Cost of living in Ballito
Rent, everyday prices and the gross salary you may need to cover living costs in Ballito.
One person, a month
ZAR 9,169
Living costs excluding rent
Family of four, a month
ZAR 31,167
Living costs excluding rent
One-bedroom rent, centre
ZAR 7,381
A month
Gross salary, one person
ZAR 254,000
to cover living costs in Ballito
Ballito's cost of living at a glance
Ballito is one of the least expensive cities in South Africa but among the more expensive cities in Africa. The estimated monthly costs for a single person in Ballito are ZAR 9,169, excluding rent. Living costs for a family of four are ZAR 31,167 a month, excluding rent.
A single person in Ballito may need a gross salary of at least ZAR 254,000 a year to cover estimated living costs, renting a one-bedroom apartment outside the centre and saving nothing.
One person's monthly costs
Numbeo household estimate in ZAR, with the rent of a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre
Source: Numbeo, 1 June 2026.
How Ballito compares
One person's monthly costs in Ballito, excluding rent, are 20.6% lower than in the typical city in South Africa and 38.0% lower than in the typical city worldwide.
Where Ballito ranks
In South Africa
14th of 15
One person's monthly costs including rent, most expensive first.
In Africa
38th of 92
Cities in Africa with a Numbeo estimate, most expensive first.
Worldwide
23rd percentile
Costs the same as or more than 23% of 1,942 cities: one of the more affordable cities.
One-bedroom rent, centre
10th of 15
Cities in South Africa, most expensive first.
Monthly costs against the typical city
- Ballito
- Typical national city
- Typical city worldwide
Tap a line or a table row to read its three amounts.
| Monthly cost | Ballito | Typical national city | Typical city worldwide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | ZAR 7,381 | ZAR 7,946 −7.1% | ZAR 12,173 −39.4% |
| Groceries | ZAR 2,610 | ZAR 3,121 −16.4% | ZAR 4,606 −43.3% |
| Eating out | ZAR 1,543 | ZAR 1,809 −14.7% | ZAR 2,593 −40.5% |
| Transport | ZAR 443 | ZAR 896 −50.6% | ZAR 656 −32.5% |
| Utilities | ZAR 2,176 | ZAR 2,809 −22.5% | ZAR 2,863 −24.0% |
| Leisure | ZAR 443 | ZAR 739 −40.1% | ZAR 1,016 −56.4% |
| Total excluding rent | ZAR 9,169 | ZAR 11,548 −20.6% | ZAR 14,781 −38.0% |
| Total including rent | ZAR 16,550 | ZAR 21,123 −21.6% | ZAR 27,430 −39.7% |
Typical = the median of 15 cities in South Africa and 1,942 cities worldwide.
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Explore prices in Ballito
The average price for each item, and the range from the lowest to the highest price people have reported.
Renting in Ballito
Ballito is the 6th cheapest city in South Africa for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre. The closest-priced city in South Africa is Pretoria.
A one-bedroom apartment in the city centre typically costs ZAR 7,381 a month.
Outside the centre, a one-bedroom apartment typically costs ZAR 7,873 a month.
A one-bedroom apartment in the centre is around 6% cheaper to rent than one outside the centre.
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bed apartment in the city centre Monthly rent | ZAR 7,381 | Not available |
| 1-bed apartment outside the centre Monthly rent | ZAR 7,873 | ZAR 7,873–ZAR 7,873 |
| 3-bed apartment in the city centre Monthly rent | ZAR 24,604 | Not available |
| 3-bed apartment outside the centre Monthly rent | ZAR 14,763 | Not available |
| Price per m² in the city centre | ZAR 22,636 | Not available |
| Price per m² outside the centre | ZAR 17,715 | Not available |
Cost of everyday items in Ballito
Groceries in Ballito are around 14% cheaper than the average for South Africa, while eating out is around 13% cheaper than the country average.
A litre of milk typically costs ZAR 17.71.
A 500g loaf of fresh white bread typically costs ZAR 13.44.
A pack of 20 cigarettes typically costs ZAR 59.02.
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Milk, 1 litre | ZAR 17.71 | ZAR 13.77– |
| Fresh white bread, 500g | ZAR 13.44 | ZAR 8.69– |
| Eggs, 12 large | ZAR 35.41 | ZAR 27.54– |
| Local cheese, 1kg | ZAR 106 | ZAR 54.10– |
| Chicken fillets, 1kg | ZAR 77.06 | ZAR 41.31– |
| Beef round, 1kg | ZAR 114 | ZAR 88.53– |
| Apples, 1kg | ZAR 24.59 | ZAR 14.76– |
| Oranges, 1kg | ZAR 25.74 | ZAR 11.80– |
| Potatoes, 1kg | ZAR 13.12 | ZAR 9.84– |
| Lettuce, 1 head | ZAR 18.03 | ZAR 9.84– |
| White rice, 1kg | ZAR 26.07 | ZAR 19.67– |
| Tomatoes, 1kg | ZAR 17.21 | ZAR 9.84– |
| Bananas, 1kg | ZAR 25.41 | ZAR 14.76– |
| Onions, 1kg | ZAR 22.46 | ZAR 14.76– |
| Water, 1.5 litre bottle | ZAR 18.20 | ZAR 13.77– |
| Mid-range bottle of wine | ZAR 66.40 | ZAR 53.12– |
| Domestic beer, 0.5 litre bottle | ZAR 23.61 | ZAR 17.71– |
| Imported beer, 0.33 litre bottle | ZAR 34.26 | ZAR 21.64– |
| Cigarettes, 20 pack | ZAR 59.02 | ZAR 34.43– |
Eating out in Ballito
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | ZAR 118 | ZAR 78.69– |
| Three-course meal for two | ZAR 591 | ZAR 492– |
| Fast food combo meal | ZAR 88.53 | ZAR 78.69– |
| Domestic beer, 0.5 litre draught | ZAR 34.43 | ZAR 19.67– |
| Imported beer, 0.33 litre bottle | ZAR 39.35 | ZAR 24.59– |
| Soft drink, 0.33 litre bottle | ZAR 16.56 | ZAR 12.79– |
| Water, 0.33 litre bottle | ZAR 13.12 | ZAR 9.84– |
| Cappuccino | ZAR 36.40 | ZAR 19.67– |
Transport in Ballito
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| One-way public transport ticket | ZAR 24.59 | Not available |
| Monthly public transport pass | ZAR 443 | Not available |
| Gasoline, 1 litre | ZAR 21.97 | ZAR 19.67– |
| Taxi start | ZAR 6.89 | ZAR 6.89– |
| Taxi, per km | ZAR 9.84 | ZAR 9.84– |
| Taxi waiting, 1 hour | ZAR 124 | ZAR 124–ZAR 124 |
| Volkswagen Golf, new | ZAR 393,669 | ZAR 354,302– |
| Toyota Corolla sedan, new | ZAR 393,669 | ZAR 393,669– |
Utilities in Ballito
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Basic utilities for an 85m² apartment Monthly | ZAR 1,821 | ZAR 1,476– |
| Broadband internet Monthly | ZAR 492 | ZAR 394– |
| Mobile phone plan Monthly | ZAR 369 | ZAR 148– |
How is Ballito for families?
A family of four with two adults and two children may need a gross household income of ZAR 699,000 a year in Ballito, excluding childcare costs.
Private preschool or kindergarten typically costs ZAR 2,460 a month.
A three-bedroom apartment in the city centre typically costs ZAR 24,604 a month.
Ballito scores 56/100 on Numbeo's safety index.
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Family of four, excluding rent Monthly, Numbeo household estimate | ZAR 31,167 | Not applicable |
| Family of four, including rent Monthly, Numbeo household estimate | ZAR 55,772 | Not applicable |
| Private preschool or kindergarten Monthly | ZAR 2,460 | ZAR 1,476– |
| International primary school Annual | ZAR 44,288 | ZAR 44,288– |
Leisure and clothing in Ballito
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Gym membership Monthly | ZAR 246 | Not available |
| Tennis court rental, 1 hour | ZAR 197 | Not available |
| Cinema ticket | ZAR 98.37 | ZAR 96.40– |
| Jeans | ZAR 855 | ZAR 492– |
| Summer dress from a chain store | ZAR 497 | ZAR 246– |
| Nike running shoes | ZAR 984 | ZAR 787– |
| Men's leather business shoes | ZAR 1,350 | ZAR 984– |
Source: Numbeo, 1 June 2026.
What salary do I need to live in Ballito?
By combining Numbeo's living-cost estimates with the tax rates in South Africa, we can estimate the gross salary you would need to live in Ballito. Use the calculator below to see how much you would need to live in Ballito, and where your money goes.
Recommended gross salary
ZAR 253,604
Needed to support 1 adult and no children in Ballito, living in a one-bedroom apartment outside the centre.
- Take-home pay
- ZAR 204,510
- Living costs
- ZAR 204,510
- Tax and contributions
- ZAR 49,095
Where your salary goes
- Living costsZAR 204,51080.6%
- Income tax and contributionsZAR 49,09519.4%
| Operator | Item | A year |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | ZAR 253,604 | |
| − | Income tax and contributions | ZAR 49,095 |
| = | Take-home pay | ZAR 204,510 |
| − | Rent | ZAR 94,481 |
| − | Groceries | ZAR 31,324 |
| − | Eating out | ZAR 18,513 |
| − | Transport | ZAR 5,314 |
| − | Utilities | ZAR 26,115 |
| − | Leisure | ZAR 5,314 |
| − | Other estimated costs | ZAR 23,449 |
| = | Left over: savings target | ZAR 0 |
ZAR 253,604 gross salary modelled as one employment income gives a 19.4% effective tax rate and ZAR 49,095 estimated deductions a year. Use our salary tax calculator for a more detailed estimate.
What the estimate includes
- Rent for your housing choice and Numbeo's household living costs for your household size
- National income tax for 2026/27
- Employee social contributions, simplified
What it doesn't include
- Regional, state or local income tax
- Joint filing, partner income and household allowances
- Age, pension, expat-regime or special-residency rules
- Bonuses, benefits and other income
- Child care or school unless you choose it
Don't agree with our estimates? Help us improve our cost-of-living model.
How each cost is worked out
Rent. The selected one-bedroom apartment outside the centre in Ballito costs an estimated ZAR 7,873 per month. ZAR 7,873 per month × 12 months = ZAR 94,481 a year.
Groceries. Numbeo estimates a household of one person in Ballito spends an estimated ZAR 2,610 on groceries per month. ZAR 2,610 per month × 12 months = ZAR 31,324 a year.
Eating out. Numbeo estimates a household of one person in Ballito spends an estimated ZAR 1,543 on eating out per month. ZAR 1,543 per month × 12 months = ZAR 18,513 a year.
Transport. Numbeo estimates a household of one person in Ballito spends an estimated ZAR 443 on transport per month. ZAR 443 per month × 12 months = ZAR 5,314 a year.
Utilities. Numbeo estimates a household of one person in Ballito spends an estimated ZAR 2,176 on utilities per month. ZAR 2,176 per month × 12 months = ZAR 26,115 a year.
Leisure. Numbeo estimates a household of one person in Ballito spends an estimated ZAR 443 on leisure per month. ZAR 443 per month × 12 months = ZAR 5,314 a year.
Other estimated costs. Numbeo's household estimate for miscellaneous costs: this may include things like clothing, shoes and entertainment costs. ZAR 1,954 per month × 12 months = ZAR 23,449 a year.
See the prices behind each category · How living costs and salaries are calculated
Tax estimate assumptions
Tax year 2026/27. One resident employee and one employment income are assumed. Tax year runs 1 March 2025 to 28 February 2026. Does not apply the primary tax rebate (R17,235), which effectively exempts the first ~R95,750 of income. No personal allowances, medical credits, or retirement fund deductions applied. UIF ceiling R17,712/month (R212,544/year) per SARS, unchanged since June 2021.
Important
This calculator gives an estimate of the income needed to cover living costs. It is not tax, legal or financial advice. It uses Numbeo prices as of 1 June 2026, South Africa's tax rules for 2026/27 and Wise exchange rates of 21 October 2026, and models one employment income. Check your figures with the salary tax calculator or the official rules in PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries / SARS.
Figures for 1 adult, outside the centre, no savings target.
Cost of living in Ballito: common questions
Is Ballito expensive to live in?
Ballito is one of the least expensive cities in South Africa but among the more expensive cities in Africa.
A single person spends about ZAR 9,169 a month excluding rent, against ZAR 11,548 in the typical city in South Africa (the median of 15 cities, Numbeo, as of 1 June 2026).
Worldwide, Ballito costs the same as or more than 23% of the 1,942 cities with a Numbeo household estimate, which makes it one of the more affordable cities.
What salary do you need to live in Ballito?
A single person may need a gross salary of at least ZAR 254,000 a year to cover estimated living costs in Ballito, renting a one-bedroom apartment outside the centre and saving nothing.
This is an estimate from Numbeo prices as of 1 June 2026 and South Africa's tax rules for 2026/27. Use the salary calculator to add your household, housing and a savings target.
How much is rent in Ballito?
A one-bedroom apartment in the city centre typically costs ZAR 7,381 a month, and ZAR 7,873 outside the centre, according to Numbeo averages as of 1 June 2026.
A three-bedroom apartment costs about ZAR 24,604 a month in the centre and ZAR 14,763 outside it.
Ballito is the 6th cheapest city in South Africa for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre.
How much does a family spend in Ballito?
A family of four spends about ZAR 31,167 a month on living costs excluding rent, or ZAR 55,772 including rent, according to Numbeo's household estimate as of 1 June 2026.
With two adults earning and a three-bedroom home outside the centre, the household may need a gross income of ZAR 699,000 a year, excluding childcare costs.
Private preschool or kindergarten typically costs ZAR 2,460 a month per child.
How does Ballito compare with South Africa's other cities?
Ballito ranks 14th of 15 cities in South Africa for one person's monthly costs including rent, where 1st is the most expensive.
Excluding rent, one person's costs are 20.6% less than in the typical city in South Africa.
Where this data comes from
- Living costs and prices
- Numbeo, snapshot of 1 June 2026
- Exchange rates
- Wise mid-market rates, 21 October 2026
- Tax rules
- Expatica salary tax calculator, South Africa 2026/27
- Locations and population
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 1 October 2026
- Regions for continent ranks
- UN M49 regions
Important
All amounts are indicative estimates, not quotes or financial advice. Numbeo's prices are reported by users, so coverage and recency vary by city: check rents and prices locally before you commit to a move.
Some links on this page are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you click and make a purchase.
How living costs and salaries are calculated
- Your household size (adults and children, one to six people) picks Numbeo's household estimate for groceries, eating out, transport, utilities, leisure and rent.
- Rent is replaced by the price of a one-bedroom apartment (one or two people) or a three-bedroom apartment (three or more), in or outside the centre. A flatshare, for one adult without children, is a third of a three-bedroom home.
- "Other estimated costs" is Numbeo's household total less the named categories, not a separately reported price. Where a total is below its own categories, we use the categories, and a larger household's costs other than rent are never lower than a smaller household's.
- Child care and school are optional: preschool uses the city's monthly price for each child, international primary school its annual fee spread over 12 months. Children's ages, eligibility and public provision are not modelled.
- The salary is the gross income that leaves these costs, plus your savings target, after tax under Expatica's rules for South Africa (2026/27). One adult has one employment income; two adults are two earners splitting it evenly, with no joint filing or household allowances. What the tax model covers is listed with the result.
- Numbeo's figures are in US dollars, converted with one set of Wise mid-market rates. Without them, amounts stay in US dollars and no salary is estimated.
How cities are compared and matched
- A typical city is the median of one person's monthly costs across the 15 cities in South Africa in this guide and across the 1,942 cities worldwide with a Numbeo household estimate. Each row is its own median, so the rows do not add up.
- Ranks put the most expensive city first, and equal estimates share a rank. The worldwide percentile is the share of those 1,942 cities whose one-person monthly total, rent included, is the same or lower than Ballito's.
- Nearby cities are places in this guide, possibly across a border, by straight-line distance between GeoNames location points.
- Comparable cities are in the same GeoNames population band (under 100,000, 100,000–499,999, 500,000–999,999, or 1 million and above; a neighbouring band, labelled, when a band has too few countries), one per country, outside South Africa and not already listed as nearby. Population years and boundaries vary, so the bands are rough size guides.
- The match score compares a single person's costs excluding rent and the rent of a central one-bedroom apartment. For each, we divide the lower city's price by the higher; the score is the square root of the two ratios multiplied together, × 100. If both prices are 80% of the other city's, the match is 80%; if both are twice as high, 50%. It measures how close the costs are, not which city is cheaper or how alike they are to live in.