Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,149 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,167 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,813 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,849 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,476 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,532 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

Johannesburg is about 1% cheaper than Port Elizabeth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth are more affordable than the global median – Johannesburg 14% lower, Port Elizabeth 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 R 185

$8.89 R 147

25.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.18 R 748

$44.06 R 729

2.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 R 80.9

$5.36 R 88.8

-8.77%

Cappuccino

$2.17 R 35.85

$2.14 R 35.47

1.40%

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

$0.99 R 16.34

$1.14 R 18.83

-13.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 R 12.74

$1.00 R 16.50

-23.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 R 44.29

$2.56 R 42.41

4.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 R 42.93

$3.02 R 50.0

-14.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 19.18

$1.12 R 18.53

3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 18.05

$0.95 R 15.78

14.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.32

$1.50 R 24.80

10.00%

Eggs

$2.45 R 40.59

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.43 R 140

$7.79 R 129

8.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 R 78.9

$4.74 R 78.5

0.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 R 109

$8.03 R 133

-18.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.61

$1.64 R 27.08

1.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 R 25.08

$1.42 R 23.56

6.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.65

$1.63 R 27.01

-8.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.61

$1.63 R 26.91

-1.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.74

$1.55 R 25.73

-3.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 R 23.05

$1.12 R 18.58

24.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 18.02

$1.17 R 19.43

-6.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.57

$1.01 R 16.68

-6.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 R 52.3

$2.95 R 48.75

7.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.04 R 100

$4.86 R 80.4

24.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R 21.47

$1.10 R 18.22

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 R 27.74

$1.72 R 28.40

-2.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 R 28.43

$1.13 R 18.74

52.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 R 1,180

$34.27 R 567

107.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R 18.28

$2.67 R 44.18

-58.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R 15.95

$0.45 R 7.47

113.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 R 67.6

$7.95 R 132

-48.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 21.21

$1.27 R 20.98

0.79%

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

$22.2K R 367.2K

$23.9K R 396.2K

-7.31%

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

$23.5K R 389.8K

$25.8K R 426.5K

-8.61%

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

$118 R 1,946

$114 R 1,892

2.88%

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

$40.44 R 670

$31.86 R 527

26.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.11 R 697

$44.72 R 740

-5.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.88 R 561

$29.14 R 482

16.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.59 R 225

$21.28 R 352

-36.14%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R 117

$9.73 R 161

-27.34%

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

$204 R 3,377

$168 R 2,783

21.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,903 R 81.2K

$4,835 R 80.0K

1.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 R 842

$67.2 R 1,112

-24.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.65 R 557

$37.20 R 616

-9.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 R 1,529

$96.6 R 1,600

-4.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 R 1,312

$89.0 R 1,472

-10.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 R 6,851

$584 R 9,670

-29.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 R 6,047

$438 R 7,243

-16.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$907 R 15.0K

$1,097 R 18.2K

-17.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 R 11.5K

$870 R 14.4K

-20.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,043 R 17.3K

$772 R 12.8K

35.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$761 R 12.6K

$525 R 8,697

44.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 R 28.7K

$1,623 R 26.9K

6.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

12.04

-4.40%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: July 13, 2026

Last update for Port Elizabeth: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $414 in Johannesburg versus $584 in Port Elizabeth. 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 7% higher in Johannesburg, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Johannesburg versus $44.00 in Port Elizabeth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $181 – making Port Elizabeth 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 Port Elizabeth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Elizabeth costs about 2% more than Johannesburg, 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 $1,724 per month in Johannesburg and $1,750 in Port Elizabeth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Johannesburg, 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 $44.00 in Port Elizabeth. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,149 in Johannesburg and $1,167 in Port Elizabeth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Johannesburg, where all-in costs run around $1,149, than in Port Elizabeth at $1,167. In Johannesburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Elizabeth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Johannesburg costs $1,149 versus $1,167 in Port Elizabeth. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Johannesburg. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Port Elizabeth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.