Cost of Living Comparison Between Stellenbosch and Pretoria Cost of Living Comparison Between Stellenbosch and Pretoria

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,206 per month in Stellenbosch vs $1,370 in Pretoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,983 per month in Stellenbosch vs $2,090 in Pretoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,759 per month in Stellenbosch vs $2,811 in Pretoria, rent included.

Stellenbosch is about 12% cheaper than Pretoria, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Stellenbosch sits 12% below the global median, while Pretoria is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.27 R 116

$9.58 R 153

-24.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.85 R 605

$39.57 R 633

-4.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 R 80.8

$5.52 R 88.2

-8.51%

Cappuccino

$2.12 R 33.83

$2.28 R 36.46

-7.02%

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

$0.98 R 15.66

$1.08 R 17.24

-9.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 R 12.62

$0.90 R 14.46

-12.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 R 45.47

$2.65 R 42.39

7.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 R 53.5

$3.35 R 53.6

-0.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 R 22.97

$1.19 R 19.06

21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 R 18.39

$1.11 R 17.83

3.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 R 28.90

$1.89 R 30.21

-4.23%

Eggs

$3.02 R 48.32

$2.53 R 40.52

19.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.99 R 144

$8.56 R 137

5.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.93 R 94.8

$4.99 R 79.9

18.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.53 R 120

$7.51 R 120

0.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.20

$1.92 R 30.77

-4.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 R 24.54

$1.66 R 26.51

-7.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 R 27.80

$1.80 R 28.72

-3.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.20

$1.68 R 26.88

-5.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 R 17.73

$1.19 R 19.06

-6.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 R 24.42

$1.22 R 19.54

25.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 R 22.08

$1.25 R 19.95

10.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 R 18.75

$1.38 R 22.06

-15.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.59 R 57.4

$3.33 R 53.2

7.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.07 R 97.0

$5.13 R 82.0

18.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R 21.65

$1.55 R 24.74

-12.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 R 35.06

$2.05 R 32.84

6.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.73 R 75.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$180 R 2,879

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 R 10.37

$0.32 R 5.15

103.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 R 24.82

$0.80 R 12.74

93.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 R 83.7

$15.15 R 242

-65.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 R 21.87

$1.53 R 24.53

-10.46%

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

$37.2K R 595.6K

$36.0K R 575.5K

3.49%

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

$33.3K R 533.1K

$35.4K R 566.6K

-5.92%

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

$106 R 1,687

$154 R 2,461

-31.44%

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

$30.80 R 493

$37.44 R 599

-17.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.18 R 563

$37.80 R 604

-6.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.14 R 466

$33.04 R 528

-11.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 R 276

$10.86 R 174

58.84%

Cinema Ticket

$8.88 R 142

$7.25 R 116

22.48%

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

$257 R 4,105

$267 R 4,265

-3.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,466 R 39.4K

$8,119 R 129.9K

-69.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 R 878

$54.8 R 876

0.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.38 R 486

$32.45 R 519

-6.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 R 1,922

$94.4 R 1,510

27.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 R 1,461

$85.2 R 1,362

7.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 R 11.3K

$476 R 7,615

48.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 R 7,788

$410 R 6,563

18.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,514 R 24.2K

$980 R 15.7K

54.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,198 R 19.2K

$774 R 12.4K

54.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$905 R 14.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$719 R 11.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,637 R 42.2K

$1,417 R 22.7K

86.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.7

11.34

-5.64%

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

Last update for Stellenbosch: August 30, 2026

Last update for Pretoria: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $705 in Stellenbosch versus $476 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 86% higher in Stellenbosch, 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 $38.00 in Stellenbosch versus $40.00 in Pretoria. Groceries tell a different story – $207 in Stellenbosch vs $199 in Pretoria – so Pretoria wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Stellenbosch vs Pretoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pretoria is pricier by about 14%, 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 $1,810 per month in Stellenbosch and $2,054 in Pretoria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,206 in Stellenbosch and $1,370 in Pretoria. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $257 per month in Stellenbosch and $267 in Pretoria. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Stellenbosch, where all-in costs run around $1,206, than in Pretoria at $1,370. In Stellenbosch it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Stellenbosch – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Stellenbosch. 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.