Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Rustenburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Rustenburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,160 per month in Johannesburg vs $979 in Rustenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,812 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,499 in Rustenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,018 in Rustenburg, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 18% more than Rustenburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Johannesburg and Rustenburg are more affordable than the global median – Johannesburg 13% lower, Rustenburg 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.10 R 183

$11.06 R 182

0.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.36 R 747

$44.98 R 740

0.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 R 79.2

$3.94 R 64.9

22.08%

Cappuccino

$2.18 R 35.85

$1.95 R 32.03

11.79%

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

$1.02 R 16.84

$0.90 R 14.75

13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.45

$0.45 R 7.45

82.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 R 44.37

$1.44 R 23.63

87.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 R 40.94

$2.03 R 33.39

22.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 18.98

$1.07 R 17.53

7.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 17.93

$0.88 R 14.52

23.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.86

$1.71 R 28.16

-1.17%

Eggs

$2.55 R 41.91

$1.92 R 31.64

32.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 R 136

$5.66 R 93.1

45.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 R 78.8

$4.29 R 70.6

11.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 R 108

$6.68 R 110

-1.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.62

$1.61 R 26.54

4.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.30

$1.33 R 21.91

15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.37

$1.29 R 21.29

14.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 26.18

$1.56 R 25.60

1.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.73

$0.79 R 12.98

82.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 R 22.90

$0.76 R 12.49

82.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.93

$1.05 R 17.33

3.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 R 14.58

$0.95 R 15.65

-6.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 R 49.34

$2.49 R 41.05

20.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 R 96.7

$4.53 R 74.7

29.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.63

$1.14 R 18.80

14.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 27.15

$1.10 R 18.09

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 27.46

$1.14 R 18.82

46.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 R 1,174

$45.51 R 749

56.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 17.91

$0.94 R 15.42

15.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 R 14.63

$0.96 R 15.83

-7.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 R 67.3

$3.95 R 65.0

3.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 20.92

$1.21 R 19.97

4.96%

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

$22.5K R 370.5K

$22.6K R 371.4K

-0.23%

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

$23.8K R 392.2K

$23.6K R 388.8K

0.88%

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

$119 R 1,958

$68.9 R 1,133

72.75%

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

$41.09 R 676

$12.47 R 205

229.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.46 R 699

$43.62 R 718

-2.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.18 R 563

$23.59 R 388

44.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.64 R 225

$5.71 R 94.0

138.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.42 R 122

$4.45 R 73.3

66.74%

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

$209 R 3,440

$102 R 1,685

104.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,974 R 81.9K

$5,010 R 82.5K

-0.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.97 R 823

$50.1 R 824

-0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.46 R 551

$33.16 R 546

0.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 R 1,491

$88.3 R 1,453

2.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 R 1,278

$79.7 R 1,313

-2.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$417 R 6,857

$302 R 4,979

37.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 R 6,201

$336 R 5,526

12.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 R 15.2K

$665 R 10.9K

39.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 R 11.5K

$565 R 9,300

23.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 R 16.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$760 R 12.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 R 27.8K

$1,309 R 21.6K

29.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

9.9

16.26%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: July 26, 2026

Last update for Rustenburg: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $417 in Johannesburg versus $302 in Rustenburg. 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 29% 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 Rustenburg. Groceries tell a different story – $183 in Johannesburg vs $158 in Rustenburg – so Rustenburg 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 Rustenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johannesburg costs about 18% more than Rustenburg, 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 $1,739 per month in Johannesburg and $1,468 in Rustenburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rustenburg, 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 Rustenburg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,160 in Johannesburg and $979 in Rustenburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rustenburg, where all-in costs run around $979, than in Johannesburg at $1,160. In Rustenburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rustenburg costs $979 versus $1,160 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 Rustenburg. 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.