Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and Johannesburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and Johannesburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,273 per month in Cape Town vs $1,179 in Johannesburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,983 per month in Cape Town vs $1,810 in Johannesburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,693 per month in Cape Town vs $2,442 in Johannesburg, rent included.

Cape Town costs about 8% more than Johannesburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Cape Town and Johannesburg are more affordable than the global median – Cape Town 5% lower, Johannesburg 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 R 180

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.99 R 734

$45.02 R 735

-0.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 R 80.1

Cappuccino

$2.00 R 32.62

$2.27 R 37.04

-11.89%

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

$1.10 R 18.02

$0.99 R 16.13

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R 13.48

$0.77 R 12.63

7.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.87 R 46.76

$2.63 R 42.97

9.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R 40.52

$2.53 R 41.29

-1.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 18.69

$1.19 R 19.34

-3.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 R 17.66

$1.06 R 17.22

1.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 R 30.51

$1.70 R 27.70

10.00%

Eggs

$2.47 R 40.28

$2.52 R 41.07

-1.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 R 140

$8.36 R 136

2.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 R 83.8

$4.68 R 76.3

9.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.66 R 125

$6.67 R 109

14.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.34

$1.68 R 27.36

-11.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.36

$1.48 R 24.14

0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.38

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.95

$1.59 R 25.88

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 R 17.61

$1.43 R 23.28

-24.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R 20.24

$1.46 R 23.84

-15.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 R 17.90

$1.06 R 17.28

3.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.64

$0.88 R 14.32

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 R 49.54

$3.03 R 49.51

0.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.18 R 101

$6.11 R 99.7

1.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 R 23.06

$1.36 R 22.12

3.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 R 27.34

$1.67 R 27.24

0.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R 15.24

$1.72 R 27.99

-45.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.91 R 782

$69.0 R 1,125

-30.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 R 22.52

$1.10 R 17.95

25.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 R 15.20

$0.95 R 15.43

-2.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 R 71.2

$4.07 R 66.4

7.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.42

$1.28 R 20.94

-2.34%

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

$21.3K R 348.3K

$22.6K R 368.5K

-5.48%

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

$24.5K R 399.1K

$24.4K R 397.6K

0.38%

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

$98.3 R 1,604

$119 R 1,937

-17.18%

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

$33.19 R 542

$39.96 R 652

-16.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.75 R 665

$43.32 R 707

-5.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.68 R 680

$33.66 R 549

23.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.15 R 133

$13.96 R 228

-41.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 R 107

$7.40 R 121

-11.49%

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

$211 R 3,450

$206 R 3,368

2.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,300 R 86.5K

$4,959 R 80.9K

6.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 R 910

$51.3 R 836

8.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.78 R 535

$34.03 R 555

-3.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 R 1,877

$91.9 R 1,500

25.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.5 R 1,379

$78.8 R 1,286

7.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$765 R 12.5K

$419 R 6,845

82.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$520 R 8,488

$372 R 6,063

39.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 R 23.3K

$918 R 15.0K

55.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 R 16.5K

$718 R 11.7K

41.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,344 R 38.2K

$1,063 R 17.3K

120.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,506 R 24.6K

$765 R 12.5K

97.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,683 R 27.5K

$1,714 R 28.0K

-1.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.77

11.51

2.26%

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

Last update for Cape Town: June 1, 2026

Last update for Johannesburg: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $765 in Cape Town versus $419 in Johannesburg. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Johannesburg, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Cape Town versus $45.00 in Johannesburg. Groceries tell a different story – $189 in Cape Town vs $183 in Johannesburg – so Johannesburg wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Cape Town vs Johannesburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Town costs about 8% more than Johannesburg, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,909 per month in Cape Town and $1,768 in Johannesburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Johannesburg, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,273 in Cape Town and $1,179 in Johannesburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 44% less in Johannesburg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Johannesburg, where all-in costs run around $1,179, than in Cape Town at $1,273. In Johannesburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cape Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Johannesburg costs $1,179 versus $1,273 in Cape Town. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Johannesburg. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cape Town makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.