The price of vice in Mzansi

19 April 2015 - 02:00 By The Daily Telegraph, London

Would a rose by any other cost smell as sweet? A Deutsche Bank report shows that South Africa remains one of the cheapest places in the world to spend money - and Australia the most expensive. Deutsche Bank examined the cost of various items - from a pint of beer to an iPhone 6 - but the cost of individual items varies widely from country to country.When it came to a pint of beer, for example, South Africa was the cheapest country examined, where it cost less than $2 (about R24) in Johannesburg and Cape Town. By contrast, you'll have to shell out $6.30 for a pint in London, and it's even pricier in Wellington, New York City and Singapore. In Paris, beer will cost you a whopping $7.60.When it comes to hotel rooms, Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur, was the cheapest for a five-star room, which goes for just $77.50 a night. The second cheapest was Wellington, where a five-star room will set a traveller back $157.30.Cape Town was in the middle, with rooms costing an average of $413 a night - more expensive than Beijing, but cheaper than London ($608.20 a night) or the most expensive, Sydney ($880.40). India was the cheapest place to buy a pair of Levi 501s (as little as $34 a pair), but Toronto and Boston were also surprisingly cheap.When it came to buying an iPhone 6, the US was the cheapest, at $650. Canada was not far behind, where an iPhone cost just $13.50 more than in the US. By contrast, it cost a staggering $1254 in Brazil.South Africa was also pretty cheap when it came to cinema tickets ($4.38), marginally more expensive than the cheapest location, Mumbai ($3.80) but far more affordable than Zurich ($19.52).Cape Town and Johannesburg also ranked as two of the cheapest cities in the world to buy a gym membership, costing less than $36 a month. In Zurich, Moscow and New York, it cost more than $100 per month. ..

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.