Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Fourways Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Fourways

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,160 per month in Johannesburg vs $999 in Fourways, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,812 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,486 in Fourways, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,974 in Fourways, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 16% more than Fourways, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Johannesburg and Fourways are more affordable than the global median – Johannesburg 13% lower, Fourways 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.10 R 183

$8.32 R 137

33.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.36 R 747

$27.75 R 457

63.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 R 79.2

$4.66 R 76.8

3.22%

Cappuccino

$2.18 R 35.85

$2.11 R 34.80

3.32%

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

$1.02 R 16.84

$1.07 R 17.56

-4.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.45

$0.83 R 13.59

-1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 R 44.37

$2.21 R 36.33

22.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 R 40.94

$2.77 R 45.54

-10.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 18.98

$1.02 R 16.73

12.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 17.93

$0.82 R 13.56

32.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.86

$1.48 R 24.28

14.19%

Eggs

$2.55 R 41.91

$1.96 R 32.32

30.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 R 136

$6.23 R 103

32.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 R 78.8

$3.51 R 57.8

36.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 R 108

$6.43 R 106

2.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.62

$1.44 R 23.70

16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.30

$1.55 R 25.45

-0.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.37

$1.60 R 26.41

-7.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 26.18

$1.53 R 25.14

3.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.73

$1.36 R 22.34

5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 R 22.90

$1.17 R 19.23

18.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.93

$1.11 R 18.29

-1.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 R 14.58

$0.90 R 14.78

-1.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 R 49.34

$2.84 R 46.76

5.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 R 96.7

$5.17 R 85.1

13.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.63

$1.56 R 25.63

-16.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 27.15

$1.85 R 30.50

-10.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 27.46

$1.68 R 27.72

-0.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 R 1,174

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 17.91

$1.36 R 22.38

-19.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 R 14.63

$1.34 R 21.98

-33.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 R 67.3

$3.17 R 52.2

29.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 20.92

$1.30 R 21.45

-2.31%

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

$22.5K R 370.5K

$14.3K R 236.0K

57.03%

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

$23.8K R 392.2K

$22.4K R 368.3K

6.50%

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

$119 R 1,958

$82.5 R 1,358

44.15%

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

$41.09 R 676

$37.00 R 609

11.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.46 R 699

$38.79 R 639

9.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.18 R 563

$29.86 R 492

14.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.64 R 225

$15.64 R 258

-12.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.42 R 122

$6.95 R 114

6.76%

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

$209 R 3,440

$194 R 3,192

7.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,974 R 81.9K

$4,398 R 72.4K

13.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.97 R 823

$51.2 R 842

-2.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.46 R 551

$32.18 R 530

3.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 R 1,491

$70.5 R 1,161

28.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 R 1,278

$90.0 R 1,481

-13.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$417 R 6,857

$365 R 6,001

14.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 R 6,201

$369 R 6,076

2.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 R 15.2K

$677 R 11.2K

36.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 R 11.5K

$638 R 10.5K

9.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 R 16.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$760 R 12.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 R 27.8K

$1,606 R 26.4K

5.21%

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 Fourways: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $417 in Johannesburg versus $365 in Fourways. 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 5% 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 $45.00 in Johannesburg versus $28.00 in Fourways. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $162 – making Fourways 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 Fourways: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johannesburg costs about 16% more than Fourways, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,739 per month in Johannesburg and $1,498 in Fourways. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Johannesburg and $28.00 in Fourways. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Fourways, where all-in costs run around $999, than in Johannesburg at $1,160. In Fourways it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fourways costs $999 versus $1,160 in Johannesburg. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Fourways. 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.