Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Margate Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Margate

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,160 per month in Johannesburg vs $905 in Margate, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,812 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,395 in Margate, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,885 in Margate, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 28% more than Margate, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Johannesburg and Margate are more affordable than the global median – Johannesburg 13% lower, Margate 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.10 R 183

$7.03 R 116

57.89%

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

$3.59 R 59.0

33.98%

Cappuccino

$2.18 R 35.85

$1.18 R 19.47

84.75%

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

$1.02 R 16.84

$0.67 R 11.03

52.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.45

$0.40 R 6.59

105.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 R 44.37

$2.01 R 33.03

34.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 R 40.94

$1.42 R 23.37

75.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 18.98

$0.85 R 14.01

35.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 17.93

$0.79 R 13.08

37.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.86

$1.26 R 20.79

34.13%

Eggs

$2.55 R 41.91

$2.10 R 34.59

21.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 R 136

$4.77 R 78.6

72.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 R 78.8

$2.40 R 39.57

99.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 R 108

$3.52 R 57.9

86.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.62

$1.36 R 22.36

23.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.30

$1.37 R 22.49

12.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.37

$1.28 R 21.06

15.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 26.18

$1.31 R 21.56

21.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.73

$0.94 R 15.47

53.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 R 22.90

$1.24 R 20.34

12.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.93

$0.98 R 16.09

11.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 R 14.58

$0.94 R 15.48

-5.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 R 49.34

$1.46 R 24.07

105.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 R 96.7

$3.46 R 57.0

69.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.63

$0.94 R 15.49

39.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 27.15

$1.41 R 23.25

17.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 27.46

$1.02 R 16.86

63.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 R 1,174

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 17.91

$0.71 R 11.64

53.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 R 14.63

$0.58 R 9.60

53.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 R 67.3

$4.58 R 75.5

-10.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 20.92

$1.33 R 21.88

-4.51%

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

$22.5K R 370.5K

$19.9K R 327.9K

13.01%

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

$23.8K R 392.2K

$24.3K R 399.5K

-1.83%

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

$119 R 1,958

$145 R 2,381

-17.78%

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

$41.09 R 676

$28.84 R 475

42.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.46 R 699

$34.02 R 560

24.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.18 R 563

$30.47 R 502

12.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.64 R 225

$3.35 R 55.1

307.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.42 R 122

$3.54 R 58.3

109.60%

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

$209 R 3,440

$206 R 3,389

1.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,974 R 81.9K

$4,591 R 75.6K

8.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.97 R 823

$42.70 R 703

17.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.46 R 551

$29.68 R 489

12.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 R 1,491

$93.6 R 1,541

-3.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 R 1,278

$73.5 R 1,210

5.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$417 R 6,857

$371 R 6,103

12.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 R 6,201

$337 R 5,544

11.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 R 15.2K

$697 R 11.5K

32.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 R 11.5K

$700 R 11.5K

-0.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 R 16.8K

$864 R 14.2K

18.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$760 R 12.5K

$644 R 10.6K

17.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 R 27.8K

$1,513 R 24.9K

11.63%

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 Margate: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $417 in Johannesburg versus $371 in Margate. 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 12% 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 Margate. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $128 – making Margate 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 Margate: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johannesburg costs about 28% more than Margate, 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 $1,358 in Margate. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,160 in Johannesburg and $905 in Margate. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $209 per month in Johannesburg and $206 in Margate. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Margate, where all-in costs run around $905, than in Johannesburg at $1,160. In Margate it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Margate costs $905 versus $1,160 in Johannesburg. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Margate. 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.