Are you looking to find your new home in South Africa's Friendliest City (a.k.a Gqebertha, Port Elizabeth's new name)? Well, you’re not the only one. PE has become the favourite spot for South Africans searching for the perfect balance between city life and the charm of a peaceful small town.
With the beautiful beaches in your backyard, the staggering nature as your backdrop and the low cost of city living—what more do you need? You might as well call the best Port Elizabeth moving company already.
Here’s our complete guide with everything you need to know about the best areas to live and move to in Port Elizabeth.
Port Elizabeth, renamed Gqeberha in 2021, is the 6th largest city in South Africa in the Eastern Cape. Home to some of the best beaches in South Africa, PE takes up 40km of the breathtaking coastline of Algoa Bay, a region of Nelson Mandela Bay.
The population of Port Elizabeth is estimated to be around 1,330,000 people in 2025.
Port Elizabeth is a town of many names. Nicknamed the Friendly City and the Windy City, among others, the most important name is its official one—Gqeberha. This is the isiXhosa word for the Baakens River, a river flowing through the city. It’s also the name of the Walmer Township in the area.
Gqueberha has proven to be a difficult name for non-isiXhosa speakers to pronounce, mostly because of the click sound found at the beginning with the ‘q’. But once you’ve got the click down, it’s actually quite simple.
The official pronunciation is [!ɛˈbɛəxə], but if you’re like most people and can’t read the IPA, here’s a guide on how to pronounce Gqeberha:
You start the click ‘q’, which is an alveolar click made by placing your tongue on your palate (the top of your mouth) and pulling downwards to produce a popping sound.
Then you continue to say “berha”, where the “rh” is pronounced like the Afrikaans ‘g.’
You can also watch this video on how to pronounce Gqeberha.
Port Elizabeth’s sublime setting results in some spectacular suburbs to call your new home. You'll be able to find a house right on the beachfront or tucked away in the rolling hills, depending on your preference.
Some of PE’s best areas to live in include Summerstrand, Mill Park, Lovemore Heights and more.
There are many factors to choosing the right suburb in PE to move to—from location, security and budget to schools and healthcare services. Based on these factors, here’s our quick guide to the top 8 suburbs in Port Elizabeth:
Summerstrand is a luxurious suburb located right on the shorefront of PE’s most famous beaches and radiates with buzzing energy as the centre of the town's most popular attractions.
Hobie Beach is home to the annual Splash Festival, while Pollock Beach is a favourite for watersports enthusiasts.
Summerstrand is also home to the Boardwalk Casino Resort—the hub of entertainment and leisure in PE with hoards of shops, restaurants, live music and more. You’ll find the Oceanarium, Humewood Golf Club and Nelson Mandela University.
Mill Park is one of the oldest suburbs in PE and is a favourite spot for families. With its large, leafy properties and central location, it’s no wonder that Mill Park is the most expensive suburb in Port Elizabeth.
It’s not only close to some of the top schools in PE, but it's low traffic makes it safe enough for children to ride their bikes and walk dogs in the neighbourhood. Plus, it’s home to St. George’s Park, the second-oldest cricket club in the country, making Mill Park even more appealing to sports lovers.
Lovemore Heights is the second richest area in Port Elizabeth– and one of the safest. Taken up mostly by Lovemore Heights Estate, top security and freedom are guaranteed.
Set on the outskirts of town, perched on a hill, Lovemore Heights provides residents with magnificent views of the Indian Ocean.
It's perfect position ensures that everything is super accessible and just a short drive away, including the city centre, PE’s airport or Sardinia Bay beaches.
Sunridge Park is another great option for families looking for top schools, more affordable prices and some space from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Located just next to the N2, it’s accessible to all parts of the city. The popular Sunridge Village is another big draw as a large complex of shops, restaurants, salons, florists, medical facilities, pet services, and so much more.
Upper Walmer sits in the more northern and lustrous parts of the suburb of Walmer. These upper tree-lined avenues are favoured for their proximity to great schools, businesses, shopping centres and leisure activities.
With the beach 10 minutes away in one direction and the airport 5 minutes in the other direction, your location could not get more central.
You also have Settler’s Park Nature Reserve just next door and the convenience of Walmer Park Shopping Centre, which provides an upmarket shopping destination. Residents also love Upper Walmer for its close, active community group and community projects.
Bluewater Bay occupies a small strip on the coastline north of the city centre and has been growing in popularity and demand, especially with its proximity to Coega, a deep-water harbour development.
Its main attraction is the white sand beaches that lifeguards patrol, perfect for swimming, surfing, fishing, parasailing and dolphin watching.
Lorraine has also been a popular suburb, especially for retirees and first-time buyers, as one of the more affordable PE areas.
With the central business district to the east and Kragga Kramma National Park to the west, Lorraine sits perfectly in between for those looking for the city and bush life. Sitting just north of Lovemore Heights, Lorraine also benefits from the proximity to the ‘wild coast’ of PE’s beaches, including Sardinia Bay, Willows, Kini Bay, Seaview and Schoenmakerskop.
Tucked in right next to Lorraine and Sunridge Park, Fairview is also bubbling with new residential and commercial developments, causing an influx of investors and first-time buyers.
You can find various types of residential buildings to suit what you’re looking for, including freestanding houses and apartment blocks, quality social housing, as well as townhouse complexes. It’s also conveniently situated on the banks of the William Moffet Expressway which gives you easy access to all parts of the city.
Moving costs can vary a lot depending on the size of your home, the amount of furniture you have and the distance you’re moving.
On average, for a 3-bedroom house, moving costs in Port Elizabeth tend to be between R2,000 and R6,000 for a local move and between R8,000 and R20,000 for a long-distance move from across the country.
Port Elizabeth is known as one of the most affordable cities in South Africa. And considering the extraordinary lifestyle PE has to offer, you know you’re getting the best value for your money. This is why PE has become a beloved city for many South Africans looking for a change of scenery. The average total cost of living in Port Elizabeth is R14,216.
Here’s a brief breakdown of the basic expenses in PE:
|
Expense |
Monthly Cost |
|
Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment |
R5,850 |
|
Rent for a 2-bedroom apartment |
R8,700 |
|
Rent for a 3-bedroom apartment |
R11,850 |
|
Basic utilities |
R1,215 |
|
Meal for 2 |
R480 |
|
Monthly transport |
R580 |
|
Milk |
R17.90 |
|
Bread |
R19.50 |
|
Eggs |
R26 |
|
Petrol 95 per litre |
R23.25 |
|
Cappuccino |
R34 |
|
Gym membership |
R420 |
|
Cinema ticket |
R110 |
Port Elizabeth is not called the Windy City for nothing. PE has a temperate climate with a constant wind all year round, boasting an average temperature of 21°C.
And thanks to the warm ocean currents, Port Elizabeth also boasts warm sea temperatures of around 19° Celsius. This, combined with its warm temperatures, makes PE one of the most popular beach towns in the country for both residents and tourists.
While Port Elizabeth's public transport system isn’t as advanced as Johannesburg’s or Cape Town’s, it does still offer a range of options for those looking to get around the city.
While these public transport options are more affordable, it’s important to note that they aren’t always the safest, so be aware when using them.
Additionally, if you’re looking for a quick and convenient ride around PE, another great option is e-hailing companies like Uber, Bolt and DiDi. However, they do tend to be more expensive.
Port Elizabeth is home to some of the best educational institutions in the country for primary, secondary and tertiary education. This is why PE has also become home to many new families as well as students.
Lorraine Primary School
Sunridge Primary School
Grey Junior School
Parson Hill Primary School
Claredon Park Primary School.
Grey High School
Pearson High School
Collegiate Girls’ High School
Victoria Park High School
Alexander Road High School
Nelson Mandela University
Pearson Institute of Higher Education
IIE’s Varsity College in Nelson Mandela Bay
Port Elizabeth offers a range of healthcare services for its residents. In fact, Port Elizabeth is considered one of the healthiest cities in South Africa. From government hospitals and public clinics to private hospitals and small private practices, you’ll always be able to find healthcare services nearby in case of an emergency
Port Elizabeth Provincial Hospital, Mount Croix
Livingstone Hospital, Korsten
Central Clinic, Port Elizabeth Central
West End Clinic, Port Elizabeth Central
Malabar Clinic, Glenhaven
Gelvandale Clinic, Gelvandale
Life St. George’s Hospital, Port Elizabeth Central
Life Hunterscraig Hospital, Port Elizabeth Central
Netcare Greenacres Hospital, Greenacres
Edge Day Hospital, Port Elizabeth Central
You can also find smaller, private practices for more specialised services across PE.
If Port Elizabeth is known for one thing, it’s its string of golden-sand beaches and warm waters.
PE is also home to a few of the prestigious blue-flag beaches, recognised for their top-notch safety and environmental awareness.
Hobie Beach: This is not only 1 of 3 blue-flag beaches in PE but is also PE’s most beloved and popular spot for the ultimate beach day.
King’s Beach: This blue-flag beach is 1,6km long and perfect for swimming, body-surfing, suntanning and long walks and is also home to the famous Slash Waterworld park.
Sardinia Bay Beach: Found between Schoenmakerskop and Seaview, this beach is a peaceful paradise of unspoilt coastline, known for its popular diving spots and as the starting point to the Sacramento hiking trail.
Humewood Beach: As South Africa’s oldest blue-flag beach, Humewood has a steady stream of visitors who swim, fish, snorkel, explore rock pools and take advantage of Happy Valley, which is found right next door.
Bluewater Bay Beach: Providing lifeguards in the summer, Bluewater Bay boasts great family facilities such as children’s playgrounds and is popular for swimming, fishing and surfing.
Pollock Beach: This is the surfers’ hotspot in PE and is known locally as the ‘Pipe’.
Stunning beaches worth visiting just outside of PE include Kini Bay and Maitland Beach to the south and Brighton Beach and Colchester Private Beach to the north.
PE is also home to a large diving and snorkelling community thanks to its exquisite marine life, coral reefs, shipwrecks and more. Areas around Cape Recife prove to be great diving spots as well as Devil’s Reef, Postmans and The Slipway near Humewood Beach.
Port Elizabeth is a sports enthusiast’s playground with all the world-class sporting events and facilities available.
St. George’s Cricket Club: Built in 1860 with a capacity of over 22,000 people, St George’s Park hosts many cricket matches every year, both local and international, as well as tennis tournaments throughout the year.
Humewood Golf Course: Considered one of the top golf courses in the country and one of the world’s recognised “True Links,” these pristine greens are a must for any golf lover, even with the wind
Fairview Racecourse: Situated in Greenbushes, this track holds horse races every week and is the only horse racing track in PE.
Mountainbiking Trails: For all you mountainbikers, your top trails are Norm Hudlin, Hopewell and Slipperfields Mountainbike trail
Valley Crag Indoor Climbing Centre: Quickly growing in popularity as the largest indoor climbing gym in the province, it’s the perfect place for any keen climbers.
From its rugged coastline to its lush forest interior, Port Elizabeth is an adventurer’s wonderland.
You can catch sightings of game at:
Kragga Kramma Nature Reserve
Addo Elephant National Park
Seaview Lion Park
Or explore the wilderness at:
South African Foundation For the Conservation of Coastal Birds
Groendal Wilderness Area
Settlers Park
Island Nature Reserve
And don’t forget about PE’s unbelievable hiking trails:
Baakens Valley
Sacramento Trail
Donkin Heritage Trail
Bushbuck walking trail
Lower Guinea Fowl Trail
You can never get bored in PE with all the exciting entertainment it has to offer for both children and adults:
The Boardwalk: As the centre of entertainment in PE, The Boardwalk offers visitors much more than just shops and restaurants but also the Casino, the Camelot Spa, Nu Metro Cinema, The Magic Company Arcade, Go-Karting, Rides, Adventure Golf, Bowling and more!
Splash Waterworld: Sitting right on King’s Beach, Splash Waterworld offers a variety of waterslides and pools for the ultimate fun day, birthday party or field trip.
Gravity Indoor Trampoline Park: This will have kids bouncing on the walls and includes a foam pit, basketball arena, interconnected trampolines, Olympic trampolines, ninja course, devil slide, rope course and climbing walls and more
Bayworld: Consisting of both a Snake Park and Oceanarium, Bayworld is a massive tourist attraction and a great education centre where visitors can meet some of the marine mammals living in Algoa Bay.
McArthur Swimming Pool and Leisure Complex: An excellent place for safe family fun where you can relax by the pools, take a swim and even take a slide into the kiddies' pool.
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum: Located at the entrance to St. George’s Park, this historic building houses impressive art collections from around the world.
The average salary in Port Elizabeth in 2025 is estimated to be around R312,000 per year. A more conservative estimate sits closer to R228,000 per year, reflecting variations based on industry, education level, and the city’s cost-of-living profile, which is lower than in metros like Cape Town or Johannesburg.
This lower estimate accounts for the large number of workers in retail, logistics, public service, and informal sectors, where earnings tend to be on the lower end of the scale.
Port Elizabeth’s economy is booming in industries like tourism, finance, manufacturing and especially trade. The city is built around one of the oldest and largest ports in the country. With the constant shipments going in and out, the ports of Port Elizabeth continue to provide a steady stream of jobs.
Port Elizabeth remains one of South Africa’s most affordable major cities for property buyers.
According to data from Lightstone and Property24, the average home price in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) is significantly lower than in Cape Town or Johannesburg, making it an attractive option for first-time buyers, retirees, and families alike.
To start searching for the best properties at the best prices, check out the top property websites in South Africa.
Based on current 2025 data from Property24 listings and Lightstone analytics, July 2025
based on current data from Property24 suburb trends and Lightstone residential reports
For students or young renters, refer to our dedicated guide on student accommodation in Port Elizabeth.
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