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 $1,143 per month in South Africa vs $373 in Eswatini, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,781 per month in South Africa vs $647 in Eswatini, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,419 per month in South Africa vs $921 in Eswatini, rent included.

The cost of living in South Africa is about 206% higher than in 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 17% lower, Eswatini 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.30 R 181

$5.96 SZL 95.2

89.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.51 R 711

$32.93 SZL 526

35.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 R 94.2

$6.14 SZL 98.1

-3.91%

Cappuccino

$2.44 R 38.93

$2.20 SZL 35.08

10.91%

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

$1.16 R 18.50

$1.04 SZL 16.54

11.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.28

$0.55 SZL 8.74

74.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 R 40.98

$1.89 SZL 30.24

35.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 R 49.23

$2.02 SZL 32.20

52.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.41

$1.23 SZL 19.64

4.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 R 18.02

$0.92 SZL 14.64

22.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.33

$1.71 SZL 27.25

7.02%

Eggs

$2.55 R 40.82

$1.66 SZL 26.44

53.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 R 133

$13.51 SZL 216

-38.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 R 86.9

$7.05 SZL 113

-22.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 R 126

$5.14 SZL 82.0

53.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 R 30.38

$2.34 SZL 37.41

-18.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.15

$0.69 SZL 10.98

146.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 R 28.92

$1.52 SZL 24.33

19.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.01

$1.35 SZL 21.57

39.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.58

$1.66 SZL 26.47

-7.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 R 23.85

$1.60 SZL 25.59

-6.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 R 21.29

$0.73 SZL 11.67

82.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R 18.95

$0.82 SZL 13.17

45.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 R 54.6

$3.05 SZL 48.69

11.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.08 R 81.1

$5.38 SZL 86.0

-5.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 R 24.09

$0.93 SZL 14.88

62.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 R 32.40

$1.49 SZL 23.75

36.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 R 28.18

$0.73 SZL 11.60

141.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 R 1,009

$25.05 SZL 400

151.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R 17.84

$1.86 SZL 29.65

-39.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 R 16.21

$1.59 SZL 25.45

-36.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 R 129

$3.37 SZL 53.7

139.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 R 23.35

$1.34 SZL 21.42

8.96%

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

$36.8K R 588.4K

$14.8K SZL 236.0K

149.08%

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

$32.5K R 519.7K

$17.2K SZL 274.5K

89.17%

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

$136 R 2,169

$84.7 SZL 1,353

60.15%

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

$35.72 R 571

$36.15 SZL 577

-1.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.40 R 662

$28.33 SZL 452

46.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.96 R 559

$22.19 SZL 354

57.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.46 R 199

$2.74 SZL 43.84

354.74%

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 R 122

$3.86 SZL 61.7

97.41%

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

$231 R 3,697

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,726 R 91.5K

$6,492 SZL 103.7K

-11.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 R 901

$36.30 SZL 580

55.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.91 R 542

$20.16 SZL 322

68.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 R 1,627

$73.5 SZL 1,173

38.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.0 R 1,486

$56.1 SZL 896

65.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 R 8,093

$197 SZL 3,139

157.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 R 6,677

$136 SZL 2,178

206.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 R 15.6K

$450 SZL 7,183

117.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$838 R 13.4K

$348 SZL 5,562

140.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,151 R 18.4K

$349 SZL 5,568

230.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 R 12.8K

$260 SZL 4,153

207.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,554 R 24.8K

$636 SZL 10.2K

144.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

9.12

23.25%

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

Last update for South Africa: September 8, 2026

Last update for Eswatini: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $445 in South Africa vs $115 in Eswatini. For reference, capital cities sit at $324 in Bloemfontein and $287 in Mbabane.

Average salary: $1,553 in South Africa vs $611 in Eswatini. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 287% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 208% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 240% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 154% higher in South Africa, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Eswatini.

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 212% 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 212% 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.