Cost of Living Comparison Between Hermanus and Johannesburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Hermanus and Johannesburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,181 in Hermanus versus $1,435 in Johannesburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,796 in Hermanus versus $2,252 in Johannesburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,411 in Hermanus versus $3,069 in Johannesburg.

Living in Hermanus costs roughly 18% less than in Johannesburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hermanus is 14% below, Johannesburg is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.62 R 218

$12.61 R 202

8.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.62 R 586

$46.05 R 736

-20.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 R 92.7

$7.51 R 120

-22.77%

Cappuccino

$2.39 R 38.24

$2.49 R 39.82

-4.02%

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

$1.11 R 17.76

$1.26 R 20.23

-11.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 13.88

$0.94 R 15.07

-7.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 R 39.10

$2.07 R 33.11

18.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 R 45.69

$2.77 R 44.24

3.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 R 19.62

$1.36 R 21.79

-9.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 R 17.96

$1.29 R 20.57

-13.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 R 29.77

$1.83 R 29.27

1.64%

Eggs

$2.65 R 42.38

$2.68 R 42.86

-1.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 R 134

$9.34 R 149

-10.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.18 R 82.8

$6.00 R 96.0

-13.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 R 121

$9.15 R 146

-17.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 R 31.48

$2.25 R 35.97

-12.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 R 26.68

$1.95 R 31.25

-14.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 R 28.85

$1.82 R 29.09

-1.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 R 28.71

$2.13 R 34.08

-15.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.33

$1.79 R 28.66

-15.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 R 23.82

$1.87 R 29.95

-20.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 R 20.38

$1.51 R 24.14

-15.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R 19.36

$1.34 R 21.44

-9.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 R 54.6

$3.40 R 54.4

0.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.16 R 115

$6.05 R 96.8

18.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 R 24.27

$1.86 R 29.76

-18.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 R 31.10

$2.45 R 39.14

-20.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 R 24.21

$2.13 R 34.08

-29.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 R 1,501

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 R 10.32

$0.90 R 14.43

-27.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 R 13.62

$0.94 R 15.10

-9.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.30 R 149

$15.16 R 243

-38.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 R 23.75

$1.54 R 24.56

-3.25%

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

$37.5K R 599.2K

$36.4K R 581.6K

3.03%

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

$33.3K R 531.8K

$32.9K R 525.6K

1.18%

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

$154 R 2,471

$222 R 3,552

-30.45%

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

$35.23 R 563

$38.73 R 619

-9.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.38 R 678

$39.69 R 635

6.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.83 R 349

$38.29 R 612

-42.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.28 R 228

$17.46 R 279

-18.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 R 101

$7.99 R 128

-20.78%

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

$252 R 4,036

$248 R 3,964

1.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,709 R 91.3K

$5,745 R 91.9K

-0.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 R 864

$59.9 R 958

-9.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.39 R 550

$48.00 R 768

-28.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 R 1,658

$109 R 1,748

-5.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.7 R 1,498

$110 R 1,760

-14.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 R 6,516

$546 R 8,731

-25.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 R 5,952

$443 R 7,081

-15.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 R 12.1K

$1,107 R 17.7K

-31.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$769 R 12.3K

$939 R 15.0K

-18.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$885 R 14.2K

$1,020 R 16.3K

-13.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$646 R 10.3K

$773 R 12.4K

-16.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,787 R 28.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

0.82%

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

Last update for Hermanus: August 31, 2026

Last update for Johannesburg: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Hermanus and $546 in Johannesburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Hermanus vs $46.00 in Johannesburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $228 per month, with Hermanus 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

Hermanus vs Johannesburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hermanus is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,771 in Hermanus and $2,152 in Johannesburg to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $407 in Hermanus versus $546 in Johannesburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Johannesburg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,181 per month in Hermanus versus $1,435 in Johannesburg – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,181 in Hermanus versus $1,435 in Johannesburg, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Hermanus but tight or insufficient in Johannesburg. The gap between the two cities makes Hermanus the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Hermanus 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, Hermanus 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 Hermanus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Johannesburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.