Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Secunda Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Secunda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,435 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,117 in Secunda, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,252 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,685 in Secunda, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,069 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,253 in Secunda, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 28% more than Secunda, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Johannesburg sits 4% above the global median, while Secunda is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.61 R 202

$6.09 R 97.4

107.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.05 R 736

$31.27 R 500

47.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 R 120

$5.71 R 91.3

31.52%

Cappuccino

$2.49 R 39.82

$2.36 R 37.79

5.51%

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

$1.26 R 20.23

$0.85 R 13.67

48.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.07

$0.52 R 8.35

80.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 R 33.11

$1.10 R 17.65

88.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R 44.24

$1.35 R 21.67

105.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 R 21.79

$1.23 R 19.68

10.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 R 20.57

$0.93 R 14.89

38.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.27

$1.87 R 29.94

-2.14%

Eggs

$2.68 R 42.86

$2.61 R 41.74

2.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 R 149

$8.27 R 132

12.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.00 R 96.0

$5.10 R 81.5

17.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 R 146

$7.35 R 118

24.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 R 35.97

$1.88 R 30.11

19.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 R 31.25

$1.68 R 26.95

16.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 R 29.09

$1.84 R 29.45

-1.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 R 34.08

$1.77 R 28.30

20.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 R 28.66

$1.30 R 20.82

37.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 R 29.95

$1.35 R 21.55

38.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 R 24.14

$1.23 R 19.61

22.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 R 21.44

$1.38 R 22.13

-2.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 R 54.4

$3.40 R 54.3

Wine (Bottle)

$6.05 R 96.8

$5.33 R 85.3

13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 R 29.76

$1.58 R 25.23

17.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 R 39.14

$1.98 R 31.68

23.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 R 34.08

$1.57 R 25.12

35.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 R 1,501

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 R 14.43

$0.32 R 5.15

181.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.10

$0.79 R 12.63

18.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.16 R 243

$14.76 R 236

2.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 R 24.56

$1.55 R 24.76

-0.65%

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

$36.4K R 581.6K

$37.3K R 596.0K

-2.41%

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

$32.9K R 525.6K

$34.7K R 555.1K

-5.31%

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

$222 R 3,552

$154 R 2,458

44.48%

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

$38.73 R 619

$38.13 R 610

1.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.69 R 635

$38.26 R 612

3.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.29 R 612

$32.74 R 524

16.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.46 R 279

$12.51 R 200

39.57%

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 R 128

$7.51 R 120

6.39%

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

$248 R 3,964

$94.0 R 1,503

163.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,745 R 91.9K

$5,642 R 90.2K

1.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 R 958

$54.1 R 864

10.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.00 R 768

$32.79 R 524

46.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 R 1,748

$93.6 R 1,497

16.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 R 1,760

$86.3 R 1,381

27.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 R 8,731

$408 R 6,525

33.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 R 7,081

$384 R 6,138

15.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 R 17.7K

$763 R 12.2K

45.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$939 R 15.0K

$760 R 12.2K

23.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 R 16.3K

$890 R 14.2K

14.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$773 R 12.4K

$657 R 10.5K

17.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,787 R 28.6K

$1,521 R 24.3K

17.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

11.34

-3.79%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: August 30, 2026

Last update for Secunda: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $546 in Johannesburg versus $408 in Secunda. 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 17% 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 $31.00 in Secunda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $198 – making Secunda 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 Secunda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johannesburg costs about 28% more than Secunda, 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 $1,675 in Secunda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Secunda, 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 $1,117 in Secunda. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $248 per month in Johannesburg and $94.0 in Secunda. 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 Secunda, where all-in costs run around $1,117, than in Johannesburg at $1,435. In Secunda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Secunda costs $1,117 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 Secunda. 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.