Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Hillcrest Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Hillcrest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,160 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,320 in Hillcrest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,812 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,876 in Hillcrest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,431 in Hillcrest, rent included.

Johannesburg is about 12% cheaper than Hillcrest, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Johannesburg and Hillcrest are more affordable than the global median – Johannesburg 13% lower, Hillcrest 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.10 R 183

$7.78 R 128

42.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.36 R 747

$28.38 R 467

59.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 R 79.2

$5.06 R 83.3

-4.94%

Cappuccino

$2.18 R 35.85

$1.91 R 31.48

14.14%

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

$1.02 R 16.84

$0.87 R 14.25

17.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.45

$0.67 R 11.10

22.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 R 44.37

$2.00 R 32.96

35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 R 40.94

$2.22 R 36.60

12.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 18.98

$0.88 R 14.46

30.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 17.93

$0.58 R 9.48

87.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.86

$1.19 R 19.65

42.02%

Eggs

$2.55 R 41.91

$2.11 R 34.79

20.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 R 136

$7.23 R 119

13.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 R 78.8

$3.85 R 63.4

24.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 R 108

$6.19 R 102

5.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.62

$1.44 R 23.77

16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.30

$1.11 R 18.22

38.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.37

$1.33 R 21.87

11.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 26.18

$1.36 R 22.38

16.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.73

$1.30 R 21.43

10.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 R 22.90

$1.21 R 19.94

14.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.93

$1.01 R 16.65

7.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 R 14.58

$0.87 R 14.39

2.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 R 49.34

$2.87 R 47.23

4.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 R 96.7

$4.85 R 79.8

21.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.63

$1.47 R 24.22

-10.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 27.15

$1.77 R 29.15

-6.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 27.46

$1.62 R 26.59

3.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 R 1,174

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 17.91

$1.65 R 27.22

-33.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 R 14.63

$0.59 R 9.71

50.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 R 67.3

$6.75 R 111

-39.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 20.92

$1.34 R 22.01

-5.22%

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

$22.5K R 370.5K

$20.4K R 335.5K

10.44%

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

$23.8K R 392.2K

$24.4K R 402.0K

-2.43%

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

$119 R 1,958

$143 R 2,359

-17.01%

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

$41.09 R 676

$29.41 R 484

39.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.46 R 699

$33.35 R 549

27.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.18 R 563

$30.76 R 506

11.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.64 R 225

Cinema Ticket

$7.42 R 122

$6.76 R 111

9.76%

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

$209 R 3,440

$207 R 3,406

1.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,974 R 81.9K

$4,558 R 75.0K

9.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.97 R 823

$42.34 R 697

18.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.46 R 551

$30.39 R 500

10.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 R 1,491

$95.1 R 1,565

-4.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 R 1,278

$73.5 R 1,210

5.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$417 R 6,857

$361 R 5,944

15.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 R 6,201

$679 R 11.2K

-44.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 R 15.2K

$684 R 11.3K

35.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 R 11.5K

$1,127 R 18.5K

-38.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 R 16.8K

$904 R 14.9K

12.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$760 R 12.5K

$695 R 11.4K

9.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 R 27.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

12.01

-4.16%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: July 26, 2026

Last update for Hillcrest: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $417 in Johannesburg versus $361 in Hillcrest. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Johannesburg versus $28.00 in Hillcrest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $155 – making Hillcrest 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 Hillcrest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hillcrest costs about 14% more than Johannesburg, 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 $1,980 in Hillcrest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Johannesburg, 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 Hillcrest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Hillcrest – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Johannesburg, where all-in costs run around $1,160, than in Hillcrest at $1,320. In Johannesburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hillcrest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Hillcrest has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,160 in Johannesburg to $1,320 in Hillcrest. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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