Cost of Living Comparison Between Boksburg and Johannesburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Boksburg and Johannesburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,067 in Boksburg versus $1,179 in Johannesburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,657 in Boksburg versus $1,810 in Johannesburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,248 in Boksburg versus $2,442 in Johannesburg.

Living in Boksburg costs roughly 9% less than in Johannesburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Boksburg 20% lower, Johannesburg 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.00 R 179

$11.02 R 179

-0.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.53 R 675

$45.02 R 732

-7.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 R 78.1

$4.91 R 79.8

-2.04%

Cappuccino

$2.13 R 34.54

$2.27 R 36.89

-6.17%

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

$1.03 R 16.71

$0.99 R 16.06

4.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.24

$0.77 R 12.58

6.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 R 36.57

$2.63 R 42.79

-14.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 R 44.23

$2.53 R 41.12

7.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.39

$1.19 R 19.26

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 R 17.10

$1.06 R 17.15

-0.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.53

$1.70 R 27.59

-7.65%

Eggs

$2.52 R 40.97

$2.52 R 40.90

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 R 126

$8.36 R 136

-6.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 R 73.4

$4.68 R 76.0

-3.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.58 R 107

$6.67 R 108

-1.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.57

$1.68 R 27.25

-2.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.19

$1.48 R 24.04

0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.70

$1.49 R 24.28

6.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.70

$1.59 R 25.78

3.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.32

$1.43 R 23.19

4.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.45

$1.46 R 23.74

-1.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 R 16.90

$1.06 R 17.21

-1.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 R 18.73

$0.88 R 14.26

30.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 R 48.67

$3.03 R 49.31

-1.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.07 R 98.6

$6.11 R 99.3

-0.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R 21.94

$1.36 R 22.03

-0.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 R 28.73

$1.67 R 27.13

5.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 27.21

$1.72 R 27.87

-2.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.0 R 1,121

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 17.71

$1.10 R 17.88

-0.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 R 14.76

$0.95 R 15.37

-4.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 R 50.8

$4.07 R 66.1

-23.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 21.01

$1.28 R 20.86

0.78%

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

$18.9K R 306.8K

$22.6K R 367.0K

-16.39%

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

$23.8K R 386.6K

$24.4K R 395.9K

-2.36%

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

$124 R 2,018

$119 R 1,929

4.62%

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

$39.83 R 647

$39.96 R 649

-0.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.92 R 697

$43.32 R 704

-0.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.04 R 456

$33.66 R 547

-16.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.82 R 111

$13.96 R 227

-51.15%

Cinema Ticket

$7.59 R 123

$7.40 R 120

2.57%

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

$200 R 3,256

$206 R 3,354

-2.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,899 R 79.6K

$4,959 R 80.6K

-1.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 R 814

$51.3 R 833

-2.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.96 R 519

$34.03 R 553

-6.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 R 1,446

$91.9 R 1,493

-3.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.6 R 1,278

$78.8 R 1,281

-0.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$305 R 4,949

$419 R 6,817

-27.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 R 5,408

$372 R 6,038

-10.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 R 9,872

$918 R 14.9K

-33.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 R 11.9K

$718 R 11.7K

1.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,063 R 17.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$765 R 12.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$900 R 14.6K

$1,714 R 27.8K

-47.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

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

Last update for Boksburg: June 1, 2026

Last update for Johannesburg: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $305 in Boksburg and $419 in Johannesburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johannesburg pays 90% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Boksburg vs $45.00 in Johannesburg. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 vs $183, with Johannesburg cheaper for home cooking.

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

Boksburg vs Johannesburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boksburg and Johannesburg differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,067 vs $1,179 including rent). Boksburg is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Johannesburg earns 90% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $305 in Boksburg versus $419 in Johannesburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Johannesburg pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,067 per month in Boksburg versus $1,179 in Johannesburg – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,067 in Boksburg versus $1,179 in Johannesburg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boksburg but tight or insufficient in Johannesburg. The gap between the two cities makes Boksburg 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.

Expats usually find Boksburg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Johannesburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.