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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,141 per month in Johannesburg vs $917 in Margate, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,776 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,412 in Margate, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,410 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,907 in Margate, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 24% more than Margate, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Johannesburg and Margate are more affordable than the global median – Johannesburg 15% lower, Margate 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.36 R 190

$7.05 R 118

61.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.87 R 752

$28.46 R 477

57.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 R 80.2

$3.40 R 57.0

40.59%

Cappuccino

$2.22 R 37.25

$1.23 R 20.55

80.49%

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

$1.00 R 16.73

$0.67 R 11.27

49.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 R 12.59

$0.37 R 6.25

102.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 R 45.55

$2.01 R 33.69

35.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R 41.57

$1.36 R 22.86

82.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 19.32

$0.81 R 13.59

41.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 R 17.69

$0.80 R 13.42

31.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.62

$1.20 R 20.21

37.50%

Eggs

$2.52 R 42.19

$2.20 R 36.92

14.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.37 R 140

$4.86 R 81.6

72.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 R 81.6

$2.47 R 41.49

97.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.82 R 114

$3.50 R 58.8

94.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 R 27.41

$1.37 R 22.92

18.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.53

$1.40 R 23.55

8.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.98

$1.23 R 20.62

21.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 R 26.52

$1.29 R 21.68

22.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 R 25.39

$0.99 R 16.62

52.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 R 23.60

$1.19 R 19.95

18.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 R 18.42

$0.97 R 16.33

13.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 16.15

$0.95 R 15.97

1.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 R 52.0

$1.44 R 24.23

115.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 R 102

$3.60 R 60.3

68.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R 22.59

$0.93 R 15.59

45.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 R 26.73

$1.37 R 22.97

16.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 R 28.61

$1.07 R 17.89

59.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.8 R 1,171

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 18.29

$0.71 R 11.94

53.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 15.92

$0.58 R 9.64

63.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.95 R 66.2

$4.39 R 73.6

-10.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 21.24

$1.34 R 22.40

-5.22%

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

$22.0K R 369.7K

$20.1K R 336.6K

9.84%

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

$23.6K R 395.0K

$24.5K R 411.3K

-3.97%

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

$120 R 2,015

$146 R 2,452

-17.82%

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

$41.02 R 688

$29.77 R 499

37.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.29 R 709

$33.93 R 569

24.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.01 R 570

$31.19 R 523

9.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.44 R 225

$3.44 R 57.7

290.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 R 123

$3.68 R 61.8

99.18%

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

$210 R 3,517

$206 R 3,453

1.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,868 R 81.6K

$4,675 R 78.4K

4.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.43 R 829

$41.44 R 695

19.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.23 R 557

$30.51 R 512

8.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 R 1,534

$95.6 R 1,603

-4.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 R 1,340

$71.6 R 1,201

11.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 R 7,131

$369 R 6,182

15.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 R 6,328

$335 R 5,625

12.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 R 15.6K

$694 R 11.6K

34.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 R 11.8K

$684 R 11.5K

2.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,050 R 17.6K

$534 R 8,962

96.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$751 R 12.6K

$555 R 9,310

35.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,570 R 26.3K

$1,517 R 25.4K

3.53%

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 Margate: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Johannesburg versus $369 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 4% 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: $185 vs $129 – 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 24% 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 $1,712 per month in Johannesburg and $1,375 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 $1,141 in Johannesburg and $917 in Margate. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $210 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 $917, than in Johannesburg at $1,141. 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 $917 versus $1,141 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.