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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,123 per month in Upington vs $1,379 in Pretoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,789 per month in Upington vs $2,091 in Pretoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,455 per month in Upington vs $2,804 in Pretoria, rent included.

Upington is about 19% cheaper than Pretoria, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Upington sits 19% below the global median, while Pretoria is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.43 R 200

$9.37 R 151

32.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.08 R 613

$38.72 R 624

-1.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.02 R 97.0

$5.68 R 91.5

5.99%

Cappuccino

$1.80 R 29.03

$2.28 R 36.75

-21.05%

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

$1.09 R 17.53

$1.08 R 17.39

0.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 R 12.60

$0.87 R 13.98

-10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 R 28.98

$2.67 R 43.00

-32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 R 46.52

$3.34 R 53.9

-13.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 R 15.71

$1.27 R 20.39

-22.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 R 20.69

$1.17 R 18.84

10.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.44

$1.85 R 29.79

-14.59%

Eggs

$3.08 R 49.55

$2.60 R 41.93

18.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.33 R 134

$8.35 R 134

-0.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.05 R 97.5

$4.98 R 80.3

21.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.41 R 119

$7.53 R 121

-1.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 R 30.19

$1.91 R 30.80

-2.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.21

$1.67 R 26.87

-10.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 R 25.75

$1.78 R 28.64

-10.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 R 30.96

$1.68 R 27.02

14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 R 23.82

$1.16 R 18.72

27.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.10

$1.19 R 19.08

10.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 R 17.82

$1.26 R 20.25

-11.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R 21.75

$1.33 R 21.35

1.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 R 44.91

$3.31 R 53.2

-15.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.94 R 63.5

$5.18 R 83.5

-23.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 R 24.32

$1.59 R 25.56

-5.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 R 29.00

$2.05 R 32.95

-12.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 R 26.40

$4.75 R 76.4

-65.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$187 R 3,012

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 R 11.60

$0.29 R 4.75

148.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.09

$0.83 R 13.44

13.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.05 R 130

$14.81 R 239

-45.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 R 23.78

$1.55 R 25.00

-4.52%

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

$32.3K R 519.5K

$36.4K R 586.3K

-11.41%

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

$34.3K R 552.9K

$35.2K R 567.0K

-2.49%

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

$144 R 2,315

$160 R 2,580

-10.29%

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

$38.08 R 613

$38.55 R 621

-1.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.37 R 618

$37.82 R 609

1.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.49 R 572

$33.38 R 538

6.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.91 R 176

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 R 125

$7.33 R 118

5.73%

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

$254 R 4,094

$270 R 4,342

-5.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,727 R 92.2K

$7,992 R 128.7K

-28.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 R 1,012

$55.3 R 891

13.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.73 R 543

$32.75 R 527

2.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 R 1,732

$96.7 R 1,557

11.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 R 1,457

$85.8 R 1,382

5.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 R 6,956

$467 R 7,513

-7.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 R 6,052

$424 R 6,831

-11.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 R 9,908

$1,019 R 16.4K

-39.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 R 12.7K

$785 R 12.6K

0.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,025 R 16.5K

$903 R 14.5K

13.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$623 R 10.0K

$713 R 11.5K

-12.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$816 R 13.1K

$1,454 R 23.4K

-43.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

11.34

0.35%

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

Last update for Upington: September 6, 2026

Last update for Pretoria: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Upington versus $467 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 78% 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 $38.00 in Upington versus $39.00 in Pretoria. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Upington 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

Upington vs Pretoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pretoria is pricier by about 23%, 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 $1,685 per month in Upington and $2,068 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 $1,123 in Upington and $1,379 in Pretoria. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $254 per month in Upington and $270 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 $1,123, than in Pretoria at $1,379. 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.