Cost of Living in South Africa
Summary of cost of living in South Africa:
- The estimated monthly costs for a family of four are 2,185.5$ (38,503.5R), excluding rent.
- The estimated monthly costs for a single person are 630.1$ (11,100.6R), excluding rent.
- Cost of living in South Africa is, on average, 50.4% lower than in United States.
- Rent in South Africa is, on average, 70.9% 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) | 36.02 R | |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 17.73 R | |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 13.82 R | |
Markets | Edit |
|
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 73.99 R | |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 16.02 R | |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 12.84 R | |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 40.82 R | |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 62.36 R | |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 37.32 R | |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 54.74 R | |
| Apples (1 lb) | 12.48 R | |
| Banana (1 lb) | 11.73 R | |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 12.01 R | |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 12.28 R | |
| Potato (1 lb) | 9.98 R | |
| Onion (1 lb) | 10.64 R | |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 18.99 R | |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 17.04 R | |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 85.00 R | |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 24.01 R | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 30.17 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) | 85.96 R | |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 375,000.00 R | |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 427,518.34 R | |
Utilities (Monthly) | Edit |
|
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 2,009.77 R | |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 580.46 R | |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 734.10 R | |
Sports And Leisure | Edit |
|
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 559.32 R | |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 167.56 R | |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 120.00 R | |
Childcare | Edit |
|
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 3,403.94 R | |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 78,187.63 R | |
Clothing And Shoes | Edit |
|
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 877.62 R | |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 549.82 R | |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 1,656.09 R | |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 1,431.56 R | |
Rent Per Month | Edit |
|
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 7,894.38 R | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 6,581.01 R | |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 15,884.56 R | |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 12,758.29 R | |
Buy Apartment Price | Edit |
|
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 1,655.49 R | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 1,276.20 R | |
Salaries And Financing | Edit |
|
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 23,826.78 R | |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 11.58 |
Prices in South Africa
This country had 8594 entries in the past 12 months by 725 different contributors.
Last update: 3 July 2025
Our data for each country are based on all entries from all cities in that country.
Last update: 3 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 | 37.7 | 11.6 | 26.3 | 30.8 | 30.1 | 116.0 | |
| Johannesburg | 36.5 | 12.6 | 26.0 | 31.1 | 36.8 | 107.5 | |
| Cape Town | 35.4 | 18.7 | 28.1 | 31.6 | 36.6 | 110.9 | |
| Durban | 31.4 | 10.7 | 22.3 | 28.8 | 26.7 | 108.1 |
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
|