Cost Of Living For a Student in Swaziland 2025
Average Monthly Expenditure
Currency: SZL
Average monthly spending for students in Swaziland
How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Swaziland?
Students in Swaziland spend around 2,300 SZL per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 350 SZL or as high as 16,000 SZL. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Swaziland
Dining, food, and beverages costs
Fast food combo meal
Restaurant meal for one
Fine dining meal for one
Cappuccino or latte
Grocery and market costs
Milk large bottle
12 eggs
Fresh whole chicken
Pack of beef
Medium bag of rice
Bag of tomatos
Bag of apples
Commute, travel, and transportation costs
20 minutes taxi ride
Average car full tank
Average car 1-day rental
Average car price
| 11,000 SZL | 23,000 SZL | 30,000 SZL |
Bus ticket one way
Car Service
Utility cost (monthly)
Utility Bill - Student
Internet and cable
Mobile phone charges
Leisure and activities costs
Movie ticket
One month gym membership
Cloths and accessories costs
Pair of jeans or pants
Woman dress
Woman shoes
Men's shoes
Men suit
Regular t-shirt
Housing costs / monthly rent
Studio apartment
| 380 SZL | 570 SZL | 1,500 SZL |
1-bedroom apartment
| 570 SZL | 900 SZL | 2,300 SZL |
2-bedroom apartment
| 750 SZL | 1,100 SZL | 3,000 SZL |
Housing costs / Buying
Studio apartment
| 75,000 SZL | 110,000 SZL | 230,000 SZL |
1-bedroom apartment
| 90,000 SZL | 150,000 SZL | 570,000 SZL |
2-bedroom apartment
| 150,000 SZL | 450,000 SZL | 900,000 SZL |
Furniture Costs
King Size Bed
Double Bed
Single Bed
Living Room
| 500 SZL | 650 SZL | 2,300 SZL |
Dining Table
Sofa or Couch
Electronics and House Appliance Costs
TV Set
Fridge or Freezer
Washing Machine
Stove or Cooker
Mobile Phone
Laptop or Computer
How do students spend their money in Swaziland?
We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.
Housing and accomodation expenditure for students
Accomodation Cost17%
17% of total expenses on average (12% to 23%)
| LOW | $4.4 84 SZL |
| AVERAGE | $30 560 SZL |
| HIGH | $200 3,800 SZL |
| Per Month |
Students in Swaziland typically spend from 12% to 23% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 17% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 560 SZL with expenditure ranging from 84 SZL to 3,800 SZL. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.
Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students
Cost of utilities7%
7% of total expenses on average (5% to 11%)
| LOW | $0.74 14 SZL |
| AVERAGE | $5 94 SZL |
| HIGH | $33 630 SZL |
| Per Month |
Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Swaziland ranges from 5% to 11% of total expenses with 7% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 94 SZL with 14 SZL and 630 SZL being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.
Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students
Cost of transport and fuel4%
4% of total expenses on average (4% to 10%)
| LOW | $1.3 25 SZL |
| AVERAGE | $8.7 160 SZL |
| HIGH | $58 1,100 SZL |
| Per Month |
Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 25 SZL to 1,100 SZL in a month on commuting with 160 SZL being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 4% of total spending on average but can go as low as 4% or as high as 10%.
Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students
Food and Groceries Cost23%
23% of total expenses on average (17% to 27%)
| LOW | $3.7 70 SZL |
| AVERAGE | $25 470 SZL |
| HIGH | $170 3,100 SZL |
| Per Month |
The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Swaziland is 470 SZL. The cost of groceries can range between 70 SZL to 3,100 SZL. Students spend on average about 23% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 17% and 27% respectively.
Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students
Cost of healthcare9%
9% of total expenses on average (6% to 12%)
| LOW | $1.1 21 SZL |
| AVERAGE | $7.4 140 SZL |
| HIGH | $50 940 SZL |
| Per Month |
Students in Swaziland allocate 6% to 12% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 9%. The range of medical expenses range from 21 SZL to 940 SZL with 140 SZL being the norm for most students.
Leisure and shopping expenditure for students
Cost of leisure and shopping2%
2% of total expenses on average (2% to 6%)
| LOW | $0.93 18 SZL |
| AVERAGE | $6.2 120 SZL |
| HIGH | $41 780 SZL |
| Per Month |
This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 18 SZL to 780 SZL with 120 SZL being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 6% of total expenses with an average of 2% for most students.
Education and schooling expenditure for students
Cost of education and schooling18%
18% of total expenses on average (11% to 23%)
| LOW | $3.5 67 SZL |
| AVERAGE | $24 450 SZL |
| HIGH | $160 3,000 SZL |
| Per Month |
Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 18% of the monthly expenditure of students with 11% and 23% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 450 SZL per month with 67 SZL being the minimum spent amount and 3,000 SZL being the maximum.
Other Expenses19%
19% of total expenses on average (13% to 25%)
| LOW | $2.8 53 SZL |
| AVERAGE | $19 350 SZL |
| HIGH | $120 2,300 SZL |
| Per Month |
A typical and healthy budgeting structure
The 50/30/20 rule
Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle,
location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule,
which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.
50% for needs and financial obligations
This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.
30% for wants and discretionary spending
This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.
20% for savings and emergency fund
This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.
About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting
The 50/30/20 rule is used as a general guideline but may not be the best choice for all people. There are in fact many budgeting plans out there like the 70/20/10 and the 60/20/20 rules, all claiming to be the best. More important than all of this is to establish financial discipline by creating a budget tailored to your specific financial goals and situation. It is very important that your financial outflow be less than your income to maintain a healthy cash flow.
Affordable living in Swaziland
Income and cost of living compatibility
We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.
Is it affordable or economical to live in Swaziland?
Around 43% of surveyed students think that living in Swaziland is affordable with proper budgeting while 57% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.
Low-cost alternatives in Swaziland
People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:
Plenty of low-cost options52%
Few low-cost options48%
Based on the survey, 52% of the students living in Swaziland have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 48% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.
Emergency Funds For Students
An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.
Yes40%
No60%
Based on the survey, 60% of the students living in Swaziland said that they don't have an emergency fund while 40% said that they do.
Financial Literacy in
Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.
Financial Leteracy38%
We asked student guardians and parents in Swaziland whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 62% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 38% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.
Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning
We wanted to understand whether students of have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 61% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 39% said that they have everything under control.
Struggles with finance61%
Easily manages finances39%
Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Swaziland
Grocery / Food expenditure and prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Swaziland
Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.
Fast food combo meal price
The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Swaziland is approximatly 9 SZL with meal cost ranging from 4.5 SZL to 15 SZL. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.
Restaurant meal for one price
If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 15 SZL and 45 SZL with 23 SZL being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Swaziland.
Fine dining meal for one price
The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 30 SZL to 180 SZL with the average cost being 45 SZL for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Swaziland.
Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..
The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Swaziland is around 6 SZL. Price ranges between 3.8 SZL and 9 SZL depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.
Grocery and market costs
Large bottle of milk price
The average price of a large bottle of milk in Swaziland is 3.6 SZL. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 4.5 SZL and the minimum being 3 SZL depending on the brand of milk and other properties.
12 eggs price
A dozen eggs costs around 3 SZL on average with 2.3 SZL and 4.5 SZL being the lower and upper limits respectively.
Fresh whole chicken price
The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Swaziland is between 5.1 SZL and 9.4 SZL depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 6.7 SZL.
Pack of beef price
The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 9 SZL. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.
Medium bag of rice price
A bag of rice in Swaziland costs around 3.3 SZL on average with prices rangeing between 2.4 SZL and 4.7 SZL depending on the brand and quality.
Bag of tomatos price
A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 0.91 SZL to 2.3 SZL. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Bag of apples price
A bag of apples costs 2.1 SZL on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Expenditure on food and grocery for students
Students' spending on grocery ranges from 70 SZL to 3,100 SZL with the location, income, and size of the student being the most determinite factors.
Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Swaziland
Utilities expenditure can vary slightly between different areas and locations.
Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Swaziland
Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student
Internet and cable cost
Mobile phone bill and charges
Because most utility bills club electricity, water, and gas costs in one bill, we can't provide a breakup for each type of utility and will display electricity, gas, and water as single cost.
The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 94 SZL. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 23 SZL to 60 SZL with 45 SZL being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 30 SZL but can range between 18 SZL and 90 SZL depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.
Energy / Utility expense to income ratio
( monthly utility expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average utility-to-income ratio in Swaziland is around 7%. This means that people pay 7% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 4% to 11% depending on salary and location.
Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Swaziland
Rental costs and house/apartment prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Rent Cost in Swaziland
Monthly Rent Prices
Studio apartment monthly rent cost
| 380 SZL | 570 SZL | 1,500 SZL |
1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 570 SZL | 900 SZL | 2,300 SZL |
2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 750 SZL | 1,100 SZL | 3,000 SZL |
3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 900 SZL | 1,500 SZL | 4,100 SZL |
Furnished apartment monthly rent cost
| 1,800 SZL | 4,500 SZL | 9,000 SZL |
Townhouse monthly rent cost
| 1,500 SZL | 2,300 SZL | 6,500 SZL |
House monthly rent cost
| 1,800 SZL | 4,500 SZL | 9,000 SZL |
Villa monthly rent cost
| 2,300 SZL | 5,700 SZL | 9,000 SZL |
The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Swaziland ranges between 380 SZL and 1,500 SZL, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 570 SZL to 2,300 SZL. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 750 SZL and 3,000 SZL per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 900 SZL to 4,100 SZL. The average rent of a townhouse in Swaziland is around 2,300 SZL while house rental costs can be as high as 4,500 SZL per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 2,300 SZL to 9,000 SZL per month.
Apartment and house prices in Swaziland
Cost of buying a property
Studio apartment price
| 75,000 SZL | 110,000 SZL | 230,000 SZL |
1-bedroom apartment price
| 90,000 SZL | 150,000 SZL | 570,000 SZL |
2-bedroom apartment price
| 150,000 SZL | 450,000 SZL | 900,000 SZL |
3-bedroom apartment price
| 500,000 SZL | 750,000 SZL | 2.3M SZL |
Townhouse price
| 650,000 SZL | 1.5M SZL | 5.7M SZL |
House price
| 750,000 SZL | 4.5M SZL | 6.5M SZL |
| $40,000 | $240,000 | $340,000 |
Villa price
| 900,000 SZL | 5M SZL | 7.5M SZL |
| $48,000 | $260,000 | $400,000 |
The average price of a studio apartment in Swaziland can range from 75,000 SZL to 230,000 SZL depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 90,000 SZL to 570,000 SZL. A villa can cost you 5M SZL on average with prices ranging from 900,000 SZL to 7.5M SZL.
If you're leasing or purchasing, housing costs in Swaziland will probably constitute your biggest expenditure, yet it's an area where you wield considerable influence. This is due to the substantial variance in housing prices across communities. Keep in mind the location of your workplace and the accessibility of essential amenities to prevent negating the savings from lower rental rates with increased transportation expenses.
House / apartment prices to income ratio
Property price to income ratio
( average property price / average monthly income ) x 100
| 29 | x81 monthly income | 188 |
Property prices in Swaziland can be x81 to x188 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x81 multiples of the average monthly salary in Swaziland.
Rent to income ratio
Rent to income ratio
( monthly rental / monthly income ) x 100
The average rent-to-income ratio in Swaziland is around 28%. This means that people pay 28% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 18% to 38% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.
The housing-to-income ratio is a very important metric to evaluate and measure how affordable living is in a particular area, city, or country since housing comprises the biggest chunk of expenditure. A higher housing to income ratio means that the place is relatively expensive. The figure by itself does tell much. It only starts to make sense when comparing the housing to income ratio across different locations.
Housing affordability index
The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.
Housing Affordability Index
26% Property Taxes
Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.
Home Maintenance Costs
Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.
Urban vs. rural living costs
Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.
