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 $1,179 per month in Johannesburg vs $908 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,810 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,426 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,442 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,944 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 30% more than Port Shepstone, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Johannesburg and Port Shepstone are more affordable than the global median – Johannesburg 12% lower, Port Shepstone 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 R 179

$7.68 R 125

43.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.02 R 732

$27.56 R 448

63.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 R 79.8

$4.92 R 80.0

-0.20%

Cappuccino

$2.27 R 36.89

$1.90 R 30.82

19.47%

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

$0.99 R 16.06

$0.89 R 14.53

11.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 R 12.58

$0.67 R 10.95

14.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 R 42.79

$1.99 R 32.33

32.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 R 41.12

$2.22 R 36.13

13.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.26

$0.82 R 13.32

45.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 R 17.15

$0.66 R 10.67

60.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.59

$1.11 R 17.97

53.15%

Eggs

$2.52 R 40.90

$1.30 R 21.16

93.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 R 136

$6.68 R 109

25.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 R 76.0

$3.35 R 54.4

39.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.67 R 108

$6.22 R 101

7.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.25

$1.15 R 18.63

46.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.04

$0.69 R 11.28

114.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.28

$0.58 R 9.37

156.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.78

$1.34 R 21.85

18.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.19

$0.58 R 9.50

146.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 R 23.74

$1.22 R 19.83

19.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 R 17.21

$0.85 R 13.85

24.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.26

$0.58 R 9.37

51.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 R 49.31

$3.16 R 51.4

-4.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 R 99.3

$4.91 R 79.8

24.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R 22.03

$1.42 R 23.03

-4.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 R 27.13

$1.77 R 28.78

-5.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 R 27.87

$1.63 R 26.48

5.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.0 R 1,121

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R 17.88

$1.73 R 28.07

-36.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 15.37

$0.57 R 9.29

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 R 66.1

$6.65 R 108

-38.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.86

$1.30 R 21.19

-1.54%

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

$22.6K R 367.0K

$19.8K R 322.4K

13.82%

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

$24.4K R 395.9K

$23.9K R 388.9K

1.81%

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

$119 R 1,929

$111 R 1,808

6.70%

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

$39.96 R 649

$16.63 R 270

140.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.32 R 704

$33.36 R 542

29.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.66 R 547

$29.39 R 478

14.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.96 R 227

Cinema Ticket

$7.40 R 120

$6.76 R 110

9.47%

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

$206 R 3,354

$209 R 3,394

-1.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,959 R 80.6K

$4,683 R 76.1K

5.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 R 833

$42.64 R 693

20.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.03 R 553

$29.89 R 486

13.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 R 1,493

$93.5 R 1,520

-1.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 R 1,281

$74.1 R 1,204

6.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$419 R 6,817

$365 R 5,925

15.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 R 6,038

$340 R 5,529

9.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 R 14.9K

$683 R 11.1K

34.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$718 R 11.7K

$679 R 11.0K

5.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,063 R 17.3K

$778 R 12.6K

36.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$765 R 12.4K

$606 R 9,844

26.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,714 R 27.8K

$3,017 R 49.0K

-43.21%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Port Shepstone: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $419 in Johannesburg versus $365 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 76% 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: $183 vs $134 – 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 30% 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 $1,768 per month in Johannesburg and $1,362 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 $1,179 in Johannesburg and $908 in Port Shepstone. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $206 per month in Johannesburg and $209 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 $908, than in Johannesburg at $1,179. 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 $908 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 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.