Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Howick Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Howick

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,141 in Johannesburg versus $872 in Howick.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,776 in Johannesburg versus $1,336 in Howick.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,410 in Johannesburg versus $1,801 in Howick.

Living in Johannesburg is roughly 31% more expensive than Howick, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Johannesburg 15% lower, Howick 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.36 R 190

$3.38 R 56.7

236.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.87 R 752

$28.23 R 473

58.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 R 80.2

$3.45 R 57.8

38.55%

Cappuccino

$2.22 R 37.25

$1.94 R 32.46

14.43%

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

$1.00 R 16.73

$0.58 R 9.66

72.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 R 12.59

$0.47 R 7.90

59.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 R 45.55

$1.94 R 32.60

40.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R 41.57

$2.20 R 36.90

12.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 19.32

$1.04 R 17.51

10.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 R 17.69

$0.80 R 13.50

31.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.62

$1.10 R 18.51

50.00%

Eggs

$2.52 R 42.19

$2.17 R 36.47

16.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.37 R 140

$4.89 R 82.0

71.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 R 81.6

$2.28 R 38.31

113.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.82 R 114

$5.08 R 85.1

34.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 R 27.41

$1.56 R 26.17

4.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.53

$1.09 R 18.34

39.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.98

$1.31 R 22.02

13.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 R 26.52

$1.14 R 19.16

38.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 R 25.39

$0.86 R 14.42

75.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 R 23.60

$1.18 R 19.76

19.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 R 18.42

$0.91 R 15.29

20.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 16.15

$0.92 R 15.42

4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 R 52.0

$3.14 R 52.7

-1.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 R 102

$4.74 R 79.5

28.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R 22.59

$1.09 R 18.34

23.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 R 26.73

$1.14 R 19.18

39.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 R 28.61

$1.62 R 27.10

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.8 R 1,171

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 18.29

$1.66 R 27.85

-34.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 15.92

$0.63 R 10.50

50.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.95 R 66.2

$6.57 R 110

-39.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 21.24

$1.19 R 19.97

6.72%

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

$22.0K R 369.7K

$14.2K R 238.7K

54.89%

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

$23.6K R 395.0K

$22.1K R 370.5K

6.61%

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

$120 R 2,015

$146 R 2,445

-17.57%

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

$41.02 R 688

$13.83 R 232

196.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.29 R 709

$33.87 R 568

24.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.01 R 570

$30.79 R 516

10.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.44 R 225

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 R 123

$5.50 R 92.2

33.27%

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

$210 R 3,517

$102 R 1,705

106.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,868 R 81.6K

$4,644 R 77.9K

4.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.43 R 829

$41.81 R 701

18.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.23 R 557

$13.89 R 233

139.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 R 1,534

$83.6 R 1,401

9.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 R 1,340

$45.31 R 760

76.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 R 7,131

$367 R 6,150

15.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 R 6,328

$329 R 5,520

14.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 R 15.6K

$681 R 11.4K

36.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 R 11.8K

$698 R 11.7K

0.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,050 R 17.6K

$758 R 12.7K

38.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$751 R 12.6K

$623 R 10.4K

20.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,570 R 26.3K

$1,194 R 20.0K

31.54%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Howick: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Johannesburg and $367 in Howick. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johannesburg pays 32% 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: $45.00 in Johannesburg vs $28.00 in Howick for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $135 per month, with Howick 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 Howick: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Howick is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Johannesburg pays 32% more on average, 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: $425 in Johannesburg versus $367 in Howick. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $210 in Johannesburg versus $102 in Howick. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Howick – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $45.00 in Johannesburg. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $872 in Howick versus $1,141 in Johannesburg, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Howick but tight or insufficient in Johannesburg. The gap between the two cities makes Howick the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Howick 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 Howick 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 Howick gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Johannesburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.