Cost of Living Comparison Between Stilbaai and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Stilbaai and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $878 per month in Stilbaai vs $1,171 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,449 per month in Stilbaai vs $1,816 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,021 per month in Stilbaai vs $2,461 in Durban, rent included.

Stilbaai is about 25% cheaper than Durban, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Stilbaai and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Stilbaai 36% lower, Durban 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.34 R 102

$7.90 R 127

-19.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.31 R 794

$39.25 R 632

25.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 R 78.7

$6.07 R 97.8

-19.44%

Cappuccino

$1.59 R 25.55

$2.85 R 45.83

-44.21%

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

$0.66 R 10.64

$1.18 R 19.02

-44.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 R 10.48

$0.93 R 14.92

-30.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.16 R 50.9

$2.54 R 40.87

24.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 R 30.00

$2.61 R 42.00

-28.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 R 14.56

$1.30 R 21.01

-30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 R 9.33

$1.07 R 17.24

-45.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 R 30.94

$1.56 R 25.08

23.08%

Eggs

$3.18 R 51.2

$2.44 R 39.31

30.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.90 R 78.9

$8.54 R 137

-42.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 R 80.2

$5.32 R 85.6

-6.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.93 R 144

$7.14 R 115

25.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 R 21.99

$1.97 R 31.69

-30.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 R 15.55

$1.95 R 31.37

-50.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 R 20.50

$2.04 R 32.89

-37.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 R 21.92

$1.63 R 26.26

-16.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 R 5.87

$1.56 R 25.08

-76.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 R 25.74

$1.44 R 23.25

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 R 14.45

$1.25 R 20.18

-28.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R 9.94

$1.20 R 19.30

-48.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 R 61.5

$3.65 R 58.8

4.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.92 R 79.2

$4.95 R 79.7

-0.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 R 15.58

$1.50 R 24.20

-35.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 R 20.70

$2.00 R 32.17

-35.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.44 R 23.12

$1.91 R 30.69

-24.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.78 R 367

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 R 10.57

$0.46 R 7.39

43.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 R 5.17

$0.77 R 12.44

-58.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.18 R 83.5

$7.69 R 124

-32.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 R 22.82

$1.49 R 24.07

-4.70%

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

$18.7K R 301.4K

$36.5K R 588.1K

-48.75%

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

$19.0K R 306.0K

$33.5K R 538.9K

-43.22%

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

$57.4 R 925

$144 R 2,326

-60.24%

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

$31.11 R 501

$34.78 R 560

-10.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.68 R 510

$41.26 R 664

-23.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.69 R 510

$32.89 R 530

-3.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.31 R 150

Cinema Ticket

$5.51 R 88.7

$6.88 R 111

-19.91%

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

$270 R 4,348

$324 R 5,218

-16.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,257 R 20.2K

$8,024 R 129.2K

-84.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.87 R 513

$56.7 R 912

-43.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.97 R 306

$31.20 R 502

-39.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.4 R 989

$101 R 1,619

-38.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.2 R 1,017

$91.2 R 1,469

-30.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 R 7,313

$490 R 7,898

-7.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 R 6,116

$390 R 6,275

-2.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 R 11.9K

$833 R 13.4K

-11.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$765 R 12.3K

$789 R 12.7K

-3.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$933 R 15.0K

$924 R 14.9K

1.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$727 R 11.7K

$614 R 9,895

18.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,477 R 39.9K

$1,293 R 20.8K

91.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.02

11.81

-6.69%

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

Last update for Stilbaai: September 6, 2026

Last update for Durban: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $454 in Stilbaai versus $490 in Durban. 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 92% higher in Stilbaai, 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 $49.00 in Stilbaai versus $39.00 in Durban. Groceries tell a different story – $159 in Stilbaai vs $200 in Durban – so Stilbaai 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

Stilbaai vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,317 per month in Stilbaai and $1,756 in Durban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Stilbaai and $39.00 in Durban. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Durban, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Stilbaai, where all-in costs run around $878, than in Durban at $1,171. In Stilbaai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Durban it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Stilbaai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Durban makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.