Cost of Living Comparison Between Grahamstown and Johannesburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Grahamstown and Johannesburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $991 in Grahamstown versus $1,160 in Johannesburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,547 in Grahamstown versus $1,812 in Johannesburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,103 in Grahamstown versus $2,464 in Johannesburg.

Living in Grahamstown costs roughly 15% less than in Johannesburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Grahamstown 26% lower, Johannesburg 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.60 R 143

$11.10 R 185

-22.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.99 R 550

$45.36 R 756

-27.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 R 80.7

$4.81 R 80.1

0.83%

Cappuccino

$2.12 R 35.38

$2.18 R 36.28

-2.75%

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

$1.02 R 17.04

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 R 12.76

$0.82 R 13.61

-6.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 R 38.03

$2.70 R 44.90

-15.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R 41.34

$2.49 R 41.42

-0.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 R 18.30

$1.15 R 19.21

-4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 R 17.59

$1.09 R 18.14

-2.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 R 27.22

$1.69 R 28.19

-3.55%

Eggs

$2.48 R 41.35

$2.55 R 42.40

-2.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.73 R 129

$8.24 R 137

-6.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 R 77.1

$4.78 R 79.7

-3.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.64 R 111

$6.56 R 109

1.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 R 27.59

$1.68 R 27.95

-1.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.44

$1.54 R 25.60

-4.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.48

$1.48 R 24.66

-0.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.44

$1.59 R 26.49

3.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.83

$1.44 R 24.01

-9.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 R 20.44

$1.39 R 23.17

-11.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 18.09

$1.09 R 18.15

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 R 15.32

$0.89 R 14.75

3.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 R 46.98

$3.00 R 49.92

-6.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.84 R 80.6

$5.87 R 97.8

-17.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 R 22.33

$1.31 R 21.89

2.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 R 28.63

$1.65 R 27.47

4.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 R 26.82

$1.67 R 27.79

-3.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 R 1,188

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R 18.40

$1.09 R 18.12

0.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 15.77

$0.89 R 14.80

6.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 R 68.2

$4.09 R 68.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 21.46

$1.27 R 21.17

1.57%

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

$21.1K R 350.7K

$22.5K R 375.0K

-6.46%

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

$24.1K R 402.2K

$23.8K R 396.9K

1.33%

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

$120 R 2,001

$119 R 1,981

1.00%

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

$34.58 R 576

$41.09 R 684

-15.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.61 R 693

$42.46 R 707

-2.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.97 R 516

$34.18 R 569

-9.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.64 R 227

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 R 115

$7.42 R 124

-6.87%

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

$201 R 3,344

$209 R 3,481

-3.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,315 R 71.9K

$4,974 R 82.9K

-13.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 R 848

$49.97 R 832

1.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.94 R 532

$33.46 R 557

-4.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 R 1,488

$90.6 R 1,508

-1.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 R 1,311

$77.6 R 1,293

1.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 R 6,103

$417 R 6,939

-12.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 R 5,611

$377 R 6,275

-10.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 R 11.4K

$925 R 15.4K

-26.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 R 11.5K

$697 R 11.6K

-1.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$866 R 14.4K

$1,020 R 17.0K

-15.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$712 R 11.9K

$760 R 12.7K

-6.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,190 R 19.8K

$1,689 R 28.1K

-29.55%

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 Grahamstown: July 28, 2026

Last update for Johannesburg: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $366 in Grahamstown and $417 in Johannesburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johannesburg pays 42% 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: $33.00 in Grahamstown vs $45.00 in Johannesburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $183 per month, with Grahamstown 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

Grahamstown vs Johannesburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Grahamstown wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Johannesburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Grahamstown the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 42% 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: $366 in Grahamstown versus $417 in Johannesburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Johannesburg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $991 per month in Grahamstown versus $1,160 in Johannesburg – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $991 in Grahamstown versus $1,160 in Johannesburg, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Grahamstown but tight or insufficient in Johannesburg. The gap between the two cities makes Grahamstown the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Grahamstown delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $991 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Grahamstown hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Grahamstown 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 Grahamstown gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Johannesburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.