New Zealand vs South Africa - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

New Zealand South Africa
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1735
$1016
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$3946
$2301
🏠 One person rent
$989
$520
🏘️ Family rent
$1624
$843
🍽️ Food expenses
$498
$290
🚐 Transport expenses
$134
$120
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$3011
$1121
💸 GDP per capita
$48747
$6253
😃 Human freedom index
9.08
7.1
❤️ Life expectancy
83
66.1
👮 Corruption perceptions index
83
41
🌐 English speaking %
97.8%
31%
🎓 Higher education
91
82
😀 Quality of life
89
40
🏙️ Population
5.34M
64M

The average cost of living in New Zealand ($1735) is 71% more expensive than in South Africa ($1016). New Zealand ranked 26th vs 94th for South Africa in the list of the most expensive countries in the world.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.7 months in New Zealand compared to 1.1 months in South Africa. Ranked 16th and 128th best countries to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in New Zealand vs South Africa infographic

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Prices in New Zealand vs South Africa

We calculate prices for New Zealand and South Africa as a population-weighted mean of 31 and 36 cities, respectively. Since large cities tend to have a higher cost of living, it's better to visit specific city pages below for more relevant information.

New Zealand South Africa
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$13
$9.29
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$66
$37.7
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$9.1
$4.92
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$6.48
$2.37
 Cappuccino
$3.36
$2.1
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.19
$1.09
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1026
$518
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$817
$376
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1796
$933
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1406
$746
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$81.8
$75.4
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$126
$117
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$48.3
$40.2
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
6.44%
11.51%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$5637
$1209
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$4548
$891
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$2.31
$2.01
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$89.9
$46.6
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$16.9
$10.7
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.56
$1.27
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.61
$1.18
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.74
$1.01
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.62
$1.56
🥚 Eggs, x12
$6.19
$2.45
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$8.42
$8.66
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.28
$5.01
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12.7
$7.26
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.65
$1.67
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.09
$1.6
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.93
$1.62
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.43
$1.65
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.85
$1.35
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.5
$1.41
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.76
$0.68
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.33
$1.44
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$10.4
$5.62
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.89
$1.42
🚬 Cigarette pack
$23
$3.01
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$10.3
$5.02
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.8
$3.6
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.7
$1.86
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$2.33
$1.35
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$35.8
$32.7
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$11.7
$6.96
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$35.2
$29.6
💇 Haircut, simple
$16.3
$6.48
👖 Brand Jeans
$68.8
$52.4
👟 Brand Sneakers
$97.4
$96.9
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$752
$201
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$13456
$4714

Cost of living in other countries

Cost of living

Cities Comparison in New Zealand vs South Africa

More countries to compare

Cost of Living in Popular cities

In New Zealand

City Cost of living Population
Auckland
$1961
1.47M
Christchurch
$1638
383K
Wellington
$1869
216K
Hamilton
$1383
177K
Tauranga
$1678
151K
Lower Hutt
$1838
103K
Napier
$1493
66.3K
Dunedin
$1461
106K
Rotorua
$1312
58.5K
Palmerston North
$1379
81.5K
Hibiscus Coast
$1675
59.8K
Porirua
$1743
59.6K
Gisborne
$1612
37K
Nelson
$1396
51.1K
Invercargill
$1238
50.2K
Whangarei
$1250
54.4K
Upper Hutt
$1709
44.3K
New Plymouth
$1237
57.6K
Whanganui
$1425
42.2K
Hastings
$1480
49K
Queenstown
$2086
29K
Paraparaumu
$1612
30.1K
Taupo
$1423
25.4K
Pukekohe
$1499
26.5K
Timaru
$1847
28.7K
Blenheim
$1254
28.2K
Masterton
$1252
21.4K
Wanaka
$1536
8.9K
Manukau
$1678
4.12K
Avarua
$1019
4.01K

In South Africa

City Cost of living Population
Johannesburg
$1082
4.43M
Soweto
$984
1.27M
Cape Town
$1231
3.78M
Pretoria
$975
742K
Pietermaritzburg
$705
839K
Rustenburg
$940
550K
Durban
$892
595K
Centurion
$892
237K
Sandton
$984
222K
Randburg
$890
337K
East London
$784
267K
Kimberley
$861
225K
Benoni
$826
159K
George
$857
157K
Klerksdorp
$762
187K
Springs
$740
122K
Kroonstad
$808
169K
Paarl
$1243
112K
Potchefstroom
$731
149K
Vereeniging
$706
99K
Middelburg
$830
87.3K
Makhanda
$814
67.3K
Uitenhage
$946
104K
Worcester
$666
97.1K
Vanderbijlpark
$799
95.8K
Port Elizabeth
$1005
312K
Upington
$746
121K
Mthatha
$901
96.1K
Bloemfontein
$698
256K
Komani
$988
68.9K