Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and East London Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and East London

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,425 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,045 in East London, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,190 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,696 in East London, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,955 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,347 in East London, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 36% more than East London, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Johannesburg sits 4% above the global median, while East London is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.42 R 202

$9.32 R 151

33.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 R 785

$38.27 R 622

26.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 R 118

$5.78 R 93.9

25.78%

Cappuccino

$2.52 R 40.90

$2.12 R 34.49

18.87%

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

$1.17 R 18.98

$1.09 R 17.65

7.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R 15.77

$0.80 R 12.94

21.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 R 36.61

$2.84 R 46.18

-20.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 R 45.87

$3.17 R 51.6

-11.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 R 22.09

$1.20 R 19.56

13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 R 20.83

$0.99 R 16.04

29.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 R 29.13

$1.50 R 24.32

19.33%

Eggs

$2.72 R 44.29

$2.21 R 35.95

23.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 R 140

$9.02 R 147

-4.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.76 R 93.7

$5.54 R 90.0

3.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.08 R 148

$8.48 R 138

7.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 R 34.87

$1.50 R 24.43

42.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 R 29.86

$1.58 R 25.75

16.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.51

$1.74 R 28.25

8.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 R 32.43

$1.54 R 25.01

29.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.36

$1.71 R 27.77

-1.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 R 28.79

$1.47 R 23.85

20.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 R 23.42

$1.20 R 19.53

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R 21.16

$0.92 R 14.95

41.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 R 54.0

$2.92 R 47.46

13.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.16 R 100

$4.99 R 81.1

23.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 R 30.89

$1.31 R 21.25

45.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 R 39.20

$1.81 R 29.40

33.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.08 R 33.74

$1.52 R 24.78

36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.3 R 1,484

$48.19 R 783

89.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 R 15.16

$1.21 R 19.59

-23.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 R 14.38

$0.50 R 8.16

76.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.97 R 243

$8.50 R 138

76.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 R 24.46

$1.33 R 21.66

12.78%

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

$36.9K R 599.2K

$36.2K R 588.0K

1.91%

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

$32.0K R 520.7K

$29.4K R 478.3K

8.85%

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

$218 R 3,538

$124 R 2,018

75.27%

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

$38.57 R 627

$33.92 R 551

13.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.70 R 597

$44.33 R 721

-17.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.86 R 599

$39.59 R 644

-6.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.38 R 283

Cinema Ticket

$8.52 R 139

$4.82 R 78.4

76.76%

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

$247 R 4,007

$179 R 2,913

37.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,495 R 89.3K

$5,458 R 88.7K

0.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 R 937

$58.6 R 952

-1.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.79 R 777

$34.33 R 558

39.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 R 1,764

$73.0 R 1,187

48.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 R 1,748

$100 R 1,626

7.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 R 8,557

$294 R 4,787

78.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 R 7,179

$255 R 4,141

73.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 R 17.1K

$548 R 8,916

92.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$887 R 14.4K

$655 R 10.7K

35.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,006 R 16.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$757 R 12.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,724 R 28.0K

$1,704 R 27.7K

1.17%

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 Johannesburg: September 14, 2026

Last update for East London: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $526 in Johannesburg versus $294 in East London. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Johannesburg, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Johannesburg versus $38.00 in East London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $193 – making East London the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 East London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,425 in Johannesburg, $1,045 in East London – roughly 36% apart. Johannesburg costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,137 per month in Johannesburg and $1,567 in East London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in East London, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $247 per month in Johannesburg and $179 in East London. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Johannesburg, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in East London, where all-in costs run around $1,045, than in Johannesburg at $1,425. In East London it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Johannesburg has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,045 in East London to $1,425 in Johannesburg. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with East London. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Johannesburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.