Cost of Living Comparison Between Suffolk, VA and Midrand Cost of Living Comparison Between Suffolk, VA and Midrand

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,103 in Suffolk, VA versus $1,088 in Midrand.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,138 in Suffolk, VA versus $1,616 in Midrand.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,174 in Suffolk, VA versus $2,144 in Midrand.

Living in Suffolk, VA is roughly 93% more expensive than Midrand, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Suffolk, VA is 57% above, Midrand is 19% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.63 $22.63

$5.37 R 90.0

321.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 $79.5

$28.04 R 470

183.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.05 $12.05

$4.83 R 81.1

149.48%

Cappuccino

$5.26 $5.26

$1.42 R 23.87

270.42%

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

$1.95 $1.95

$0.99 R 16.52

96.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.80 R 13.49

152.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.26 R 37.83

81.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.22 R 37.29

126.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.03 R 17.33

2.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.01 R 16.93

123.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.24 R 20.81

116.94%

Eggs

$3.85 $3.85

$2.47 R 41.38

55.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$8.41 R 141

-61.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$4.87 R 81.7

6.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.25 $15.25

$6.63 R 111

130.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$1.62 R 27.09

165.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.04 R 17.42

59.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.49 R 24.94

110.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.43 R 24.06

203.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.43 R 24.05

139.86%

Onion (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$1.44 R 24.18

134.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.05 R 17.55

57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.89 R 14.94

119.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.04 $5.04

$3.14 R 52.6

60.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.86 $14.86

$5.43 R 91.0

173.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.83 R 13.86

112.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.10 R 18.50

238.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.83 R 13.87

139.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.4 R 861

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.13 R 19.01

75.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.52 R 8.65

173.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.23 $29.23

$3.94 R 66.0

641.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.27 R 21.29

-36.22%

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

$10.9K $10.9K

$22.3K R 374.5K

-51.16%

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

$15.0K $15.0K

$23.7K R 396.9K

-36.58%

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

$150 $150

$99.3 R 1,665

50.94%

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

$53.6 $53.6

$22.32 R 374

140.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 $68.3

$42.39 R 711

61.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.81 $42.81

$56.8 R 953

-24.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.42 R 74.2

Cinema Ticket

$13.41 $13.41

$7.31 R 123

83.45%

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

$864 $864

$168 R 2,821

413.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$4,909 R 82.3K

370.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.80 $19.80

$51.2 R 859

-61.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.71 $48.71

$33.67 R 565

44.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 $99.8

$77.5 R 1,300

28.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.30 $39.30

$79.3 R 1,330

-50.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,088 $1,088

$448 R 7,512

142.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$996 $996

$426 R 7,138

134.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 $1,941

$761 R 12.8K

155.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 $1,684

$738 R 12.4K

128.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$478 R 8,018

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$390 R 6,541

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,320 $4,320

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

11.51

-50.65%

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

Last update for Suffolk, VA: April 25, 2026

Last update for Midrand: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,088 in Suffolk, VA and $448 in Midrand. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $80.0 in Suffolk, VA vs $28.00 in Midrand for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $171 per month, with Midrand cheaper across the board.

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

Suffolk, VA vs Midrand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Midrand is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,154 in Suffolk, VA and $1,632 in Midrand to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,088 in Suffolk, VA versus $448 in Midrand. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 75% higher in Suffolk, VA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,103 per month in Suffolk, VA versus $1,088 in Midrand – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,088 in Midrand versus $2,103 in Suffolk, VA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Midrand but tight or insufficient in Suffolk, VA. The gap between the two cities makes Midrand the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Midrand gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Suffolk, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.