Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and George Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and George

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,423 in Johannesburg versus $1,144 in George.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,243 in Johannesburg versus $1,909 in George.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,064 in Johannesburg versus $2,673 in George.

Living in Johannesburg is roughly 24% more expensive than in George, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Johannesburg is 4% above, George is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.42 R 200

$11.18 R 180

11.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.00 R 773

$43.45 R 700

10.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.35 R 118

$5.21 R 84.0

41.07%

Cappuccino

$2.47 R 39.75

$2.25 R 36.23

9.78%

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

$1.20 R 19.40

$1.07 R 17.31

12.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 R 14.70

$0.79 R 12.65

15.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 R 33.90

$2.71 R 43.64

-22.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 R 43.83

$3.30 R 53.2

-17.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 R 21.97

$1.16 R 18.69

17.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 R 21.04

$1.07 R 17.19

22.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 R 28.38

$1.53 R 24.70

15.03%

Eggs

$2.53 R 40.81

$2.90 R 46.73

-12.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 R 150

$8.97 R 145

3.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.00 R 96.7

$5.49 R 88.5

9.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 R 143

$6.80 R 110

30.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 R 33.94

$1.67 R 26.92

26.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 R 29.72

$1.51 R 24.32

22.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 R 28.28

$1.57 R 25.30

12.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 R 33.84

$1.75 R 28.21

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.38

$1.72 R 27.75

-1.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 R 27.68

$1.45 R 23.42

18.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 R 22.35

$1.32 R 21.18

5.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R 20.45

$1.02 R 16.41

24.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 R 54.1

$3.33 R 53.6

0.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 R 96.8

$4.84 R 77.9

24.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 R 29.32

$1.31 R 21.17

38.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R 39.91

$1.70 R 27.35

45.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.83 R 29.47

$1.56 R 25.06

17.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 R 1,513

$28.65 R 462

227.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 R 14.14

$0.65 R 10.44

35.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 R 14.40

$0.47 R 7.52

89.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.76 R 238

$8.75 R 141

68.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 R 24.94

$1.31 R 21.07

18.32%

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

$36.4K R 586.0K

$30.1K R 485.6K

20.68%

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

$32.2K R 518.0K

$30.2K R 486.2K

6.55%

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

$214 R 3,450

$128 R 2,061

67.37%

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

$35.24 R 568

$17.66 R 284

99.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.44 R 635

$46.96 R 756

-16.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.00 R 644

$29.74 R 479

34.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 R 268

$12.29 R 198

35.56%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 R 127

$6.06 R 97.6

30.53%

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

$250 R 4,021

$140 R 2,254

78.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,731 R 92.3K

$5,253 R 84.6K

9.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 R 938

$73.7 R 1,188

-21.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.27 R 729

$40.34 R 650

12.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 R 1,768

$115 R 1,850

-4.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 R 1,739

$86.9 R 1,399

24.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 R 8,943

$433 R 6,972

28.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 R 7,207

$376 R 6,055

19.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 R 17.5K

$790 R 12.7K

37.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$914 R 14.7K

$956 R 15.4K

-4.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,025 R 16.5K

$875 R 14.1K

17.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$768 R 12.4K

$654 R 10.5K

17.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,755 R 28.3K

$1,384 R 22.3K

26.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

10.92

-0.09%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: August 16, 2026

Last update for George: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $555 in Johannesburg and $433 in George. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johannesburg pays 27% 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: $48.00 in Johannesburg vs $43.00 in George for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $192 per month, with George 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 George: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 27% higher in Johannesburg, 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: $555 in Johannesburg versus $433 in George. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in George – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $48.00 in Johannesburg. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,423 per month in Johannesburg versus $1,144 in George – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,144 in George versus $1,423 in Johannesburg, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George but tight or insufficient in Johannesburg. The gap between the two cities makes George the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, George is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Johannesburg, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Johannesburg and George 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 George gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Johannesburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.