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: $1,160 in Johannesburg versus $1,001 in Burgersfort.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,812 in Johannesburg versus $1,531 in Burgersfort.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,464 in Johannesburg versus $2,062 in Burgersfort.

Living in Johannesburg is roughly 16% more expensive than in Burgersfort, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Johannesburg 13% lower, Burgersfort 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.10 R 183

$8.22 R 135

35.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.36 R 747

$33.02 R 544

37.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 R 79.2

$4.73 R 77.9

1.69%

Cappuccino

$2.18 R 35.85

$2.01 R 33.10

8.46%

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

$1.02 R 16.84

$0.81 R 13.27

25.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.45

$0.58 R 9.54

41.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 R 44.37

$2.21 R 36.45

22.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 R 40.94

$1.65 R 27.12

50.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 18.98

$0.99 R 16.31

16.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 17.93

$0.97 R 15.92

12.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.86

$1.63 R 26.78

3.68%

Eggs

$2.55 R 41.91

$2.46 R 40.57

3.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 R 136

$3.46 R 57.0

138.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 R 78.8

$2.57 R 42.29

85.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 R 108

$6.63 R 109

-1.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.62

$1.68 R 27.59

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.30

$1.60 R 26.31

-3.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.37

$1.67 R 27.45

-11.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 26.18

$1.64 R 26.97

-3.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.73

$0.87 R 14.31

65.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 R 22.90

$1.16 R 19.02

19.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.93

$1.09 R 17.87

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 R 14.58

$1.07 R 17.66

-16.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 R 49.34

$2.75 R 45.21

9.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 R 96.7

$5.02 R 82.7

16.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.63

$0.99 R 16.32

32.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 27.15

$1.80 R 29.68

-8.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 27.46

$1.64 R 26.92

1.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 R 1,174

$40.65 R 669

75.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 17.91

$0.87 R 14.29

25.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 R 14.63

$1.34 R 22.03

-33.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 R 67.3

$3.00 R 49.38

36.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 20.92

$1.27 R 20.91

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

$22.5K R 370.5K

$19.2K R 315.4K

17.48%

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

$23.8K R 392.2K

$25.9K R 426.1K

-7.94%

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

$119 R 1,958

$125 R 2,050

-4.51%

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

$41.09 R 676

$36.71 R 604

11.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.46 R 699

$38.86 R 640

9.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.18 R 563

$31.60 R 520

8.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.64 R 225

Cinema Ticket

$7.42 R 122

$7.36 R 121

0.82%

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

$209 R 3,440

$32.94 R 542

534.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,974 R 81.9K

$4,285 R 70.5K

16.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.97 R 823

$38.88 R 640

28.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.46 R 551

$16.05 R 264

108.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 R 1,491

$44.62 R 735

102.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 R 1,278

$67.6 R 1,112

14.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$417 R 6,857

$369 R 6,067

13.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 R 6,201

$333 R 5,482

13.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 R 15.2K

$695 R 11.4K

32.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 R 11.5K

$688 R 11.3K

1.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 R 16.8K

$989 R 16.3K

3.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$760 R 12.5K

$624 R 10.3K

21.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 R 27.8K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Burgersfort: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $417 in Johannesburg and $369 in Burgersfort. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Johannesburg vs $33.00 in Burgersfort for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $153 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 16% in total monthly costs ($1,160 vs $1,001 including rent). Burgersfort is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,739 in Johannesburg and $1,501 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: $417 in Johannesburg versus $369 in Burgersfort. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,160 per month in Johannesburg versus $1,001 in Burgersfort – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Burgersfort runs roughly 75% less than in Johannesburg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,001 in Burgersfort versus $1,160 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 16% less than in Johannesburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.