Cost of Living Comparison Between Upington and Pretoria Cost of Living Comparison Between Upington and Pretoria

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,000 per month in Upington vs $1,161 in Pretoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,593 per month in Upington vs $1,768 in Pretoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,187 per month in Upington vs $2,375 in Pretoria, rent included.

Upington is about 14% cheaper than Pretoria, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Upington and Pretoria are more affordable than the global median – Upington 26% lower, Pretoria 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.25 R 182

$8.26 R 134

36.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.00 R 550

$34.24 R 554

-0.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 R 77.2

$4.67 R 75.6

2.36%

Cappuccino

$1.64 R 26.45

$2.11 R 34.13

-22.27%

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

$1.00 R 16.10

$1.06 R 17.14

-5.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 R 11.35

$0.86 R 13.97

-18.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 R 25.18

$2.22 R 35.87

-29.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 R 40.96

$2.75 R 44.46

-8.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 R 13.81

$1.20 R 19.45

-29.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 R 17.83

$1.01 R 16.38

8.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.46

$1.64 R 26.47

-4.27%

Eggs

$2.46 R 39.79

$2.39 R 38.70

2.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 R 125

$7.89 R 128

-1.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 R 74.1

$4.68 R 75.7

-2.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.81 R 110

$6.32 R 102

7.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.14

$1.70 R 27.43

-4.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 R 23.55

$1.54 R 24.87

-5.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 R 25.05

$1.60 R 25.85

-3.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.47

$1.69 R 27.35

-2.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 R 21.37

$1.33 R 21.42

-0.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 R 19.20

$1.20 R 19.48

-0.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 R 16.99

$1.08 R 17.47

-2.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 R 15.41

$1.13 R 18.22

-15.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.56 R 41.38

$2.77 R 44.75

-7.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.69 R 59.7

$5.18 R 83.8

-28.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 R 22.16

$1.49 R 24.16

-8.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 26.65

$1.78 R 28.74

-7.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 26.37

$3.23 R 52.3

-49.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 R 1,049

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R 17.87

$1.37 R 22.17

-18.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R 14.58

$1.32 R 21.29

-31.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.14 R 66.9

$3.15 R 51.0

31.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.18

$1.31 R 21.17

-4.58%

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

$21.4K R 345.4K

$19.6K R 317.3K

8.84%

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

$23.5K R 379.5K

$25.7K R 415.5K

-8.68%

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

$119 R 1,929

$126 R 2,035

-5.18%

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

$35.51 R 574

$37.96 R 614

-6.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.30 R 684

$37.60 R 608

12.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.45 R 492

$32.78 R 530

-7.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.48 R 169

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 R 111

$7.71 R 125

-11.15%

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

$196 R 3,161

$195 R 3,146

0.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,300 R 69.5K

$4,381 R 70.8K

-1.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.68 R 803

$51.7 R 835

-3.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.64 R 512

$31.69 R 512

-0.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 R 1,425

$89.0 R 1,439

-0.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 R 1,273

$87.7 R 1,418

-10.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 R 5,883

$399 R 6,450

-8.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 R 5,374

$403 R 6,515

-17.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$570 R 9,218

$729 R 11.8K

-21.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$700 R 11.3K

$771 R 12.5K

-9.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$929 R 15.0K

$872 R 14.1K

6.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$696 R 11.3K

$695 R 11.2K

0.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$802 R 13.0K

$1,467 R 23.7K

-45.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

11.69

-2.65%

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

Last update for Upington: June 7, 2026

Last update for Pretoria: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $364 in Upington versus $399 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 83% higher in Pretoria, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Upington versus $34.00 in Pretoria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $173 vs $183 – making Upington 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

Upington vs Pretoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pretoria is pricier by about 16%, 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 $1,500 per month in Upington and $1,742 in Pretoria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Upington, 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 $1,000 in Upington and $1,161 in Pretoria. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $196 per month in Upington and $195 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 Upington, where all-in costs run around $1,000, than in Pretoria at $1,161. In Upington it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Upington – 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 Upington. 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.