Cost of Living in South Africa
Summary of cost of living in South Africa:
- The estimated monthly costs for a family of four are 2,175.6$ (38,509.2R), excluding rent.
- The estimated monthly costs for a single person are 627.0$ (11,099.0R), excluding rent.
- Cost of living in South Africa is, on average, 50.6% lower than in United States.
- Rent in South Africa is, on average, 71.1% lower than in United States.
Restaurants |  Edit |
Range |
|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 160.00 R | |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 700.00 R | |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 90.00 R | |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 40.00 R | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 45.00 R | |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 35.86 R | |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 17.60 R | |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 13.84 R | |
Markets | Edit |
|
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 73.95 R | |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 16.01 R | |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 12.90 R | |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 40.88 R | |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 62.37 R | |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 37.36 R | |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 54.85 R | |
| Apples (1 lb) | 12.49 R | |
| Banana (1 lb) | 11.69 R | |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 12.00 R | |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 12.28 R | |
| Potato (1 lb) | 10.01 R | |
| Onion (1 lb) | 10.61 R | |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 18.97 R | |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 17.06 R | |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 85.00 R | |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 24.04 R | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 30.31 R | |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 52.00 R | |
Transportation | Edit |
|
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 30.00 R | |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 825.00 R | |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 20.00 R | |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 30.58 R | |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 85.00 R | |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 86.06 R | |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 370,000.00 R | |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 426,031.53 R | |
Utilities (Monthly) | Edit |
|
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 1,994.60 R | |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 578.34 R | |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 736.58 R | |
Sports And Leisure | Edit |
|
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 562.36 R | |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 169.36 R | |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 120.00 R | |
Childcare | Edit |
|
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 3,386.38 R | |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 78,036.05 R | |
Clothing And Shoes | Edit |
|
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 879.81 R | |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 547.51 R | |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 1,660.28 R | |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 1,431.56 R | |
Rent Per Month | Edit |
|
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 7,943.77 R | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 6,577.48 R | |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 15,897.10 R | |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 12,784.83 R | |
Buy Apartment Price | Edit |
|
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 1,631.50 R | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 1,274.48 R | |
Salaries And Financing | Edit |
|
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 23,684.70 R | |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 11.55 |
Prices in South Africa
This country had 8677 entries in the past 12 months by 727 different contributors.
Last update: 1 July 2025
Our data for each country are based on all entries from all cities in that country.
Last update: 1 July 2025
Our data for each country are based on all entries from all cities in that country.
Sources and References
Moving to South Africa? Explore:
Distribution of Expenses Using Our Statistical Model:
By City in South Africa
Rank |
City |
Cost of Living Index |
Rent Index |
Cost of Living Plus Rent Index |
Groceries Index |
Restaurant Price Index |
Local Purchasing Power Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pretoria | 36.5 | 11.4 | 25.6 | 30.5 | 28.7 | 115.6 | |
| Johannesburg | 35.3 | 12.3 | 25.3 | 31.0 | 35.0 | 110.3 | |
| Cape Town | 34.4 | 18.7 | 27.6 | 31.2 | 34.9 | 113.0 | |
| Durban | 30.7 | 10.6 | 22.0 | 28.6 | 25.4 | 109.8 |
This Page in Other Languages:
 DeutschLebenshaltungskosten in Südafrika
|
 PortuguêsCusto de Vida na África do Sul
|
 ItalianoCosto della Vita in Sudafrica
|
 FrançaisCoût de la Vie en Afrique du sud
|
 EspañolCosto de Vida en Sudáfrica
|