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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,186 per month in Somerset West vs $1,379 in Pretoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,965 per month in Somerset West vs $2,091 in Pretoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,744 per month in Somerset West vs $2,804 in Pretoria, rent included.

Somerset West is about 14% cheaper than Pretoria, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Somerset West sits 14% below the global median, while Pretoria is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.27 R 196

$9.37 R 150

30.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.27 R 756

$38.72 R 620

22.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 R 91.8

$5.68 R 90.9

1.06%

Cappuccino

$2.12 R 34.00

$2.28 R 36.52

-7.02%

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

$1.07 R 17.07

$1.08 R 17.28

-0.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 R 15.23

$0.87 R 13.89

9.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 R 43.73

$2.67 R 42.72

2.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 R 55.4

$3.34 R 53.5

3.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R 16.81

$1.27 R 20.26

-17.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 R 16.50

$1.17 R 18.72

-11.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 R 34.16

$1.85 R 29.60

15.14%

Eggs

$2.34 R 37.44

$2.60 R 41.66

-10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 R 143

$8.35 R 134

7.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 R 87.0

$4.98 R 79.8

9.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.71 R 155

$7.53 R 121

28.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R 30.83

$1.91 R 30.61

1.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 R 31.86

$1.67 R 26.69

19.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 R 27.34

$1.78 R 28.45

-3.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 R 27.58

$1.68 R 26.85

2.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.09

$1.16 R 18.60

35.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.63

$1.19 R 18.96

29.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 R 22.10

$1.26 R 20.12

9.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R 16.97

$1.33 R 21.22

-20.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.46 R 55.4

$3.31 R 52.9

4.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.40 R 102

$5.18 R 82.9

23.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 R 22.97

$1.59 R 25.40

-9.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 R 29.37

$2.05 R 32.74

-10.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 R 19.31

$4.75 R 76.0

-74.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 R 980

$187 R 2,993

-67.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 R 10.34

$0.29 R 4.72

124.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 R 25.58

$0.83 R 13.36

92.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 R 80.9

$14.81 R 237

-65.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 R 22.99

$1.55 R 24.84

-7.10%

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

$30.3K R 484.3K

$36.4K R 582.6K

-16.88%

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

$30.0K R 480.2K

$35.2K R 563.4K

-14.76%

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

$86.2 R 1,379

$160 R 2,564

-46.21%

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

$31.45 R 503

$38.55 R 617

-18.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.32 R 645

$37.82 R 605

6.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.98 R 752

$33.38 R 534

40.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.11 R 178

$10.91 R 175

1.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.44 R 119

$7.33 R 117

1.50%

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

$265 R 4,239

$270 R 4,314

-1.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,814 R 61.0K

$7,992 R 127.9K

-52.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.05 R 513

$55.3 R 886

-42.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.89 R 510

$32.75 R 524

-2.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.5 R 1,160

$96.7 R 1,547

-25.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 R 955

$85.8 R 1,373

-30.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 R 10.7K

$467 R 7,465

43.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 R 6,984

$424 R 6,787

2.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 R 21.9K

$1,019 R 16.3K

34.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$978 R 15.6K

$785 R 12.6K

24.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,316 R 21.1K

$903 R 14.4K

45.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$921 R 14.7K

$713 R 11.4K

29.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,476 R 23.6K

$1,454 R 23.3K

1.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

11.34

-10.76%

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

Last update for Somerset West: September 5, 2026

Last update for Pretoria: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $670 in Somerset West versus $467 in Pretoria. 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 2% higher in Somerset West, 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 $47.00 in Somerset West versus $39.00 in Pretoria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $199 – making Pretoria 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 Pretoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pretoria is pricier by about 16%, 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 $2,068 in Pretoria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 205% less in Somerset West. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $265 per month in Somerset West and $270 in Pretoria. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Somerset West, where all-in costs run around $1,186, than in Pretoria at $1,379. In Somerset West it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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