R 91.8

$6.07 R 97.1

-5.44%

Cappuccino

$2.12 R 34.00

$2.85 R 45.54

-25.61%

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

$1.07 R 17.07

$1.18 R 18.90

-9.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 R 15.23

$0.93 R 14.83

2.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 R 43.73

$2.54 R 40.61

7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 R 55.4

$2.61 R 41.73

32.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R 16.81

$1.30 R 20.88

-19.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 R 16.50

$1.07 R 17.13

-3.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 R 34.16

$1.56 R 24.92

36.54%

Eggs

$2.34 R 37.44

$2.44 R 39.06

-4.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 R 143

$8.54 R 137

4.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 R 87.0

$5.32 R 85.1

2.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.71 R 155

$7.14 R 114

35.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R 30.83

$1.97 R 31.49

-2.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 R 31.86

$1.95 R 31.17

2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 R 27.34

$2.04 R 32.68

-16.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 R 27.58

$1.63 R 26.09

5.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.09

$1.56 R 24.92

0.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.63

$1.44 R 23.10

6.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 R 22.10

$1.25 R 20.05

10.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R 16.97

$1.20 R 19.17

-11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.46 R 55.4

$3.65 R 58.4

-5.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.40 R 102

$4.95 R 79.2

29.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 R 22.97

$1.50 R 24.05

-4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 R 29.37

$2.00 R 31.96

-8.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 R 19.31

$1.91 R 30.50

-36.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 R 980

$22.78 R 365

168.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 R 10.34

$0.46 R 7.34

41.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 R 25.58

$0.77 R 12.37

107.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 R 80.9

$7.69 R 123

-34.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 R 22.99

$1.49 R 23.92

-3.36%

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

$30.3K R 484.3K

$36.5K R 584.4K

-17.13%

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

$30.0K R 480.2K

$33.5K R 535.4K

-10.31%

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

$86.2 R 1,379

$144 R 2,312

-40.35%

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

$31.45 R 503

$34.78 R 557

-9.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.32 R 645

$41.26 R 660

-2.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.98 R 752

$32.89 R 526

42.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.11 R 178

$9.31 R 149

19.33%

Cinema Ticket

$7.44 R 119

$6.88 R 110

8.14%

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

$265 R 4,239

$324 R 5,184

-18.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,814 R 61.0K

$8,024 R 128.4K

-52.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.05 R 513

$56.7 R 907

-43.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.89 R 510

$31.20 R 499

2.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.5 R 1,160

$101 R 1,608

-27.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 R 955

$91.2 R 1,459

-34.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 R 10.7K

$490 R 7,848

36.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 R 6,984

$390 R 6,235

12.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 R 21.9K

$833 R 13.3K

64.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$978 R 15.6K

$789 R 12.6K

23.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,316 R 21.1K

$924 R 14.8K

42.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$921 R 14.7K

$614 R 9,832

49.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,476 R 23.6K

$1,293 R 20.7K

14.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

11.81

-14.31%

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

Last update for Somerset West: September 5, 2026

Last update for Durban: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $670 in Somerset West versus $490 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 14% higher in Somerset West, 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 Somerset West versus $39.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $200 – 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

Somerset West vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Somerset West is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,779 per month in Somerset West and $1,756 in Durban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,186 in Somerset West and $1,171 in Durban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 169% less in Durban. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Durban, where all-in costs run around $1,171, than in Somerset West at $1,186. In Durban it covers expenses comfortably, while in Somerset West it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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