Cost of Living Comparison Between George and Johannesburg Cost of Living Comparison Between George and Johannesburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,144 in George versus $1,423 in Johannesburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,909 in George versus $2,243 in Johannesburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,673 in George versus $3,064 in Johannesburg.

Living in George costs roughly 20% less than in Johannesburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: George is 16% below, Johannesburg is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.18 R 180

$12.42 R 200

-9.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.45 R 700

$48.00 R 773

-9.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.21 R 84.0

$7.35 R 118

-29.12%

Cappuccino

$2.25 R 36.23

$2.47 R 39.75

-8.91%

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

$1.07 R 17.31

$1.20 R 19.40

-10.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 R 12.65

$0.91 R 14.70

-13.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 R 43.64

$2.10 R 33.90

29.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R 53.2

$2.72 R 43.83

21.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 18.69

$1.36 R 21.97

-14.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.19

$1.31 R 21.04

-18.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 R 24.70

$1.76 R 28.38

-13.07%

Eggs

$2.90 R 46.73

$2.53 R 40.81

14.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.97 R 145

$9.31 R 150

-3.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 R 88.5

$6.00 R 96.7

-8.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.80 R 110

$8.89 R 143

-23.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 R 26.92

$2.11 R 33.94

-20.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.32

$1.85 R 29.72

-18.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.30

$1.76 R 28.28

-10.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 R 28.21

$2.10 R 33.84

-16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 R 27.75

$1.70 R 27.38

1.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 R 23.42

$1.72 R 27.68

-15.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 R 21.18

$1.39 R 22.35

-5.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 R 16.41

$1.27 R 20.45

-19.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 R 53.6

$3.36 R 54.1

-0.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.84 R 77.9

$6.01 R 96.8

-19.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.17

$1.82 R 29.32

-28.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 R 27.35

$2.48 R 39.91

-31.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 R 25.06

$1.83 R 29.47

-14.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.65 R 462

$93.9 R 1,513

-69.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 R 10.44

$0.88 R 14.14

-26.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 R 7.52

$0.89 R 14.40

-47.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.75 R 141

$14.76 R 238

-40.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 R 21.07

$1.55 R 24.94

-15.48%

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

$30.1K R 485.6K

$36.4K R 586.0K

-17.14%

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

$30.2K R 486.2K

$32.2K R 518.0K

-6.14%

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

$128 R 2,061

$214 R 3,450

-40.25%

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

$17.66 R 284

$35.24 R 568

-49.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.96 R 756

$39.44 R 635

19.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.74 R 479

$40.00 R 644

-25.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.29 R 198

$16.66 R 268

-26.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 R 97.6

$7.91 R 127

-23.39%

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

$140 R 2,254

$250 R 4,021

-43.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,253 R 84.6K

$5,731 R 92.3K

-8.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.7 R 1,188

$58.3 R 938

26.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.34 R 650

$45.27 R 729

-10.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 R 1,850

$110 R 1,768

4.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 R 1,399

$108 R 1,739

-19.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 R 6,972

$555 R 8,943

-22.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 R 6,055

$447 R 7,207

-15.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$790 R 12.7K

$1,085 R 17.5K

-27.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$956 R 15.4K

$914 R 14.7K

4.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$875 R 14.1K

$1,025 R 16.5K

-14.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$654 R 10.5K

$768 R 12.4K

-14.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,384 R 22.3K

$1,755 R 28.3K

-21.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

10.91

0.09%

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

Last update for George: August 16, 2026

Last update for Johannesburg: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in George and $555 in Johannesburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johannesburg pays 27% 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: $43.00 in George vs $48.00 in Johannesburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $223 per month, with George 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

George vs Johannesburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Johannesburg. 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: $433 in George versus $555 in Johannesburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in George – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $48.00 in Johannesburg. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,144 per month in George versus $1,423 in Johannesburg – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,144 in George versus $1,423 in Johannesburg, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George but tight or insufficient in Johannesburg. The gap between the two cities makes George the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, George is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Johannesburg, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, George 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 George gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Johannesburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.