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: $1,142 in Johannesburg versus $970 in Burgersfort.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,779 in Johannesburg versus $1,540 in Burgersfort.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,416 in Johannesburg versus $2,110 in Burgersfort.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.40 R 184

$8.32 R 135

37.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.07 R 729

$33.80 R 546

33.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 R 80.2

$4.64 R 75.0

6.90%

Cappuccino

$2.27 R 36.74

$1.99 R 32.25

14.07%

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

$1.03 R 16.71

$0.80 R 12.95

28.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 R 13.09

$0.58 R 9.33

39.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 R 42.60

$2.22 R 35.88

18.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R 40.17

$1.63 R 26.37

52.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 18.52

$1.00 R 16.16

15.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 17.59

$0.94 R 15.12

15.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 R 26.88

$1.56 R 25.29

6.41%

Eggs

$2.45 R 39.54

$2.40 R 38.75

2.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.40 R 136

$3.33 R 53.8

152.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 R 77.8

$2.59 R 41.88

85.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.85 R 111

$6.55 R 106

4.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.29

$1.70 R 27.51

-0.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.57

$1.59 R 25.76

-4.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.92

$1.67 R 26.92

-7.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R 26.65

$1.68 R 27.22

-1.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 R 23.47

$0.86 R 13.92

68.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 R 22.31

$1.16 R 18.72

18.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 R 17.08

$1.09 R 17.65

-2.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.21

$1.03 R 16.68

-14.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 R 48.46

$2.76 R 44.66

8.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 R 101

$5.27 R 85.2

18.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R 22.04

$1.03 R 16.62

32.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 R 25.95

$1.82 R 29.38

-12.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 26.99

$1.62 R 26.26

3.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 R 1,149

$41.56 R 672

70.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R 18.65

$0.81 R 13.03

41.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R 15.46

$1.32 R 21.36

-27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 R 65.3

$3.01 R 48.74

34.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R 19.64

$1.23 R 19.83

-1.63%

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

$22.2K R 358.9K

$19.4K R 314.0K

14.30%

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

$23.6K R 382.0K

$26.3K R 425.5K

-10.22%

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

$116 R 1,875

$126 R 2,037

-7.96%

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

$39.97 R 646

$37.88 R 612

5.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.66 R 690

$38.77 R 627

10.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.37 R 556

$31.22 R 505

10.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.50 R 218

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 R 119

$7.34 R 119

-0.14%

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

$211 R 3,405

$34.28 R 554

514.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,820 R 77.9K

$4,400 R 71.1K

9.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 R 811

$39.50 R 639

27.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.43 R 540

$16.11 R 260

107.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 R 1,445

$44.92 R 726

99.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 R 1,273

$66.1 R 1,069

19.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 R 6,847

$361 R 5,831

17.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 R 6,079

$333 R 5,390

12.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$913 R 14.8K

$675 R 10.9K

35.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 R 11.5K

$693 R 11.2K

2.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,056 R 17.1K

$922 R 14.9K

14.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$770 R 12.5K

$693 R 11.2K

11.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,654 R 26.7K

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Burgersfort: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Johannesburg and $361 in Burgersfort. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 $152 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 ($1,142 vs $970 including rent). Burgersfort is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,713 in Johannesburg and $1,455 in Burgersfort 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: $423 in Johannesburg versus $361 in Burgersfort. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,142 per month in Johannesburg versus $970 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 71% less than in Johannesburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $970 in Burgersfort versus $1,142 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.