Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Polokwane Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Polokwane

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,160 per month in Johannesburg vs $816 in Polokwane, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,812 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,285 in Polokwane, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,754 in Polokwane, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 42% more than Polokwane, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Johannesburg and Polokwane are more affordable than the global median – Johannesburg 13% lower, Polokwane 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.10 R 184

$9.51 R 157

16.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.36 R 750

$41.38 R 684

9.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 R 79.5

$4.89 R 81.0

-1.64%

Cappuccino

$2.18 R 36.02

$2.19 R 36.23

-0.46%

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

$1.02 R 16.92

$0.88 R 14.52

15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.52

$0.76 R 12.59

7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 R 44.59

$1.71 R 28.21

57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 R 41.13

$1.97 R 32.65

26.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 19.08

$1.18 R 19.56

-2.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 18.02

$1.00 R 16.46

9.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.99

$1.73 R 28.55

-2.31%

Eggs

$2.55 R 42.11

$2.46 R 40.77

3.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 R 136

$7.02 R 116

17.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 R 79.1

$3.30 R 54.6

44.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 R 109

$5.58 R 92.3

17.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.75

$1.67 R 27.69

0.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.42

$1.48 R 24.42

4.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.49

$1.55 R 25.68

-4.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 26.31

$1.59 R 26.33

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.84

$1.48 R 24.52

-2.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 R 23.01

$1.23 R 20.36

13.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 18.02

$1.08 R 17.83

0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 R 14.65

$0.78 R 12.88

14.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 R 49.57

$2.63 R 43.48

14.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 R 97.1

$4.64 R 76.8

26.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.73

$1.08 R 17.82

21.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 27.28

$1.29 R 21.32

27.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 27.59

$3.28 R 54.2

-49.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 R 1,180

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 18.00

$0.85 R 14.08

28.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 R 14.70

$0.90 R 14.90

-1.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 R 67.6

$3.99 R 66.0

2.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 21.02

$1.20 R 19.90

5.83%

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

$22.5K R 372.3K

$14.0K R 232.0K

60.48%

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

$23.8K R 394.1K

$22.4K R 370.7K

6.32%

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

$119 R 1,967

$121 R 1,994

-1.35%

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

$41.09 R 680

$40.06 R 663

2.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.46 R 702

$36.47 R 603

16.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.18 R 565

$21.96 R 363

55.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.64 R 226

Cinema Ticket

$7.42 R 123

$7.33 R 121

1.23%

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

$209 R 3,457

$168 R 2,775

24.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,974 R 82.3K

$1,355 R 22.4K

267.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.97 R 827

$33.75 R 558

48.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.46 R 553

$34.16 R 565

-2.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 R 1,498

$73.8 R 1,220

22.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 R 1,284

$78.0 R 1,290

-0.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$417 R 6,890

$257 R 4,246

62.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 R 6,230

$174 R 2,886

115.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 R 15.3K

$376 R 6,218

145.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 R 11.5K

$284 R 4,691

145.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 R 16.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$760 R 12.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 R 27.9K

$1,473 R 24.4K

14.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

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

Last update for Johannesburg: July 26, 2026

Last update for Polokwane: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $417 in Johannesburg versus $257 in Polokwane. 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 $41.00 in Polokwane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $162 – making Polokwane 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 Polokwane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johannesburg costs about 42% more than Polokwane, 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 $1,224 in Polokwane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Polokwane, 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 $816 in Polokwane. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $209 per month in Johannesburg and $168 in Polokwane. 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 Polokwane, where all-in costs run around $816, than in Johannesburg at $1,160. In Polokwane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Polokwane costs $816 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 Polokwane. 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.