Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Eswatini Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Eswatini

Name: Eswatini
Address: SZ

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,020 per month in South Africa vs $242 in Eswatini, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,598 per month in South Africa vs $382 in Eswatini, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,175 per month in South Africa vs $522 in Eswatini, rent included.

South Africa costs about 321% more than Eswatini on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both South Africa and Eswatini are more affordable than the global median – South Africa 24% lower, Eswatini 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 R 150

$1.73 SZL 28.57

423.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.48 R 654

$27.50 SZL 455

43.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 R 81.8

$2.33 SZL 38.59

112.02%

Cappuccino

$2.06 R 34.12

$1.65 SZL 27.34

24.85%

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

$0.95 R 15.70

$0.79 SZL 13.11

20.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 R 13.39

$0.48 SZL 7.86

68.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 R 36.60

$1.52 SZL 25.13

45.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R 41.12

$1.69 SZL 27.99

46.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R 18.42

$1.01 SZL 16.74

9.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 R 16.96

$0.73 SZL 12.12

39.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.78

$1.27 SZL 21.07

22.83%

Eggs

$2.34 R 38.80

$1.47 SZL 24.38

59.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.73 R 128

$8.76 SZL 145

-11.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.49 R 74.5

$3.86 SZL 63.8

16.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.73 R 112

$4.48 SZL 74.0

50.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.89

$1.32 SZL 21.86

18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.68

$0.74 SZL 12.23

93.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.94

$1.08 SZL 17.86

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 R 25.02

$1.34 SZL 22.22

12.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 R 20.20

$0.96 SZL 15.83

27.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 R 21.14

$1.03 SZL 17.01

24.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 R 17.22

$0.56 SZL 9.29

85.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.50

$0.74 SZL 12.31

27.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 R 49.50

$2.62 SZL 43.33

14.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.16 R 85.5

$5.09 SZL 84.1

1.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 22.99

$1.04 SZL 17.17

33.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 R 27.45

$1.43 SZL 23.65

16.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 27.00

$0.94 SZL 15.53

73.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.05 R 746

$29.28 SZL 484

53.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 R 18.76

$3.30 SZL 54.5

-65.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 R 18.28

$2.69 SZL 44.55

-59.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.86 R 80.5

$3.37 SZL 55.8

44.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R 20.54

$1.22 SZL 20.14

1.64%

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

$20.3K R 336.6K

$16.8K SZL 277.6K

21.06%

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

$23.5K R 388.8K

$19.1K SZL 316.5K

22.64%

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

$113 R 1,879

$74.3 SZL 1,228

52.77%

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

$32.36 R 536

$26.96 SZL 446

20.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.45 R 687

$27.59 SZL 456

50.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.59 R 523

$27.60 SZL 456

14.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.61 R 159

$5.12 SZL 84.7

87.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 R 113

$3.32 SZL 54.9

105.72%

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

$187 R 3,098

$108 SZL 1,791

72.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,362 R 72.3K

$4,512 SZL 74.6K

-3.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.50 R 820

$41.64 SZL 689

18.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.42 R 504

$25.80 SZL 427

17.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 R 1,518

$62.3 SZL 1,031

47.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 R 1,306

$75.2 SZL 1,244

4.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 R 7,315

$239 SZL 3,947

85.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 R 6,079

$142 SZL 2,346

158.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 R 14.6K

$432 SZL 7,150

104.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 R 12.0K

$329 SZL 5,438

120.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,090 R 18.1K

$345 SZL 5,712

215.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$780 R 12.9K

$255 SZL 4,218

205.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,558 R 25.8K

$509 SZL 8,413

206.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

9.12

26.64%

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

Last update for South Africa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Eswatini: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $368 in South Africa vs $83.0 in Eswatini. For reference, capital cities sit at $765 in Cape Town and $264 in Mbabane.

Average salary: $1,520 in South Africa vs $635 in Eswatini. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 343% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 250% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 167% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 139% higher in South Africa, giving Eswatini stronger purchasing power.

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

South Africa vs Eswatini: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Eswatini is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 194% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in South Africa, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but South Africa consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Eswatini, contributing to the overall 194% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Eswatini, but in South Africa it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Eswatini is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.