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 $1,179 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,158 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,810 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,839 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,442 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,519 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 2% more than Port Elizabeth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth are more affordable than the global median – Johannesburg 12% lower, Port Elizabeth 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 R 180

$9.00 R 147

22.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.02 R 736

$44.72 R 731

0.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 R 80.2

$5.30 R 86.7

-7.36%

Cappuccino

$2.27 R 37.11

$2.23 R 36.38

1.79%

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

$0.99 R 16.16

$1.17 R 19.19

-15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 R 12.66

$1.04 R 16.93

-25.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 R 43.05

$2.50 R 40.81

5.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 R 41.36

$2.95 R 48.28

-14.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.38

$1.12 R 18.23

6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 R 17.25

$0.93 R 15.22

13.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.75

$1.43 R 23.31

18.88%

Eggs

$2.52 R 41.14

$2.49 R 40.66

1.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 R 137

$7.86 R 129

6.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 R 76.4

$4.86 R 79.5

-3.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.67 R 109

$8.05 R 132

-17.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.41

$1.68 R 27.42

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.18

$1.41 R 23.12

4.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.42

$1.59 R 25.96

-6.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.93

$1.62 R 26.49

-1.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.32

$1.50 R 24.45

-4.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 R 23.88

$1.11 R 18.20

31.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 R 17.31

$1.19 R 19.49

-10.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.35

$0.93 R 15.14

-5.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 R 49.60

$2.96 R 48.43

2.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 R 99.8

$5.00 R 81.7

22.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R 22.16

$1.16 R 18.99

17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 R 27.29

$1.71 R 28.03

-2.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 R 28.04

$1.09 R 17.89

57.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.0 R 1,127

$34.50 R 564

99.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R 17.98

$2.68 R 43.75

-58.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 15.46

$0.44 R 7.26

115.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 R 66.5

$8.04 R 131

-49.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.98

$1.29 R 21.05

-0.78%

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

$22.6K R 369.2K

$23.5K R 384.7K

-4.04%

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

$24.4K R 398.3K

$25.5K R 416.3K

-4.32%

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

$119 R 1,940

$118 R 1,925

0.81%

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

$39.96 R 653

$32.46 R 531

23.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.32 R 708

$44.22 R 723

-2.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.66 R 550

$28.98 R 474

16.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.96 R 228

$20.80 R 340

-32.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.40 R 121

$9.52 R 156

-22.27%

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

$206 R 3,374

$164 R 2,677

26.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,959 R 81.1K

$4,714 R 77.1K

5.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 R 838

$66.6 R 1,089

-23.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.03 R 556

$37.40 R 611

-9.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 R 1,502

$93.8 R 1,533

-1.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 R 1,288

$90.5 R 1,480

-12.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$419 R 6,857

$587 R 9,589

-28.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 R 6,074

$448 R 7,319

-17.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 R 15.0K

$1,115 R 18.2K

-17.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$718 R 11.7K

$871 R 14.2K

-17.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,063 R 17.4K

$776 R 12.7K

36.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$765 R 12.5K

$545 R 8,917

40.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,714 R 28.0K

$1,620 R 26.5K

5.78%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Port Elizabeth: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $419 in Johannesburg versus $587 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 6% 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 $45.00 in Port Elizabeth. Groceries tell a different story – $183 in Johannesburg vs $181 in Port Elizabeth – so Port Elizabeth wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Johannesburg costs about 2% more than Port Elizabeth, 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 $1,737 in Port Elizabeth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Elizabeth, 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 $45.00 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 $1,179 in Johannesburg and $1,158 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 Port Elizabeth, where all-in costs run around $1,158, than in Johannesburg at $1,179. In Port Elizabeth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Port Elizabeth costs $1,158 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 Port Elizabeth. 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.