Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Roodepoort Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Roodepoort

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,435 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,164 in Roodepoort, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,252 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,789 in Roodepoort, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,069 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,414 in Roodepoort, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 23% more than Roodepoort, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Johannesburg sits 4% above the global median, while Roodepoort is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.61 R 202

$12.30 R 197

2.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.05 R 736

$45.77 R 732

0.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 R 120

$7.47 R 119

0.54%

Cappuccino

$2.49 R 39.82

$2.51 R 40.16

-0.80%

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

$1.26 R 20.23

$1.25 R 20.06

0.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.07

$1.01 R 16.23

-6.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 R 33.11

$2.21 R 35.40

-6.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R 44.24

$3.03 R 48.41

-8.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 R 21.79

$1.25 R 20.06

8.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 R 20.57

$1.17 R 18.67

10.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.27

$1.80 R 28.74

1.67%

Eggs

$2.68 R 42.86

$2.63 R 42.06

1.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 R 149

$9.56 R 153

-2.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.00 R 96.0

$6.04 R 96.5

-0.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 R 146

$8.89 R 142

2.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 R 35.97

$2.19 R 34.98

2.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 R 31.25

$1.67 R 26.76

16.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 R 29.09

$1.78 R 28.39

2.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 R 34.08

$2.13 R 34.01

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 R 28.66

$1.76 R 28.15

1.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 R 29.95

$1.73 R 27.66

8.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 R 24.14

$1.25 R 20.05

20.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 R 21.44

$1.27 R 20.33

5.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 R 54.4

$3.37 R 53.8

0.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.05 R 96.8

$6.19 R 99.0

-2.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 R 29.76

$1.55 R 24.78

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 R 39.14

$2.04 R 32.62

20.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 R 34.08

$0.90 R 14.36

136.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 R 1,501

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 R 14.43

$0.84 R 13.42

7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.10

$0.90 R 14.40

4.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.16 R 243

$14.83 R 237

2.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 R 24.56

$1.51 R 24.23

1.99%

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

$36.4K R 581.6K

$36.0K R 575.6K

1.04%

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

$32.9K R 525.6K

$34.4K R 550.1K

-4.45%

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

$222 R 3,552

$226 R 3,618

-1.81%

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

$38.73 R 619

$38.32 R 613

1.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.69 R 635

$38.49 R 616

3.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.29 R 612

$49.56 R 793

-22.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.46 R 279

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 R 128

$7.34 R 117

8.86%

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

$248 R 3,964

-0.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,745 R 91.9K

$5,712 R 91.4K

0.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 R 958

$55.4 R 887

8.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.00 R 768

$32.51 R 520

47.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 R 1,748

$111 R 1,776

-1.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 R 1,760

$93.2 R 1,491

18.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 R 8,731

$620 R 9,920

-11.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 R 7,081

$246 R 3,930

80.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 R 17.7K

$1,560 R 25.0K

-29.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$939 R 15.0K

$550 R 8,802

70.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 R 16.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$773 R 12.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,787 R 28.6K

$1,599 R 25.6K

11.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

11.25

-3.02%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: August 30, 2026

Last update for Roodepoort: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $546 in Johannesburg versus $620 in Roodepoort. 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 12% 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 $46.00 in Johannesburg versus $46.00 in Roodepoort. Groceries tell a different story – $228 in Johannesburg vs $219 in Roodepoort – so Roodepoort 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 Roodepoort: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johannesburg costs about 23% more than Roodepoort, 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 $1,745 in Roodepoort. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Roodepoort, 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 $1,164 in Roodepoort. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $248 per month in Johannesburg and $248 in Roodepoort. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Roodepoort, where all-in costs run around $1,164, than in Johannesburg at $1,435. In Roodepoort it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Roodepoort costs $1,164 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 Roodepoort. 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.