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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,425 per month in Johannesburg vs $970 in Polokwane, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,190 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,452 in Polokwane, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,955 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,934 in Polokwane, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 47% more than Polokwane, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Johannesburg sits 4% above the global median, while Polokwane is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.42 R 202

$12.23 R 199

1.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 R 785

$30.31 R 493

59.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 R 118

$7.25 R 118

0.28%

Cappuccino

$2.52 R 40.90

$2.46 R 39.92

2.44%

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

$1.17 R 18.98

$0.98 R 15.90

19.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R 15.77

$0.96 R 15.63

1.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 R 36.61

$1.73 R 28.13

30.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 R 45.87

$2.11 R 34.37

33.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 R 22.09

$1.36 R 22.03

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 R 20.83

$1.17 R 18.99

9.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 R 29.13

$1.75 R 28.41

2.29%

Eggs

$2.72 R 44.29

$2.71 R 44.12

0.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 R 140

$7.67 R 125

12.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.76 R 93.7

$4.10 R 66.6

40.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.08 R 148

$6.10 R 99.1

48.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 R 34.87

$2.06 R 33.56

3.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 R 29.86

$1.91 R 31.07

-3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.51

$1.83 R 29.69

2.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 R 32.43

$2.08 R 33.79

-4.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.36

$1.71 R 27.79

-1.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 R 28.79

$1.50 R 24.45

18.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 R 23.42

$1.18 R 19.25

22.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R 21.16

$0.83 R 13.57

56.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 R 54.0

$2.71 R 44.12

22.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.16 R 100

$4.88 R 79.3

26.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 R 30.89

$1.18 R 19.17

61.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 R 39.20

$1.61 R 26.22

49.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.08 R 33.74

$0.88 R 14.31

136.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.3 R 1,484

$30.86 R 502

195.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 R 15.16

$0.96 R 15.65

-3.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 R 14.38

$0.90 R 14.65

-2.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.97 R 243

$14.87 R 242

0.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 R 24.46

$1.37 R 22.23

9.49%

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

$36.9K R 599.2K

$26.5K R 430.2K

39.28%

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

$32.0K R 520.7K

$29.4K R 478.0K

8.92%

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

$218 R 3,538

$140 R 2,270

55.80%

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

$38.57 R 627

$37.73 R 613

2.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.70 R 597

$33.21 R 540

10.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.86 R 599

$23.05 R 375

59.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.38 R 283

Cinema Ticket

$8.52 R 139

$8.09 R 131

5.32%

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

$247 R 4,007

$185 R 3,004

33.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,495 R 89.3K

$1,473 R 23.9K

273.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 R 937

$46.08 R 749

25.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.79 R 777

$38.58 R 627

23.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 R 1,764

$81.0 R 1,316

34.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 R 1,748

$95.4 R 1,551

12.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 R 8,557

$288 R 4,674

83.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 R 7,179

$206 R 3,353

114.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 R 17.1K

$422 R 6,862

149.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$887 R 14.4K

$283 R 4,604

213.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,006 R 16.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$757 R 12.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,724 R 28.0K

$1,554 R 25.3K

10.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

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

Last update for Johannesburg: September 14, 2026

Last update for Polokwane: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $526 in Johannesburg versus $288 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 11% 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 $48.00 in Johannesburg versus $30.00 in Polokwane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $186 – 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 47% 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 $2,137 per month in Johannesburg and $1,455 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Johannesburg and $30.00 in Polokwane. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,425 in Johannesburg and $970 in Polokwane. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polokwane, where all-in costs run around $970, than in Johannesburg at $1,425. 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 $970 versus $1,425 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.