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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,149 per month in Johannesburg vs $924 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,813 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,416 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,476 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,909 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 24% more than Port Shepstone, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Johannesburg and Port Shepstone are more affordable than the global median – Johannesburg 14% lower, Port Shepstone 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 R 184

$7.37 R 122

51.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.18 R 746

$27.63 R 456

63.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 R 80.7

$5.13 R 84.7

-4.68%

Cappuccino

$2.17 R 35.74

$1.94 R 31.98

11.86%

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

$0.99 R 16.29

$0.88 R 14.56

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 R 12.70

$0.72 R 11.84

6.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 R 44.16

$1.98 R 32.70

35.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 R 42.80

$2.20 R 36.35

17.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 19.12

$0.81 R 13.32

43.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 18.00

$0.61 R 10.03

78.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.24

$1.10 R 18.10

50.00%

Eggs

$2.45 R 40.46

$1.37 R 22.56

78.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.43 R 139

$6.65 R 110

26.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 R 78.7

$3.41 R 56.3

39.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 R 108

$6.15 R 101

6.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.52

$1.14 R 18.78

46.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 R 25.00

$0.68 R 11.27

122.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.58

$0.58 R 9.60

156.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.53

$1.36 R 22.50

18.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.66

$0.58 R 9.56

156.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 R 22.98

$1.22 R 20.13

13.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.96

$0.88 R 14.53

23.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.52

$0.59 R 9.67

59.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 R 52.1

$3.14 R 51.9

0.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.04 R 99.7

$4.86 R 80.1

24.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R 21.41

$1.39 R 22.89

-6.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 R 27.66

$1.69 R 27.91

-0.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 R 28.34

$1.63 R 26.95

5.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 R 1,176

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R 18.23

$1.72 R 28.32

-36.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R 15.90

$0.63 R 10.33

52.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 R 67.4

$6.54 R 108

-37.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 21.15

$1.29 R 21.32

-0.78%

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

$22.2K R 366.1K

$19.8K R 327.4K

11.82%

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

$23.5K R 388.6K

$23.7K R 391.7K

-0.80%

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

$118 R 1,940

$112 R 1,843

5.28%

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

$40.44 R 667

$17.11 R 282

136.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.11 R 695

$33.84 R 559

24.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.88 R 559

$28.93 R 477

17.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.59 R 224

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R 117

$6.70 R 111

5.52%

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

$204 R 3,366

$204 R 3,365

0.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,903 R 80.9K

$4,591 R 75.8K

6.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 R 839

$41.42 R 684

22.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.65 R 555

$30.03 R 496

12.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 R 1,524

$92.8 R 1,532

-0.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 R 1,308

$72.0 R 1,188

10.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 R 6,830

$357 R 5,897

15.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 R 6,028

$328 R 5,412

11.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$907 R 15.0K

$690 R 11.4K

31.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 R 11.4K

$697 R 11.5K

-0.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,043 R 17.2K

$877 R 14.5K

18.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$761 R 12.6K

$709 R 11.7K

7.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 R 28.6K

$3,038 R 50.1K

-42.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

12.01

-4.16%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: July 13, 2026

Last update for Port Shepstone: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $414 in Johannesburg versus $357 in Port Shepstone. 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 75% higher in Port Shepstone, 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 $28.00 in Port Shepstone. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $133 – making Port Shepstone 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 Shepstone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johannesburg costs about 24% more than Port Shepstone, 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 $1,385 in Port Shepstone. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Shepstone, 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 $1,149 in Johannesburg and $924 in Port Shepstone. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $204 per month in Johannesburg and $204 in Port Shepstone. 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 Port Shepstone, where all-in costs run around $924, than in Johannesburg at $1,149. In Port Shepstone 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 Shepstone costs $924 versus $1,149 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 Shepstone. 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.