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 $1,435 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,047 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,252 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,638 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,069 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,228 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

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

Johannesburg sits 4% above the global median, while Port Shepstone is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.61 R 202

$8.23 R 132

53.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.05 R 736

$40.09 R 641

14.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 R 120

$5.86 R 93.7

28.16%

Cappuccino

$2.49 R 39.82

$2.79 R 44.60

-10.75%

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

$1.26 R 20.23

$1.14 R 18.28

10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.07

$0.89 R 14.19

5.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 R 33.11

$2.51 R 40.22

-17.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R 44.24

$2.80 R 44.75

-1.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 R 21.79

$0.96 R 15.31

41.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 R 20.57

$0.68 R 10.92

89.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.27

$1.22 R 19.55

50.00%

Eggs

$2.68 R 42.86

$1.47 R 23.46

82.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 R 149

$7.35 R 118

27.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.00 R 96.0

$3.65 R 58.4

64.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 R 146

$7.48 R 120

22.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 R 35.97

$1.23 R 19.65

82.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 R 31.25

$0.77 R 12.37

153.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 R 29.09

$0.61 R 9.70

198.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 R 34.08

$1.60 R 25.51

33.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 R 28.66

$0.61 R 9.68

193.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 R 29.95

$1.49 R 23.79

25.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 R 24.14

$0.98 R 15.65

54.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 R 21.44

$0.60 R 9.59

123.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 R 54.4

$3.72 R 59.5

-8.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.05 R 96.8

$4.89 R 78.2

23.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 R 29.76

$1.51 R 24.12

23.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 R 39.14

$2.00 R 32.05

22.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 R 34.08

$1.58 R 25.21

34.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 R 1,501

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 R 14.43

$0.45 R 7.23

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.10

$0.78 R 12.41

20.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.16 R 243

$7.96 R 127

90.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 R 24.56

$1.38 R 22.12

11.59%

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

$36.4K R 581.6K

$37.5K R 599.1K

-2.92%

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

$32.9K R 525.6K

$33.3K R 531.9K

-1.19%

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

$222 R 3,552

$123 R 1,966

80.66%

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

$38.73 R 619

$18.90 R 302

104.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.69 R 635

$37.89 R 606

4.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.29 R 612

$33.56 R 537

14.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.46 R 279

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 R 128

$6.88 R 110

16.13%

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

$248 R 3,964

$342 R 5,467

-27.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,745 R 91.9K

$7,371 R 117.9K

-22.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 R 958

$53.1 R 849

12.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.00 R 768

$33.29 R 532

44.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 R 1,748

$102 R 1,636

6.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 R 1,760

$91.4 R 1,462

20.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 R 8,731

$399 R 6,382

36.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 R 7,081

$384 R 6,136

15.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 R 17.7K

$750 R 12.0K

47.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$939 R 15.0K

$761 R 12.2K

23.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 R 16.3K

$883 R 14.1K

15.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$773 R 12.4K

$653 R 10.5K

18.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,787 R 28.6K

$3,063 R 49.0K

-41.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

11.66

-6.43%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: August 30, 2026

Last update for Port Shepstone: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $546 in Johannesburg versus $399 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 71% 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 $46.00 in Johannesburg versus $40.00 in Port Shepstone. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $148 – 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 37% 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 $2,152 per month in Johannesburg and $1,571 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 $1,435 in Johannesburg and $1,047 in Port Shepstone. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $248 per month in Johannesburg and $342 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 $1,047, than in Johannesburg at $1,435. 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 $1,047 versus $1,435 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.