New Zealand vs South Africa - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

New Zealand South Africa
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1877
$1102
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$4176
$2487
🏠 One person rent
$1088
$568
🏘️ Family rent
$1707
$919
🍽️ Food expenses
$524
$316
🚐 Transport expenses
$145
$124
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$3147
$1286
💸 GDP per capita
$49205
$6267
😃 Human freedom index
9.02
7.07
❤️ Life expectancy
83
66.1
👮 Corruption perceptions index
81
41
🌐 English speaking %
97.8%
31%
🎓 Higher education
91
82
😀 Quality of life
89
42
🏙️ Population
5.29M
64M

The average cost of living in New Zealand ($1877) is 70% more expensive than in South Africa ($1102). New Zealand ranked 23rd vs 81st 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 1.2 months in South Africa. Ranked 18th and 124th best countries to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

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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
$13.7
$10.5
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$66.5
$40.8
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$9.56
$5.34
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$6.74
$2.57
 Cappuccino
$3.55
$2.32
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.31
$1.2
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1091
$579
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$924
$416
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1832
$1083
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1481
$849
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$88.2
$84.3
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$136
$130
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$50.7
$39.4
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
6.19%
11.19%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$6066
$1265
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$4220
$951
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$2.5
$1.95
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$100
$53.8
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$18.9
$9.1
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.64
$1.35
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.75
$1.29
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.91
$1.12
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.74
$1.79
🥚 Eggs, x12
$6.45
$2.59
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$8.67
$8.89
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.1
$5.51
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$14.8
$7.92
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.92
$1.83
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.21
$1.75
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.19
$1.83
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.85
$1.81
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.95
$1.54
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.54
$1.58
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.78
$0.76
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.3
$1.56
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$10.8
$6.03
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.03
$1.56
🚬 Cigarette pack
$24.8
$3.29
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$10.6
$5.69
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$4.01
$4.01
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.79
$2.13
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$2.46
$1.42
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$37.4
$36
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$12.1
$7.67
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$37
$31.8
💇 Haircut, simple
$16.9
$7.36
👖 Brand Jeans
$73.4
$57
👟 Brand Sneakers
$102
$104
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$859
$227
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$15346
$5433

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
$2156
1.47M
Christchurch
$1787
383K
Wellington
$2037
216K
Tauranga
$1740
151K
Hamilton
$1474
177K
Lower Hutt
$1920
103K
Dunedin
$1579
106K
Napier
$1605
66.3K
Rotorua
$1393
58.5K
Palmerston North
$1458
81.5K
Hibiscus Coast
$1782
59.8K
Porirua
$1788
59.6K
Nelson
$1533
51.1K
Invercargill
$1318
50.2K
New Plymouth
$1304
57.6K
Upper Hutt
$1803
44.3K
Whangarei
$1261
54.4K
Gisborne
$1696
37K
Hastings
$1518
49K
Whanganui
$1528
42.2K
Queenstown
$2303
29K
Paraparaumu
$1741
30.1K
Timaru
$1894
28.7K
Pukekohe
$1527
26.5K
Taupo
$1523
25.4K
Blenheim
$1325
28.2K
Masterton
$1359
21.4K
Wanaka
$1623
8.9K
Avarua
$1066
4.8K
Manukau
$1646
4.12K

In South Africa

City Cost of living Population
Johannesburg
$1171
4.8M
Soweto
$1057
1.27M
Cape Town
$1366
3.78M
Pretoria
$1049
742K
Pietermaritzburg
$716
839K
Rustenburg
$1017
550K
Durban
$948
595K
Sandton
$1089
222K
Centurion
$967
237K
East London
$795
267K
Kimberley
$927
225K
Benoni
$892
159K
Randburg
$958
337K
George
$927
157K
Kroonstad
$875
169K
Springs
$792
122K
Klerksdorp
$826
187K
Potchefstroom
$791
149K
Vereeniging
$765
99.8K
Paarl
$1345
112K
Uitenhage
$980
104K
Middelburg
$899
87.3K
Port Elizabeth
$1036
312K
Komani
$1050
99K
Vanderbijlpark
$865
95.8K
Mthatha
$952
96.1K
Upington
$811
121K
Bloemfontein
$763
256K
Makhanda
$874
67.3K
Worcester
$718
97.1K