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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,425 per month in Johannesburg vs $800 in Rustenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,190 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,341 in Rustenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,955 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,882 in Rustenburg, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 78% more than Rustenburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Johannesburg sits 4% above the global median, while Rustenburg is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.42 R 202

$6.30 R 102

97.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 R 785

$47.97 R 780

0.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 R 118

$6.42 R 104

13.24%

Cappuccino

$2.52 R 40.91

$2.12 R 34.43

18.87%

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

$1.17 R 18.99

$0.90 R 14.61

30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R 15.78

$0.48 R 7.77

102.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 R 36.62

$1.59 R 25.79

41.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 R 45.88

$2.21 R 35.89

27.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 R 22.09

$1.17 R 19.04

16.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 R 20.84

$1.01 R 16.47

26.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 R 29.14

$1.80 R 29.30

-0.56%

Eggs

$2.72 R 44.31

$2.77 R 45.04

-1.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 R 140

$7.62 R 124

12.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.76 R 93.7

$4.92 R 80.0

17.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.08 R 148

$6.32 R 103

43.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 R 34.88

$1.88 R 30.50

13.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 R 29.87

$1.66 R 27.03

10.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.52

$1.79 R 29.18

5.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 R 32.44

$1.14 R 18.57

74.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.37

$1.36 R 22.09

23.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 R 28.80

$1.11 R 18.07

59.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 R 23.43

$1.30 R 21.12

10.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R 21.16

$0.96 R 15.55

35.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 R 54.0

$3.22 R 52.4

3.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.16 R 100

$6.09 R 99.0

1.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 R 30.90

$0.63 R 10.29

201.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 R 39.21

$0.91 R 14.79

164.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.08 R 33.75

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.3 R 1,485

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 R 15.17

$0.94 R 15.31

-1.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 R 14.38

$0.95 R 15.45

-7.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.97 R 243

$15.05 R 245

-0.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 R 24.47

$1.46 R 23.78

2.74%

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

$36.9K R 599.4K

$29.5K R 479.1K

25.12%

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

$32.0K R 520.8K

$27.3K R 444.0K

17.32%

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

$218 R 3,539

$76.2 R 1,240

185.43%

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

$38.57 R 627

$13.75 R 224

180.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.70 R 597

$37.01 R 602

-0.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.86 R 599

$21.91 R 356

68.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.38 R 283

$6.05 R 98.5

187.27%

Cinema Ticket

$8.52 R 139

$4.96 R 80.7

71.77%

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

$247 R 4,009

$112 R 1,818

120.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,495 R 89.4K

$5,636 R 91.6K

-2.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 R 938

$43.42 R 706

32.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.79 R 777

$47.21 R 768

1.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 R 1,765

$110 R 1,795

-1.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 R 1,749

$55.9 R 909

92.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 R 8,559

$333 R 5,422

57.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 R 7,181

$250 R 4,060

76.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 R 17.2K

$750 R 12.2K

40.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$887 R 14.4K

$520 R 8,464

70.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,006 R 16.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$757 R 12.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,724 R 28.0K

$1,117 R 18.2K

54.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

9.9

10.20%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: September 14, 2026

Last update for Rustenburg: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $526 in Johannesburg versus $333 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 54% 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 $48.00 in Johannesburg versus $48.00 in Rustenburg. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Johannesburg vs $179 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 78% 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 $2,137 per month in Johannesburg and $1,200 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,425 in Johannesburg and $800 in Rustenburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $247 per month in Johannesburg and $112 in Rustenburg. 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 Rustenburg, where all-in costs run around $800, than in Johannesburg at $1,425. 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 $800 versus $1,425 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.