Cost of Living Comparison Between Welkom and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Welkom and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,112 per month in Welkom vs $1,150 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,780 per month in Welkom vs $1,789 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,449 per month in Welkom vs $2,428 in Durban, rent included.

Welkom is about 3% cheaper than Durban, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Welkom and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Welkom 19% lower, Durban 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.08 R 145

$8.10 R 130

12.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.05 R 353

$40.00 R 640

-44.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 R 90.1

$5.80 R 92.8

-2.93%

Cappuccino

$1.78 R 28.39

$2.78 R 44.52

-35.97%

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

$0.49 R 7.81

$1.14 R 18.28

-57.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 R 10.30

$0.93 R 14.90

-31.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 R 19.43

$2.42 R 38.76

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 R 25.45

$2.77 R 44.37

-42.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R 16.74

$1.25 R 20.07

-16.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.14

$0.99 R 15.85

8.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 R 23.27

$1.64 R 26.25

-11.59%

Eggs

$1.91 R 30.52

$2.44 R 39.08

-21.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 R 109

$8.65 R 138

-21.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 R 77.7

$5.64 R 90.2

-13.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.89 R 78.1

$7.30 R 117

-33.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.60

$1.88 R 30.12

-18.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 R 26.86

$1.91 R 30.54

-12.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 R 29.67

$1.93 R 30.82

-3.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 R 19.24

$1.67 R 26.77

-28.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 R 18.42

$1.55 R 24.81

-25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R 19.91

$1.53 R 24.46

-18.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 R 14.64

$1.22 R 19.57

-24.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R 20.85

$1.25 R 19.94

4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 R 38.78

$3.72 R 59.5

-34.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.51 R 40.21

$4.83 R 77.2

-48.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 R 24.45

$1.51 R 24.17

1.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 R 29.30

$1.97 R 31.54

-7.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 R 14.24

$1.93 R 30.83

-53.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.24 R 356

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 R 4.78

$0.45 R 7.21

-33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 R 13.36

$0.77 R 12.28

9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.80 R 237

$7.72 R 123

91.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 R 23.86

$1.47 R 23.45

1.36%

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

$35.9K R 574.2K

$36.5K R 583.5K

-1.59%

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

$34.2K R 547.2K

$33.0K R 527.4K

3.75%

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

$158 R 2,530

$148 R 2,369

6.78%

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

$37.80 R 605

$35.25 R 564

7.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.61 R 617

$38.89 R 622

-0.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.23 R 707

$31.54 R 504

40.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.41 R 150

Cinema Ticket

$7.42 R 119

$6.68 R 107

11.08%

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

$268 R 4,283

$331 R 5,295

-19.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,960 R 127.3K

$7,462 R 119.3K

6.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 R 860

$53.4 R 854

0.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.95 R 527

$30.55 R 489

7.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 R 1,547

$101 R 1,615

-4.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.8 R 1,357

$88.7 R 1,419

-4.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 R 4,419

$490 R 7,829

-43.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$406 R 6,488

$400 R 6,396

1.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$943 R 15.1K

$862 R 13.8K

9.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 R 17.2K

$790 R 12.6K

36.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$934 R 14.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$590 R 9,436

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,250 R 20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

11.66

-2.74%

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

Last update for Welkom: August 30, 2026

Last update for Durban: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $276 in Welkom 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Welkom versus $40.00 in Durban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $167 vs $201 – making Welkom 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

Welkom vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,668 per month in Welkom and $1,726 in Durban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Welkom, 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 $22.00 in Welkom and $40.00 in Durban. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Welkom, where all-in costs run around $1,112, than in Durban at $1,150. In Welkom it covers expenses comfortably, while in Durban it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Welkom – 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 Welkom. 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.