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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,149 per month in Johannesburg vs $960 in Rustenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,810 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,488 in Rustenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,470 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,016 in Rustenburg, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 20% more than Rustenburg, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Johannesburg and Rustenburg are more affordable than the global median – Johannesburg 14% lower, Rustenburg 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.07 R 179

$11.27 R 182

-1.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.96 R 728

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 R 80.7

$3.81 R 61.6

30.97%

Cappuccino

$2.27 R 36.80

$1.90 R 30.70

19.47%

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

$1.04 R 16.78

$0.84 R 13.61

23.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R 13.38

$0.48 R 7.85

72.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 R 43.61

$1.39 R 22.43

93.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 R 41.44

$2.08 R 33.71

23.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 18.69

$1.07 R 17.37

7.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 17.62

$0.90 R 14.50

21.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 R 26.81

$1.70 R 27.45

-2.35%

Eggs

$2.45 R 39.58

$1.91 R 30.87

28.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.50 R 138

$5.81 R 94.0

46.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 R 75.8

$4.17 R 67.6

12.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.52 R 106

$6.84 R 111

-4.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.06

$1.57 R 25.38

2.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.95

$1.38 R 22.31

11.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 R 23.86

$1.28 R 20.79

14.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.13

$1.55 R 25.11

3.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 R 23.43

$0.82 R 13.33

76.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.32

$0.82 R 13.21

75.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 R 16.98

$1.09 R 17.60

-3.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 R 14.43

$0.96 R 15.48

-7.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 R 49.20

$2.47 R 40.05

23.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.06 R 98.1

$4.70 R 76.1

28.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R 22.07

$1.10 R 17.75

23.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 R 26.83

$1.14 R 18.51

45.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 R 27.87

$1.13 R 18.30

52.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.2 R 1,152

$44.92 R 727

58.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R 18.67

$0.98 R 15.83

17.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 R 14.36

$0.88 R 14.21

1.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 R 64.3

$4.14 R 67.1

-4.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 R 19.90

$1.29 R 20.83

-4.65%

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

$22.4K R 362.1K

$22.8K R 368.9K

-1.84%

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

$24.2K R 392.3K

$23.8K R 385.5K

1.78%

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

$116 R 1,878

$70.5 R 1,140

64.68%

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

$40.82 R 661

$12.79 R 207

219.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.64 R 706

$42.54 R 689

2.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.86 R 548

$22.93 R 371

47.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.71 R 222

$5.65 R 91.4

142.65%

Cinema Ticket

$7.15 R 116

$4.42 R 71.6

61.76%

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

$211 R 3,416

$105 R 1,699

101.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,976 R 80.5K

$4,861 R 78.7K

2.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 R 813

$49.40 R 800

1.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.72 R 546

$33.01 R 534

2.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 R 1,461

$88.7 R 1,436

1.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 R 1,256

$79.6 R 1,288

-2.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 R 6,827

$311 R 5,041

35.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 R 5,925

$336 R 5,446

8.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$929 R 15.0K

$678 R 11.0K

36.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 R 11.3K

$574 R 9,290

21.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,072 R 17.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$783 R 12.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 R 28.1K

$1,364 R 22.1K

27.12%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Rustenburg: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $422 in Johannesburg versus $311 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 27% 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 $159 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 20% more than Rustenburg, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $1,440 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 $1,149 in Johannesburg and $960 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 $960, than in Johannesburg at $1,149. 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 $960 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 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.