Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Pietermaritzburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Pietermaritzburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,179 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,061 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,810 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,607 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,442 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,153 in Pietermaritzburg, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 11% more than Pietermaritzburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Johannesburg and Pietermaritzburg are more affordable than the global median – Johannesburg 12% lower, Pietermaritzburg 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 R 179

$8.32 R 135

32.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.02 R 732

$42.99 R 699

4.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 R 79.8

$5.76 R 93.6

-14.76%

Cappuccino

$2.27 R 36.89

$2.24 R 36.35

1.34%

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

$0.99 R 16.06

$0.88 R 14.31

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 R 12.58

$0.69 R 11.20

11.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 R 42.79

$1.67 R 27.13

57.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 R 41.12

$2.35 R 38.12

7.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.26

$1.05 R 17.04

13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 R 17.15

$0.80 R 13.06

32.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.59

$1.50 R 24.33

13.33%

Eggs

$2.52 R 40.90

$2.35 R 38.19

7.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 R 136

$6.99 R 114

19.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 R 76.0

$4.71 R 76.5

-0.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.67 R 108

$6.82 R 111

-2.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.25

$1.66 R 26.91

1.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.04

$1.76 R 28.61

-15.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.28

$1.94 R 31.58

-23.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.78

$1.74 R 28.20

-8.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.19

$1.54 R 25.11

-7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 R 23.74

$1.76 R 28.64

-17.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 R 17.21

$1.30 R 21.06

-18.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.26

$1.00 R 16.19

-12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 R 49.31

$2.93 R 47.55

3.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 R 99.3

$3.55 R 57.6

72.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R 22.03

$1.43 R 23.27

-4.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 R 27.13

$1.78 R 28.92

-6.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 R 27.87

$2.73 R 44.44

-37.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.0 R 1,121

$18.34 R 298

276.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R 17.88

$1.69 R 27.48

-34.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 15.37

$0.52 R 8.49

82.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 R 66.1

$3.98 R 64.7

2.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.86

$1.20 R 19.47

6.67%

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

$22.6K R 367.0K

$23.4K R 380.4K

-3.53%

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

$24.4K R 395.9K

$22.9K R 371.7K

6.52%

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

$119 R 1,929

$238 R 3,861

-50.05%

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

$39.96 R 649

$30.61 R 497

30.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.32 R 704

$58.3 R 948

-25.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.66 R 547

$38.05 R 618

-11.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.96 R 227

Cinema Ticket

$7.40 R 120

$4.94 R 80.3

49.80%

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

$206 R 3,354

$148 R 2,401

39.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,959 R 80.6K

$4,723 R 76.8K

4.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 R 833

$62.2 R 1,011

-17.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.03 R 553

$37.81 R 615

-10.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 R 1,493

$178 R 2,885

-48.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 R 1,281

$75.4 R 1,226

4.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$419 R 6,817

$202 R 3,280

107.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 R 6,038

$184 R 2,986

102.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 R 14.9K

$523 R 8,492

75.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$718 R 11.7K

$379 R 6,161

89.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,063 R 17.3K

$916 R 14.9K

16.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$765 R 12.4K

$442 R 7,187

72.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,714 R 27.8K

$919 R 14.9K

86.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

11.5

0.09%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: May 30, 2026

Last update for Pietermaritzburg: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $419 in Johannesburg versus $202 in Pietermaritzburg. 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 87% 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 $43.00 in Pietermaritzburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $177 – making Pietermaritzburg 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 Pietermaritzburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johannesburg costs about 11% more than Pietermaritzburg, 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 $1,768 per month in Johannesburg and $1,591 in Pietermaritzburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pietermaritzburg, 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 $43.00 in Pietermaritzburg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,179 in Johannesburg and $1,061 in Pietermaritzburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pietermaritzburg, where all-in costs run around $1,061, than in Johannesburg at $1,179. In Pietermaritzburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pietermaritzburg costs $1,061 versus $1,179 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 Pietermaritzburg. 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.