Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between St Francis Bay and Pretoria

For one person, living is cheaper in St Francis Bay: $979 a month against $1,278 in Pretoria, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

St Francis Bay, South Africa
Pretoria, South Africa
St Francis Bay
🇿🇦 South Africa
$979
/mo nomad
Pretoria
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in St Francis Bay and in Pretoria

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in St Francis Bay and in Pretoria actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $979 per month in St Francis Bay vs $1,278 in Pretoria, rent included.

  • St Francis Bay $979
  • Pretoria $1,278

A couple spends around $1,629 per month in St Francis Bay vs $1,980 in Pretoria, rent included.

  • St Francis Bay $1,629
  • Pretoria $1,980

A family of three spends $2,279 per month in St Francis Bay vs $2,683 in Pretoria, rent included.

  • St Francis Bay $2,279
  • Pretoria $2,683

St Francis Bay is about 23% cheaper than Pretoria, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both St Francis Bay and Pretoria are more affordable than the global median – St Francis Bay 28% lower, Pretoria 5% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
St Francis Bay
Pretoria
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.81 R 178
$8.90 R 146
21.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.74 R 687
$36.92 R 607
13.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.53 R 58.1
$5.30 R 87.1
-33.40%
Cappuccino
$2.14 R 35.16
$2.29 R 37.71
-6.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.01 R 16.66
$1.06 R 17.45
-4.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 R 11.93
$0.86 R 14.08
-16.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.06 R 33.81
$2.34 R 38.47
-11.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 R 30.32
$3.42 R 56.2
-46.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
St Francis Bay
Pretoria
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.94 R 15.47
$1.13 R 18.65
-16.81%
White Bread (500g)
$1.00 R 16.37
$1.14 R 18.72
-12.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 R 24.70
$1.83 R 30.12
-18.03%
Eggs
$2.70 R 44.44
$2.41 R 39.71
12.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.11 R 117
$8.44 R 139
-15.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.22 R 85.9
$5.00 R 82.3
4.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.63 R 142
$7.41 R 122
16.46%
Apples (1kg)
$2.18 R 35.80
$1.79 R 29.49
21.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 R 23.99
$1.68 R 27.67
-13.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.70 R 28.03
$1.78 R 29.26
-4.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.81 R 29.70
$1.58 R 26.01
14.56%
Potato (1kg)
$1.74 R 28.56
$1.08 R 17.74
61.11%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 R 22.62
$1.18 R 19.43
16.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 R 20.35
$1.18 R 19.37
5.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 R 16.88
$1.29 R 21.16
-20.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.14 R 51.6
$3.27 R 53.8
-3.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.74 R 77.9
$5.17 R 85.1
-8.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 R 20.90
$1.55 R 25.53
-18.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 R 29.80
$1.88 R 30.91
-3.72%
🚌 Getting Around
St Francis Bay
Pretoria
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.78 R 29.24
$4.59 R 75.5
-61.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$181 R 2,983
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.82 R 13.47
$0.31 R 5.12
164.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.46 R 7.53
$0.79 R 13.01
-41.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.62 R 142
$14.73 R 242
-41.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 R 21.50
$1.53 R 25.16
-14.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K R 345.5K
$35.7K R 587.8K
-41.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.2K R 578.5K
$35.1K R 577.4K
0.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
St Francis Bay
Pretoria
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$60.8 R 999
$150 R 2,466
-59.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.39 R 566
$36.66 R 603
-6.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.35 R 680
$36.73 R 604
12.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
St Francis Bay
Pretoria
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.64 R 471
$31.99 R 526
-10.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.00 R 197
$10.29 R 169
16.62%
Cinema Ticket
$9.20 R 151
$7.07 R 116
30.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
St Francis Bay
Pretoria
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$179 R 2,941
$261 R 4,293
-31.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,135 R 100.9K
$15.0K R 246.4K
-59.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
St Francis Bay
Pretoria
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.9 R 1,182
$52.6 R 865
36.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.31 R 647
$32.65 R 537
20.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 R 1,846
$92.1 R 1,514
21.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.1 R 1,564
$83.1 R 1,366
14.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
St Francis Bay
Pretoria
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$420 R 6,910
$451 R 7,411
-6.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$308 R 5,069
$353 R 5,807
-12.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$834 R 13.7K
$1,023 R 16.8K
-18.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$711 R 11.7K
$727 R 12.0K
-2.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$784 R 12.9K
$875 R 14.4K
-10.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$648 R 10.7K
$652 R 10.7K
-0.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
St Francis Bay
Pretoria
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,397 R 23.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.94
11.34
5.29%

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

Last update for St Francis Bay: November 1, 2026

Last update for Pretoria: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
St Francis Bay
$308
Pretoria
$353 14.6% $45
Groceries & Markets
St Francis Bay
$190
Pretoria
$194 2.3% $4.3
Eating Out
St Francis Bay
$144
Pretoria
$141 2% $2.8
Clothing & Footwear
St Francis Bay
$143
Pretoria
$117 18.3% $26
Monthly Utilities & Internet
St Francis Bay
$136
Pretoria
$223 63.6% $87
Sport & Entertainment
St Francis Bay
$47
Pretoria
$46 1.9% $0.9
Getting Around
St Francis Bay
$10 *
Pretoria
$204 1896% $194

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $420 in St Francis Bay versus $451 in Pretoria. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in St Francis Bay versus $37 in Pretoria. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in St Francis Bay vs $194 in Pretoria – so St Francis Bay wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇿🇦 St Francis Bay
🇿🇦 Pretoria
🕒 Local time
07:27 7:27 AM
07:27 7:27 AM
Same time as St Francis Bay
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,910
741,651 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to ZAR – South African Rand Converter

South African Rand exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 16.45 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.08 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • St Francis Bay Pretoria 990 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • St Francis Bay
  • Pretoria

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
St Francis Bay vs Pretoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is St Francis Bay cheaper than Pretoria?
Yes – Pretoria is pricier by about 31%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,468 per month in St Francis Bay and $1,917 in Pretoria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between St Francis Bay and Pretoria?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $420 in St Francis Bay and $451 in Pretoria. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Is eating out cheaper in St Francis Bay or in Pretoria?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in St Francis Bay and $37 in Pretoria. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $179 per month in St Francis Bay and $261 in Pretoria. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget for living in St Francis Bay or in Pretoria?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in St Francis Bay, where all-in costs run around $979, than in Pretoria at $1,278. In St Francis Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is St Francis Bay or Pretoria more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward St Francis Bay – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

St Francis Bay vs other spots: cost of living compared

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