We consider conservative cross-diffusion systems for two species where individual motion rates depend linearly on the local density of the other species. We develop duality estimates and obtain stability and approximation results. We first control the time evolution of the gap between two bounded solutions by means of its initial value. As a by product, we obtain a uniqueness result for bounded solutions valid for any space dimension, under a non-perturbative smallness assumption. Using a discrete counterpart of our duality estimates, we prove the convergence of random walks with local repulsion in one dimensional discrete space to cross-diffusion systems. More precisely, we prove quantitative estimates for the gap between the stochastic process and the cross-diffusion system. We give first rough but general estimates; then we use the duality approach to obtain fine estimates under less general conditions.