Composite profile
Overall score
70/100
Use the Durban profile to compare cost framing, mobility, and coastal-resilience signals alongside Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Overall70/100
Affordability72/100
Air quality66/100
Energy64/100
South Africa / Southern Africa
Durban, South Africa City Intelligence
Durban is South Africa's main Indian-Ocean port metro, with subtropical climate, manufacturing and logistics anchors, and active coastal-flood and climate-resilience work. Durban is a southern africa city of about ~3.7M metro in South Africa. On the composite city-intelligence score, Durban sits around the indexed median (70/100).
- Last updated
- 2026-05-16
- Data year
- 2025
- Population
- ~3.7M metro
Image credit: Image: ---=XEON=--- / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Overall city intelligence
Good70/100
Composite directional score across affordability, air quality, clean energy, and resilience.
Data confidence
Directional
Directional indicators pending integration of verified city-level data.
Verified utility layers
See country hub
Emergency, healthcare, and transport verification status appears on the country hub.
Durban data table
The table is part of the initial server-rendered HTML and mirrors the key city score cards.
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 70/100 | Composite score across major city intelligence modules. |
| Cost of Living | 72/100 | Durban's cost-of-living profile is a directional indicator pending integration of verified city-level data; structured benchmark context applies. |
| Air Quality | 66/100 | Durban's air-quality profile is a directional indicator framed against WHO and regional benchmarks; verified city-level measurements appear in the dedicated air-quality dataset section once integrated. |
| Energy | 64/100 | Durban's energy-readiness profile is a directional indicator that combines national policy framing with city-level adaptation context. |
| Safety | 66/100 | Durban's safety profile is a directional indicator; verified country-level emergency profiles attach via the country hub where available. |
| Internet Speed | 67/100 | Durban's connectivity profile is a directional indicator combining national digital-readiness context with widely cited speed-test references. |
| Climate Risk | 62/100 | Durban's climate-risk profile is a directional indicator combining regional hazard categories with national adaptation capacity. |
| Resilience | 62/100 | Climate adaptation and infrastructure continuity context. |
Safety
Deterministic safety estimates from our index — planning signals derived from country priors and city data, not official crime statistics.
Safety
Overall safety45/100
Low crime46/100
Personal safety47/100
Night safety38/100
Road safety49/100
Durban scores below average for safety in our index (45/100); research neighborhoods and take standard precautions.
Quality of Life
A composite quality-of-life estimate and its component indicators.
Quality of Life
Quality of life58/100
Healthcare61/100
Education67/100
Green space43/100
Cleanliness52/100
Infrastructure65/100
Mobility60/100
Durban has a moderate quality-of-life estimate (58/100) across our combined indicators.
Family Friendliness
How the city scores for raising a family, with the indicators that drive it.
Family Friendliness
Family friendliness55/100
Education67/100
Green space43/100
Overall safety45/100
Durban scores moderate for family living (55/100).
Digital Nomad Suitability
Suitability for remote workers, based on connectivity, mobility, and livability.
Digital Nomad Suitability
Digital nomad suitability64/100
Walkability79/100
Cycling60/100
Infrastructure65/100
Durban is moderate for remote workers (64/100), based on connectivity, affordability and walkability and day-to-day amenities.
Retirement Suitability
Suitability for retirement, weighing healthcare, affordability, climate, and environment.
Retirement Suitability
Retirement suitability59/100
Healthcare61/100
Cleanliness52/100
Outdoor lifestyle28/100
Durban is moderate for retirement (59/100), appealing for affordability and a comfortable climate.
Emergency and public safety in Durban
Local public safety guidance for Durban, with the country-level emergency contacts that apply when calling for police, fire, or ambulance.
For the universal emergency contacts that apply in Durban, including police, fire, and ambulance, see the South Africa emergency profile, which currently lists no verified national contacts.
Methodology and the wider source registry are documented on the scoring methodology and data sources pages.
Healthcare and hospitals in Durban
Healthcare context for Durban, with national-level information from South Africa where city-specific data is not yet verified. This is informational only and does not provide medical advice.
For the national healthcare and public-health context that applies in Durban, see the South Africa healthcare profile, which currently lists no verified national healthcare information.
Related sections: emergency and public safety, scoring methodology, and data sources.
Transport and mobility in Durban
Local mobility context for Durban, with national-level context from South Africa where city-specific data is not yet verified. This is informational only.
For national transport authorities and operators that apply in Durban, see the South Africa transport profile, which currently lists no verified national transport information.
Related sections: emergency and public safety, healthcare and hospitals, cities directory, countries directory, scoring methodology, data sources.
Air quality dataset
Source-attributed air-quality dataset for Durban. Verified measurements are surfaced when published from accepted official datasets; transparent fallback is shown otherwise.
Air quality dataset for Durban
Verified data unavailableLast updated 2026-05-16 / data year 2025
Verified air-quality measurements are not yet published for this location
Source-attributed values for Durban will appear here after the platform integrates verified measurements from accepted official publishers. Until then, structured air-quality module context remains available on the dedicated module page.
| Metric | Value | Data year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air quality | Verified air-quality measurements are not yet published for this location. | ||
Data provenance
Source attributionGlobal City Intelligence — air-quality dataset
Verified data unavailable- Publisher
- Global City Intelligence
- Last verified
- 2026-05-16
The air-quality dataset begins empty by design. Verified city-level measurements appear here only after they are sourced from accepted publishers (WHO, EEA, US EPA, OpenAQ, OECD, or official national/city environmental agencies).
Methodology and context
Numeric measurements appear in this section only after they are sourced from accepted official publishers. The dataset is independently validated at build time; malformed records cannot ship to production.
- Scoring methodology — how indicators across the platform are constructed.
- Data sources registry — the official sources cited by verified datasets.
- Open the Durban air-quality module
- Browse the clean-air city collection
Quick answers
Quick, evidence-based answers about Durban drawn from this profile's indexed cost, climate, safety, economy, education, healthcare and nearby-nature data. Figures are deterministic estimates for orientation — verify specifics with official sources.
Quick answers about Durban
Is Durban worth visiting?
Yes — good quality of life (58/100) and a tourism economy economy.
Is Durban good for families?
Good (55/100) on safety, schools and green space.
Is Durban affordable?
More affordable than average; about R15,100/month for one person (estimate).
When is the best time to visit Durban?
Late spring to early autumn; warmest in Jan, coldest in Jul.
What are Durban's main industries?
Mainly manufacturing, tourism, mining.
What is the climate in Durban?
A semi-arid climate, averaging about 22.5°C.
Does Durban have universities?
Higher education is good (62/100).
What is healthcare like in Durban?
Healthcare access is good (57/100).
Is Durban good for retirement?
Retirement suitability is good (61/100).
What nature is near Durban?
No major nature destinations are indexed within day-trip range.
Explore Durban modules
City pages link to module and ranking pages so crawlers can move through the topic cluster naturally.
Cost of Living in Durban
Durban's cost-of-living profile is a directional indicator pending integration of verified city-level data; structured benchmark context applies.
Air Quality in Durban
Durban's air-quality profile is a directional indicator framed against WHO and regional benchmarks; verified city-level measurements appear in the dedicated air-quality dataset section once integrated.
Energy in Durban
Durban's energy-readiness profile is a directional indicator that combines national policy framing with city-level adaptation context.
Safety in Durban
Durban's safety profile is a directional indicator; verified country-level emergency profiles attach via the country hub where available.
Internet Speed in Durban
Durban's connectivity profile is a directional indicator combining national digital-readiness context with widely cited speed-test references.
Climate Risk in Durban
Durban's climate-risk profile is a directional indicator combining regional hazard categories with national adaptation capacity.
City rankings
Compare this city against other indexed cities in crawlable ranking tables.
Cost of living in Durban
Cost of living estimates for Durban — monthly budgets, rent, food, and transport in the local currency, plus an affordability score for comparison. Planning estimates derived from country baselines, not live prices.
Climate in Durban
Climate profile for Durban — Semi-Arid climate, annual average 22.5°C, comfort score 78/100. Month-by-month temperatures, rainfall, sunshine, and the best months to visit. Deterministic planning estimates, not a forecast.
Economy and jobs in Durban
Economy and jobs profile for Durban — tourism economy, economy score 58/100, key industries including manufacturing, tourism, mining. Employment, salary, startup, remote-work, and career indicators. Deterministic planning estimates.
Universities and education in Durban
Education profile for Durban — regional education center, education score 61/100, 5 representative universities, plus research, student life, and international-student indicators. Deterministic dataset, not institutional rankings.
Healthcare and retirement in Durban
Healthcare and retirement profile for Durban — mixed healthcare profile, healthcare score 57/100, retirement score 61/100. Medical access, specialist and emergency care, affordability, and retirement suitability. Deterministic planning estimates.
Estimate a monthly budget for Durban
Estimate a monthly budget for Durban using your own housing, food, transport, healthcare, and lifestyle inputs. Planning estimator only — not an official cost-of-living measurement.
Plan a trip budget for Durban
Plan a trip budget for Durban using your own accommodation, food, local transport, activities, travel, healthcare buffer, and emergency buffer inputs. Planning estimator only — not an official travel cost estimate.
Nearby cities from Durban
Where else nearby you could spend a day or a weekend from Durban. Links are derived from geographic proximity, shared region, shared natural-recreation areas, transport corridors, and country borders — not popularity or tourism rankings.
Maputo, Mozambique
Cross-border · about 458 km from Durban. Explore Maputo's city intelligence profile.
Johannesburg, South Africa
Weekend trip · about 501 km from Durban. Explore Johannesburg's city intelligence profile.
Pretoria, South Africa
Weekend trip · about 536 km from Durban. Explore Pretoria's city intelligence profile.
Gaborone, Botswana
Cross-border · about 768 km from Durban. Explore Gaborone's city intelligence profile.
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Weekend trip · about 1234 km from Durban. Explore Stellenbosch's city intelligence profile.
Durban FAQ
Common questions about living in, visiting, working in, studying in and retiring to Durban, answered from the indexed cost-of-living, climate, safety, economy, education, healthcare and nearby-nature data on this profile.
Frequently asked questions about Durban
Is Durban worth visiting?
Durban has a moderate quality-of-life estimate (58/100) across our combined indicators. Visitors can also reach nature such as nearby parks and countryside within weekend range.
What is it like to live in Durban?
Durban has a moderate quality-of-life estimate (58/100) across our combined indicators. It indexes 58/100 for overall quality of life.
How much does it cost to live in Durban?
A single resident of Durban spends roughly R15,100 per month, with a one-bedroom rent near R8,030. Overall the city is more affordable than average for South Africa. These are modelled estimates, not live quotes — verify locally.
What should I know about moving to Durban?
Plan for below-average living costs and check current rents before relocating. Durban is moderate for remote workers (64/100), based on connectivity, affordability and walkability and day-to-day amenities.
What is the job market like in Durban?
Durban's labour market is moderate, with opportunities concentrated in tourism and hospitality, manufacturing and technology. Durban has a tourism-driven economy with strengths in manufacturing, tourism and mining.
Is Durban good for digital nomads and remote work?
Durban offers solid infrastructure and amenities for remote professionals, with a remote-work score of 58/100.
What are the education options in Durban?
Durban is a regional education center with a mix of universities and research activity in our dataset, spanning fields such as Mathematics, Computer Science and Environmental Sciences.
Is Durban a good place to study?
Durban offers a strong student environment, supported by walkable neighborhoods and relatively affordable living.
What is healthcare like in Durban?
Durban has a mixed healthcare profile, supported by hospitals, specialist services, and public-health infrastructure, with a healthcare score of 57/100. Residents have solid access to healthcare across primary, specialist, and emergency care.
Is Durban a good place to retire?
Durban offers a combination of healthcare access, safety, and amenities that may appeal to retirees, with a retirement score of 61/100. Residents benefit from walkable streets and day-to-day services.
What is the climate like in Durban?
Durban has a semi-arid climate, averaging about 22.5°C annually with roughly 600 mm of rain. The hottest month is Jan and the coldest Jul. The driest is typically Jul.
Is Durban a safe place to live?
Durban scores below average for safety in our index (45/100); research neighborhoods and take standard precautions.
How easy is it to get around Durban?
Durban indexes a walkability score of 79 and a cycling score of 60 out of 100. Check the local operator for live transit routes and fares.
What nature and outdoor places are near Durban?
Durban has limited indexed nature destinations within day-trip range.
Is Durban good for families?
Durban scores moderate for family living (55/100).
What outdoor activities are there around Durban?
Durban rates 28/100 for outdoor lifestyle and 43/100 for green space.
Interpretation
Use the Durban profile to compare cost framing, mobility, and coastal-resilience signals alongside Cape Town and Johannesburg. Its standout dimensions are cost of living (72/100) and internet speed (67/100). The area most worth watching is climate risk (62/100), where the model registers practical gaps. Data year 2025; last updated 2026-05-16. Drawn from 4 institutional references.
Country context is available on the South Africa country page. Related rankings include Overall Intelligence, Quality of Life, Remote Work. See where Durban appears in global rankings or read the scoring methodology.
Structured indicators on this page are directional and intended for orientation. Verified datasets are being integrated; official sources should be used for critical decisions.
Sources
4 institutional references inform this view, listed below with reliability notes. Structured indicators on this page are directional and intended for orientation; verified datasets are being integrated and official sources should be used for critical decisions.
- UN-Habitat: World Cities Report 2024
Used as a policy and methodology reference for urban exposure and resilience signals.
- NASA: NASA POWER
Used as an energy-resource and weather-normalization reference.
- World Health Organization: WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines
Used to normalize air-quality indicators toward health-protective benchmarks.
- IPCC: AR6 WGII Chapter 6: Cities, settlements and key infrastructure
Used to explain urban climate vulnerability and adaptation scoring logic.