Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Mossel Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Mossel Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,160 per month in Johannesburg vs $979 in Mossel Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,812 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,585 in Mossel Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,192 in Mossel Bay, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 19% more than Mossel Bay, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Johannesburg and Mossel Bay are more affordable than the global median – Johannesburg 13% lower, Mossel Bay 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.10 R 183

$13.18 R 217

-15.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.36 R 747

$45.45 R 748

-0.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 R 79.2

$8.23 R 136

-41.56%

Cappuccino

$2.18 R 35.85

$2.31 R 38.06

-5.63%

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

$1.02 R 16.84

$1.25 R 20.56

-18.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.45

$0.93 R 15.25

-11.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 R 44.37

$2.23 R 36.70

21.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 R 40.94

$2.72 R 44.83

-8.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 18.98

$1.07 R 17.61

7.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 17.93

$1.03 R 16.99

5.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.86

$2.12 R 34.97

-20.28%

Eggs

$2.55 R 41.91

$2.88 R 47.37

-11.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 R 136

$8.61 R 142

-4.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 R 78.8

$4.96 R 81.6

-3.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 R 108

$7.53 R 124

-12.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.62

$1.65 R 27.08

1.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.30

$1.04 R 17.12

48.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.37

$1.45 R 23.86

2.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 26.18

$1.87 R 30.82

-14.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.73

$1.80 R 29.64

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 R 22.90

$1.56 R 25.67

-10.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.93

$0.99 R 16.27

10.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 R 14.58

$1.13 R 18.56

-21.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 R 49.34

$3.28 R 53.9

-8.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 R 96.7

$4.82 R 79.3

21.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.63

$1.51 R 24.92

-13.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 27.15

$2.47 R 40.67

-33.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 27.46

$1.66 R 27.39

0.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 R 1,174

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 17.91

$1.10 R 18.10

-0.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 R 14.63

$1.06 R 17.50

-16.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 R 67.3

$3.91 R 64.4

4.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 20.92

$1.32 R 21.69

-3.79%

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

$22.5K R 370.5K

$19.5K R 320.9K

15.46%

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

$23.8K R 392.2K

$19.2K R 316.5K

23.95%

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

$119 R 1,958

$86.4 R 1,422

37.71%

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

$41.09 R 676

$16.68 R 275

146.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.46 R 699

$39.42 R 649

7.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.18 R 563

$19.58 R 322

74.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.64 R 225

$13.50 R 222

1.04%

Cinema Ticket

$7.42 R 122

$6.84 R 113

8.48%

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

$209 R 3,440

$120 R 1,972

74.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,974 R 81.9K

$1,586 R 26.1K

213.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.97 R 823

$42.59 R 701

17.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.46 R 551

$22.17 R 365

50.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 R 1,491

$76.7 R 1,263

18.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 R 1,278

$62.4 R 1,027

24.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$417 R 6,857

$462 R 7,601

-9.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 R 6,201

$339 R 5,588

10.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 R 15.2K

$943 R 15.5K

-1.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 R 11.5K

$644 R 10.6K

8.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 R 16.8K

$608 R 10.0K

67.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$760 R 12.5K

$601 R 9,888

26.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 R 27.8K

$1,473 R 24.3K

14.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

12.12

-5.03%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mossel Bay: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $417 in Johannesburg versus $462 in Mossel Bay. 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 15% 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 $45.00 in Mossel Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $192 – making Johannesburg 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 Mossel Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johannesburg costs about 19% more than Mossel Bay, 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 $1,468 in Mossel Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mossel Bay, 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 $979 in Mossel Bay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $209 per month in Johannesburg and $120 in Mossel Bay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mossel Bay, where all-in costs run around $979, than in Johannesburg at $1,160. In Mossel Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mossel Bay costs $979 versus $1,160 in Johannesburg. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mossel Bay. 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.