Cost of Living Comparison Between Sun City and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Sun City and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $985 per month in Sun City vs $1,083 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,589 per month in Sun City vs $1,560 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,194 per month in Sun City vs $2,037 in Durban, rent included.

Sun City is about 9% cheaper than Durban, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sun City and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Sun City 26% lower, Durban 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.29 R 187

$7.52 R 124

50.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.93 R 727

$28.22 R 467

55.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 R 81.1

$4.94 R 81.8

-0.81%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R 37.13

$1.90 R 31.38

17.89%

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

$1.03 R 17.00

$0.90 R 14.85

14.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 R 12.85

$0.67 R 11.03

16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 R 43.30

$1.97 R 32.64

32.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R 40.85

$2.26 R 37.40

9.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 R 18.05

$1.05 R 17.36

3.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 R 12.99

$0.96 R 15.93

-18.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 R 28.38

$1.44 R 23.82

18.75%

Eggs

$2.42 R 40.07

$2.09 R 34.66

15.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.06 R 133

$7.50 R 124

7.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.70 R 77.7

$4.52 R 74.8

3.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.60 R 109

$6.16 R 102

7.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 R 28.03

$1.56 R 25.76

8.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.39

$1.40 R 23.19

5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.49

$1.33 R 22.06

11.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R 26.44

$1.31 R 21.72

22.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.61

$1.31 R 21.67

13.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.82

$1.22 R 20.27

18.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 R 17.52

$0.97 R 16.08

9.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.82

$0.96 R 15.90

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 R 50.4

$3.00 R 49.74

1.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.14 R 102

$4.75 R 78.7

29.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R 22.49

$1.39 R 23.01

-2.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 R 26.40

$1.74 R 28.88

-8.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 R 27.12

$1.51 R 25.00

8.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.64 R 640

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 R 18.92

$1.69 R 27.98

-32.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.60

$0.58 R 9.65

62.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 R 67.1

$6.78 R 112

-40.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 21.08

$1.32 R 21.83

-3.79%

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

$22.3K R 368.6K

$20.5K R 340.0K

8.41%

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

$24.0K R 397.7K

$24.1K R 398.8K

-0.29%

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

$96.5 R 1,598

$146 R 2,410

-33.69%

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

$39.92 R 661

$29.42 R 487

35.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.82 R 709

$34.24 R 567

25.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.51 R 505

$33.69 R 558

-9.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.42 R 156

Cinema Ticket

$3.11 R 51.4

$6.88 R 114

-54.80%

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

$203 R 3,363

$205 R 3,393

-0.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,820 R 79.8K

$4,576 R 75.8K

5.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.90 R 826

$41.95 R 694

18.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.37 R 552

$29.69 R 491

12.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.1 R 1,111

$96.4 R 1,596

-30.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 R 1,325

$71.5 R 1,183

11.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 R 6,053

$377 R 6,249

-3.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 R 5,487

$364 R 6,028

-8.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 R 11.3K

$759 R 12.6K

-9.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 R 11.3K

$588 R 9,732

16.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$777 R 12.9K

$898 R 14.9K

-13.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$802 R 13.3K

$597 R 9,879

34.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,247 R 20.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

12.01

-4.16%

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

Last update for Sun City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Durban: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $366 in Sun City versus $377 in Durban. 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 $44.00 in Sun City versus $28.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $168 – making Durban the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Sun City vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,477 per month in Sun City and $1,625 in Durban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sun City, 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 $44.00 in Sun City and $28.00 in Durban. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Durban – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sun City, where all-in costs run around $985, than in Durban at $1,083. In Sun City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Durban it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sun City – 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 Sun City. 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.