Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Burgersfort Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Burgersfort

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,141 in Johannesburg versus $968 in Burgersfort.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,776 in Johannesburg versus $1,509 in Burgersfort.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,410 in Johannesburg versus $2,050 in Burgersfort.

Living in Johannesburg is roughly 18% more expensive than Burgersfort, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Johannesburg 15% lower, Burgersfort 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.36 R 188

$8.37 R 139

35.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.87 R 743

$33.84 R 560

32.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 R 79.1

$4.68 R 77.4

2.14%

Cappuccino

$2.22 R 36.76

$1.94 R 32.16

14.43%

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

$1.00 R 16.51

$0.86 R 14.22

16.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 R 12.43

$0.53 R 8.83

41.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 R 44.96

$2.26 R 37.42

20.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R 41.03

$1.73 R 28.60

43.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 19.07

$1.03 R 17.01

11.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 R 17.45

$0.92 R 15.28

14.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.26

$1.62 R 26.75

1.85%

Eggs

$2.52 R 41.64

$2.45 R 40.61

2.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.37 R 139

$3.46 R 57.2

141.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 R 80.6

$2.46 R 40.74

97.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.82 R 113

$6.48 R 107

5.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 R 27.05

$1.65 R 27.24

-1.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.20

$1.60 R 26.53

-5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.65

$1.58 R 26.20

-5.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 R 26.17

$1.70 R 28.15

-7.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 R 25.05

$0.85 R 14.11

77.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 R 23.29

$1.22 R 20.14

15.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 R 18.18

$1.09 R 18.07

0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.94

$1.03 R 17.03

-6.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 R 51.3

$2.84 R 47.01

9.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 R 101

$1.24 R 20.60

390.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R 22.29

$1.04 R 17.13

29.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 R 26.38

$1.84 R 30.38

-13.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 R 28.24

$1.60 R 26.50

6.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.8 R 1,156

$41.28 R 683

69.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 18.05

$0.85 R 14.10

28.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 15.71

$1.37 R 22.62

-30.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.95 R 65.4

$3.15 R 52.2

25.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 20.96

$1.24 R 20.50

2.42%

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

$22.0K R 364.8K

$19.0K R 314.3K

16.07%

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

$23.6K R 389.8K

$25.6K R 424.4K

-8.14%

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

$120 R 1,989

$125 R 2,069

-3.86%

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

$41.02 R 679

$37.54 R 621

9.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.29 R 700

$37.85 R 626

11.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.01 R 563

$30.58 R 506

11.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.44 R 222

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 R 121

$7.50 R 124

-2.27%

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

$210 R 3,471

$33.55 R 555

525.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,868 R 80.6K

$4,371 R 72.3K

11.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.43 R 818

$38.47 R 637

28.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.23 R 550

$16.29 R 270

103.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 R 1,514

$44.10 R 730

107.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 R 1,323

$68.5 R 1,133

16.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 R 7,037

$359 R 5,949

18.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 R 6,245

$328 R 5,427

15.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 R 15.4K

$673 R 11.1K

38.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 R 11.6K

0.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,050 R 17.4K

$705 R 11.7K

48.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$751 R 12.4K

$684 R 11.3K

9.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,570 R 26.0K

$1,064 R 17.6K

47.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

11.69

-1.54%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: April 28, 2026

Last update for Burgersfort: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Johannesburg and $359 in Burgersfort. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johannesburg pays 48% 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: $45.00 in Johannesburg vs $34.00 in Burgersfort for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $144 per month, with Burgersfort 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

Johannesburg vs Burgersfort: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johannesburg and Burgersfort differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,141 vs $968 including rent). Burgersfort is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Johannesburg pays 48% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $425 in Johannesburg versus $359 in Burgersfort. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,141 per month in Johannesburg versus $968 in Burgersfort – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Burgersfort runs roughly 69% less than in Johannesburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $968 in Burgersfort versus $1,141 in Johannesburg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Burgersfort but tight or insufficient in Johannesburg. The gap between the two cities makes Burgersfort 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.

Safety-wise, Johannesburg and Burgersfort 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 Burgersfort gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Johannesburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.