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Cost of living in Swaziland

Compare the cost of your home country to the actual living costs in Swaziland, simply select your home currency and see the difference!

All data is kept up to date by local members and actual students. Our latest update was on: 30th of June 2020

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Food Price in E
12 eggs dozen, large 12.50 SZL
1 beer pint in local shops, markets 7 SZL
1 kg of tomatoes 8.50 SZL
Full chicken 2kg 38.75 SZL
1litre 100% fruit juice 8.50 SZL
1 package of cigarettes imported brands 25 SZL
1 kg (2 lb.) of apples 7.50 SZL
1 bottle of red table wine, good quality 48.95 SZL
2.5 liters of Coca-Cola 0.95 SZL
1 Bread loaf standard 9.50 SZL
Whole fat Yogurt. 500ml 12 SZL
1x6 pack Dardanelle tuna 18.50 SZL
Heinz baked beans 1 tin 8 SZL
1.5 kg Sugar 10 SZL
2 liter cooking oil 20 SZL
Yum-yum noodles per pack 2.00 SZL
1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes 5.50 SZL
1 liter milk 8.50 SZL
Fast food restaurant large serving/ take away 25 SZL
Housing
Utilities per month (water, electricity, gas) for 2 people in flat 165 SZL
Wi-Fi monthly fee 8 Mbps (1 month) 145 SZL
Laundry detergent (bleach, sunlight liquid, washing surf… altogether) 58.50 SZL
House Cleaning fee per day 105 SZL
Large Gas heater price range upwards. 200 SZL
Original branded Electric Fans 200 SZL
Original branded Electric kettle. 120 SZL
40 inches Beko flat screen HD TV set 2000 SZL
Single bed Blankets 120 SZL
Personal Care
Avon for women and men cologne 100 SZL
Ladies hair plaiting. 60 SZL
Ladies Sanitaryware (Pads and Tampoons) 18 SZL
Men's haircut 40 SZL
Ibuprofen, Panadol, Grandpa Pain killers box of 12 dosses 24.50 SZL
Mobile package local network providers’ talk-time, data and messages 65 SZL
1 month of gym subscription. 105 SZL
Earphones original (Samsung. iPhone) 90 SZL
Unisex Loris perfume 30 SZL
Gadgets maintenance and repairs (cellphone, laptops, tablets...) starting price. 100 SZL
Smart phones (Samsung, Xiaomi, HTC, IPhone) price range upwards 1000 SZL
Laptops (Samsung, Lenovo, Hp, Monster, Dell etc.) price range upwards 3000 SZL
Entertainment
Boat cruise with refreshments and finger snacks 120 SZL
Go carting 30mins 120 SZL
Movie House 3d cinema 30 SZL
Summer Festivals (jet, bumper cars, lucky deep ...(per ticket) 15 SZL
Photo shoot 120 SZL
Cappuccino / expresso/ coffee 12.50 SZL
3 course dinner local restaurant two people 96.50 SZL
3 course dinner classy, exotic restaurant two people 150 SZL
Play station 4 console without games. 2000 SZL
Spalding Basketball 200 SZL
Original branded Racket and Wilson’s tennis balls 500 SZL
Transportation
Taxi fare on average 5-10km 45 SZL
Public transport per trip one way maximum fare 30 SZL
1 liter petrol/diesel 6.50 SZL
1 day rent a car cost 140 SZL
Driver’s license 2300 SZL
Clothes
1 pair of jeans (Denim or similar) 150 SZL
1 pair of men’s formal shoes 215 SZL
1 pair original sport/casual shoes (Nike, Adidas, or equivalent brands) 280 SZL
1 classy summer dress (Zara, H&M or similar retailers) 135.79 SZL
Ladies formal shoes original and durable 120 SZL
Back-pack, gym bag (Nike, Adidas, New balance) 150 SZL

The cost of living in Swaziland is cheaper than in other countries. The cost of living in the capital, Mbabane is estimated to be 26% cheaper than Johannesburg, 20% cheaper than Gaborone, 2% cheaper than in Blantyre, 70% cheaper than Washington DC. For a single person, the cost of living per month is estimated at SZL 11 955 inclusive of rentals and transport

Frequently asked questions:

  • Is Swaziland expensive or cheap?
  • Do they offer on-campus accommodation?
  • How affordable is the transport?

Accommodation

Like in most Universities, Students have the option of staying on campus. They can apply for on-campus residence at an added cost on fees paid which is far more affordable than private accommodation. They have access to personal or shared dormitories depending on the institution. University on-campus dormitories are however very limited and so they are given on a first-come-first-served basis.

Shopping and Groceries

The cost of groceries in Swaziland is quite low and affordable. Students can get their basics and essentials affordably at the various malls and grocery stores available around Swaziland.

A simple grocery basket containing rice, bread, milk, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, beef, eggs, drinks, and cooking oil cost about SZL 158.46 .İt is cheaper and more affordable for students to buy ingredients and other provisions and prepare their meals rather than order food or eat out.

Common or popular shops to get groceries from including Pick 'n' Pay, Boxer and Usave. Students are guaranteed to get all their groceries in one place which are quite affordable. Small shops in the townships are also an option and provide convenient services.

Transport

There are several transport modes that Students can use in Swaziland. Students can simply use taxis which cost about SZL 7.90 for a one-way ticket in the city center and about SZL 386.48 for a monthly pass which makes it even cheaper.

Minibusses also popularly known as kombis travel non-stop between destinations. Though they charge more than buses, they are faster to use as they have fixed routes and do not deviate. If you do not intend to hitch a ride with a lot of people, non-sharing taxis are also offered by companies like Mbabane Taxis.

Another option is to rent a car. Students can either rent a car to pick them up and drop them off as and when they need to travel but can also rent a car for a period as long as a month for convenience.

An extra charge is added for drivers who rent and drop off the rented vehicle in a different location. Buses also operate in major cities and their cost depends on the place of travel and distance. Though very unreliable and overcrowded, busses tend to be cheaper than taxis.

Medical Insurance

Medical insurance is a necessity when planning to travel to another country. One of the most important reasons why international Students should get insurance is the very high cost of healthcare if they are uninsured and living in another country. Students should consider the type of cover offered by the Insurer (whether full or partial) before getting health insurance.

Bills and Utilities: Basic utilities like water, electricity, heating, and gas cost at about SZL 48.30 per month while voice calls 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local cost SZL 0.99 per minute.

For your convenience, we have compiled a list of prices for goods and services for students both in the Swaziland Lilangeni (SZL) and the United States Dollar (US$).

Note: prices may vary depending on the service providers, location, discount deals, and the season.

ITEM US$ PRICE SZL PRICE
Restaurants    
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 3.88 24.69
McMeal at McDonalds 3.52 79.01
Domestic Beer (0.5 litre draught) 0.97 21.25
Imported Beer (0.33 litre bottle) 1.3 21.25
Cappuccino 1.08 22.5
Coke/Pepsi (0.33 litre bottle) 0.57 16.24
Water (0.33 litre bottle) 0.4 16.27
     
MARKET    
1 Litre Milk 0.9 62.65
Loaf of Fresh White Bread 0.48 12.21
White Rice(1kg) 1.23 11.65
Eggs dozen 1.24 18.15
Beef Round (1kg) 5.01 $31
Tomato (1kg) 1.13 6.06
Potato (1kg) 1.13 5.47
Onion (1kg) 1.48 10.91
     
TRANSPORT    
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 0.38 7.9
Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff) 2.26  
Monthly pass 42.14 386.48
UTILITIES (Monthly)    
1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local 0.11 0.99
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 344.99  
Basic (electricity, heating, water etc.) 48.3 427.99
     
SPORTS AND LEISURE    
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 31.74 271.61
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 8.64 148.15
Clothing And Shoes    
1 Pair of Jeans 45.35 641.98
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes 53.96 493.83
Rentals Per Month    
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 215.79 3361.39
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 166.79 2734.81

RocApply tips:

  • Swaziland traffic drives on the left
  • Pool flats or shared apartments are cheaper than single apartments
  • Living or renting closer to campus saves extra costs on transport and saves time as well.
  • On-campus accommodation is cheaper but on a first-come-first-served basis so students have to apply in advance.