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 $1,019 per month in South Africa vs $239 in Eswatini, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,594 per month in South Africa vs $383 in Eswatini, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,168 per month in South Africa vs $527 in Eswatini, rent included.

South Africa costs about 326% 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.

Eswatini has a wider regional cost range ($0–$725) than South Africa ($817–$1,336), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Eswatini.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R 142

$1.73 SZL 28.29

403.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.43 R 645

$28.47 SZL 466

38.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 R 84.4

$2.31 SZL 37.83

123.38%

Cappuccino

$2.03 R 33.21

$1.67 SZL 27.30

21.56%

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

$1.03 R 16.89

$0.80 SZL 13.12

28.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 R 12.88

$0.49 SZL 7.97

61.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 R 37.67

$1.52 SZL 24.82

51.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 R 41.74

$1.65 SZL 27.07

54.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R 18.22

$1.05 SZL 17.22

5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 R 16.98

$0.75 SZL 12.20

38.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.26

$1.23 SZL 20.13

25.20%

Eggs

$2.24 R 36.70

$1.49 SZL 24.36

50.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 R 129

$8.79 SZL 144

-10.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 R 77.5

$4.01 SZL 65.6

17.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.65 R 109

$4.63 SZL 75.7

43.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.76

$1.33 SZL 21.75

13.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 R 23.02

$0.79 SZL 13.01

78.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.40

$1.09 SZL 17.85

36.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.57

$1.41 SZL 23.11

10.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 R 19.54

$0.96 SZL 15.77

23.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 R 21.21

$0.99 SZL 16.25

31.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 R 17.06

$0.53 SZL 8.64

96.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.74

$0.74 SZL 12.14

29.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 R 47.85

$2.66 SZL 43.47

9.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.80 R 78.6

$4.91 SZL 80.3

-2.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 R 21.83

$1.03 SZL 16.86

29.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 R 28.18

$1.43 SZL 23.41

20.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 R 27.82

$0.92 SZL 15.07

84.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.20 R 740

$29.94 SZL 490

50.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 17.87

$3.42 SZL 56.0

-68.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 R 17.19

$2.69 SZL 44.09

-60.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 R 77.4

$3.37 SZL 55.2

40.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 21.17

$1.21 SZL 19.87

6.61%

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

$21.1K R 344.5K

$17.1K SZL 279.8K

23.11%

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

$23.6K R 385.6K

$18.7K SZL 305.9K

26.06%

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

$112 R 1,825

$75.0 SZL 1,227

48.69%

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

$31.97 R 523

$26.78 SZL 438

19.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.41 R 661

$28.48 SZL 466

41.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.85 R 521

$27.48 SZL 450

15.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.68 R 158

$4.93 SZL 80.6

96.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.64 R 109

$3.33 SZL 54.5

99.40%

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

$190 R 3,111

$107 SZL 1,755

77.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,317 R 70.6K

$4,682 SZL 76.6K

-7.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.50 R 794

$42.09 SZL 689

15.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.47 R 498

$26.58 SZL 435

14.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 R 1,542

$63.7 SZL 1,042

48.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.4 R 1,332

$73.2 SZL 1,198

11.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 R 7,407

$241 SZL 3,948

87.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 R 6,069

$140 SZL 2,296

164.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 R 14.4K

$434 SZL 7,101

103.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 R 11.5K

$329 SZL 5,378

114.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,147 R 18.8K

$342 SZL 5,589

235.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$818 R 13.4K

$254 SZL 4,150

222.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,476 R 24.2K

$502 SZL 8,220

193.83%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Eswatini: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $368 in South Africa vs $82 in Eswatini. For reference, capital cities sit at $397 in Pretoria and $260 in Mbabane.

Average salary: $1,459 in South Africa vs $614 in Eswatini. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 349% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 250% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 167% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 138% 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 197% 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 197% 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.