Cost of Living Comparison Between Benoni and Johannesburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Benoni and Johannesburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,102 in Benoni versus $1,425 in Johannesburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,355 in Benoni versus $2,190 in Johannesburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,609 in Benoni versus $2,955 in Johannesburg.

Living in Benoni costs roughly 23% less than in Johannesburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Benoni is 19% below, Johannesburg is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.26 R 168

$12.42 R 203

-17.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.74 R 634

$48.29 R 791

-19.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.94 R 97.4

$7.27 R 119

-18.29%

Cappuccino

$2.33 R 38.19

$2.52 R 41.20

-7.54%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 R 19.58

$1.17 R 19.12

2.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R 14.79

$0.97 R 15.89

-7.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 R 37.55

$2.25 R 36.88

1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 R 45.14

$2.82 R 46.21

-2.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.52

$1.36 R 22.25

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 R 18.86

$1.28 R 20.99

-10.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 R 28.25

$1.79 R 29.35

-3.35%

Eggs

$2.50 R 41.02

$2.72 R 44.63

-8.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.10 R 133

$8.60 R 141

-5.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.92 R 80.5

$5.76 R 94.4

-14.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.21 R 118

$9.08 R 149

-20.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 R 29.59

$2.14 R 35.13

-15.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 R 28.11

$1.84 R 30.08

-6.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 R 30.13

$1.88 R 30.74

-2.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R 27.13

$1.99 R 32.68

-16.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 R 19.63

$1.68 R 27.57

-28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 R 19.09

$1.77 R 29.00

-33.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 R 20.58

$1.44 R 23.60

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.45

$1.30 R 21.32

0.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 R 54.3

$3.32 R 54.4

Wine (Bottle)

$5.26 R 86.2

$6.16 R 101

-14.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 R 26.36

$1.90 R 31.13

-15.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 R 32.02

$2.41 R 39.49

-18.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.08 R 34.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.3 R 1,496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 R 5.27

$0.93 R 15.28

-65.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R 15.72

$0.88 R 14.48

9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.89 R 244

$14.97 R 245

-0.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 R 25.05

$1.50 R 24.64

2.00%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.0K R 589.0K

$36.9K R 603.7K

-2.45%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.6K R 533.6K

$32.0K R 524.6K

1.72%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$204 R 3,339

$218 R 3,564

-6.30%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$38.80 R 636

$38.57 R 632

0.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.16 R 625

$36.70 R 601

3.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.56 R 304

$36.86 R 604

-49.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.38 R 285

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 R 122

$8.52 R 140

-12.32%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$245 R 4,019

$247 R 4,038

-0.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,491 R 89.9K

$5,495 R 90.0K

-0.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 R 881

$57.7 R 944

-6.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.94 R 539

$47.79 R 783

-31.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 R 1,523

$109 R 1,777

-14.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 R 1,371

$108 R 1,762

-22.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 R 6,603

$526 R 8,621

-23.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 R 5,110

$442 R 7,233

-29.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 R 7,908

$1,055 R 17.3K

-54.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$887 R 14.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,006 R 16.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$757 R 12.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,049 R 33.6K

$1,724 R 28.2K

18.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Benoni: September 14, 2026

Last update for Johannesburg: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Benoni and $526 in Johannesburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Benoni pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Benoni vs $48.00 in Johannesburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $222 per month, with Benoni cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Benoni vs Johannesburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Benoni and Johannesburg differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,102 vs $1,425 including rent). Benoni is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 19% higher in Benoni, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $403 in Benoni versus $526 in Johannesburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Johannesburg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,102 per month in Benoni versus $1,425 in Johannesburg – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,102 in Benoni versus $1,425 in Johannesburg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Benoni but tight or insufficient in Johannesburg. The gap between the two cities makes Benoni the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Benoni and Johannesburg are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Benoni gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Johannesburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.