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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,142 per month in Johannesburg vs $831 in Polokwane, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,779 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,288 in Polokwane, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,416 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,746 in Polokwane, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 37% more than Polokwane, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Johannesburg and Polokwane are more affordable than the global median – Johannesburg 15% lower, Polokwane 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.40 R 184

$9.76 R 158

16.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.07 R 729

$42.71 R 690

5.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 R 80.2

Cappuccino

$2.27 R 36.74

$2.26 R 36.55

0.44%

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

$1.03 R 16.71

$0.88 R 14.23

17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 R 13.09

$0.80 R 12.99

1.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 R 42.60

$1.72 R 27.88

52.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R 40.17

$1.94 R 31.43

27.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 18.52

$1.19 R 19.28

-3.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 17.59

$0.94 R 15.26

15.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 R 26.88

$1.66 R 26.91

Eggs

$2.45 R 39.54

$2.56 R 41.32

-4.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.40 R 136

$6.77 R 110

24.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 R 77.8

$3.42 R 55.3

40.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.85 R 111

$5.73 R 92.7

19.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.29

$1.67 R 26.96

1.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.57

$1.48 R 23.87

2.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.92

$1.48 R 23.86

4.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R 26.65

$1.60 R 25.92

3.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 R 23.47

$1.46 R 23.58

-0.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 R 22.31

$1.18 R 19.14

16.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 R 17.08

$1.04 R 16.76

1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.21

$0.77 R 12.44

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 R 48.46

$2.71 R 43.80

10.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 R 101

$4.62 R 74.7

34.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R 22.04

$1.07 R 17.29

27.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 R 25.95

$1.24 R 20.10

29.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 26.99

$3.17 R 51.3

-47.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 R 1,149

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R 18.65

$0.85 R 13.76

35.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R 15.46

$0.91 R 14.66

5.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 R 65.3

$3.97 R 64.1

1.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R 19.64

$1.23 R 19.96

-1.63%

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

$22.2K R 358.9K

$13.7K R 222.0K

61.65%

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

$23.6K R 382.0K

$22.6K R 364.6K

4.76%

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

$116 R 1,875

$118 R 1,910

-1.86%

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

$39.97 R 646

$39.70 R 642

0.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.66 R 690

$36.80 R 595

15.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.37 R 556

$22.25 R 360

54.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.50 R 218

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 R 119

$7.12 R 115

2.95%

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

$211 R 3,405

$170 R 2,742

24.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,820 R 77.9K

$1,327 R 21.5K

263.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 R 811

$33.09 R 535

51.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.43 R 540

$33.12 R 535

0.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 R 1,445

$75.7 R 1,224

18.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 R 1,273

$79.8 R 1,290

-1.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 R 6,847

$247 R 4,001

71.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 R 6,079

$177 R 2,854

112.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$913 R 14.8K

$375 R 6,066

143.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 R 11.5K

$281 R 4,542

152.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,056 R 17.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$770 R 12.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,654 R 26.7K

$1,521 R 24.6K

8.78%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Polokwane: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Johannesburg versus $247 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 9% 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 Polokwane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $185 vs $161 – 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 37% 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 $1,713 per month in Johannesburg and $1,246 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 $1,142 in Johannesburg and $831 in Polokwane. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $211 per month in Johannesburg and $170 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 $831, than in Johannesburg at $1,142. 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 $831 versus $1,142 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.