Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Somerset West Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Somerset West

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,425 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,191 in Somerset West, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,220 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,911 in Somerset West, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,016 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,631 in Somerset West, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 20% more than Somerset West, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Johannesburg sits 6% above the global median, while Somerset West is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.12 R 199

$11.60 R 191

4.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.17 R 792

$46.32 R 761

3.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 R 123

$5.46 R 89.8

36.81%

Cappuccino

$2.52 R 41.36

$2.20 R 36.11

14.55%

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

$1.22 R 20.02

$1.10 R 18.06

10.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 15.24

$0.86 R 14.11

8.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 R 38.68

$2.60 R 42.75

-9.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 R 44.58

$3.48 R 57.2

-22.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 R 21.99

$1.03 R 16.93

30.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 R 20.22

$0.99 R 16.30

24.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 R 29.94

$2.11 R 34.63

-13.74%

Eggs

$2.73 R 44.94

$2.38 R 39.13

14.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.03 R 148

$8.75 R 144

3.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 R 91.1

$5.20 R 85.5

6.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 R 144

$9.51 R 156

-7.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 R 34.87

$1.93 R 31.76

9.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 R 31.29

$1.99 R 32.76

-4.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 R 30.15

$1.76 R 28.87

3.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 R 33.98

$1.73 R 28.46

19.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 R 28.15

$1.60 R 26.25

6.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 R 29.18

$1.51 R 24.82

17.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 R 24.74

$1.37 R 22.46

10.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.46

$1.10 R 18.16

19.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 R 55.1

$3.32 R 54.5

0.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.25 R 103

$6.18 R 102

1.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 R 31.48

$1.36 R 22.35

40.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 R 38.60

$1.82 R 29.88

29.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 R 35.09

$1.15 R 18.91

85.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.7 R 1,491

$62.5 R 1,027

45.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R 15.67

$0.60 R 9.81

58.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 R 14.38

$1.52 R 24.95

-42.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.50 R 238

$5.11 R 84.1

183.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 R 25.44

$1.43 R 23.52

8.39%

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

$35.8K R 588.8K

$29.3K R 481.8K

22.20%

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

$32.0K R 525.8K

$30.3K R 498.9K

5.39%

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

$218 R 3,576

$83.8 R 1,378

159.56%

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

$38.71 R 636

$30.95 R 509

25.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.13 R 610

$42.00 R 690

-11.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.28 R 613

$45.18 R 743

-17.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.63 R 290

$10.70 R 176

64.77%

Cinema Ticket

$8.50 R 140

$7.33 R 121

15.96%

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

$254 R 4,168

$265 R 4,356

-4.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,574 R 91.6K

$3,734 R 61.4K

49.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 R 967

$31.67 R 521

85.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.07 R 757

$31.36 R 515

46.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 R 1,798

$70.5 R 1,159

55.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 R 1,787

$59.1 R 971

84.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 R 8,365

$668 R 11.0K

-23.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 R 7,168

$435 R 7,147

0.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 R 16.9K

$1,381 R 22.7K

-25.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$889 R 14.6K

$941 R 15.5K

-5.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$993 R 16.3K

$1,292 R 21.2K

-23.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$757 R 12.4K

$938 R 15.4K

-19.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,720 R 28.3K

$1,459 R 24.0K

17.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

10.12

7.81%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: September 19, 2026

Last update for Somerset West: September 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $509 in Johannesburg versus $668 in Somerset West. 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 18% 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 $46.00 in Somerset West. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $206 – making Somerset West 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 Somerset West: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johannesburg costs about 20% more than Somerset West, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,787 in Somerset West. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Somerset West, 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 $48.00 in Johannesburg and $46.00 in Somerset West. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,425 in Johannesburg and $1,191 in Somerset West. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Somerset West, where all-in costs run around $1,191, than in Johannesburg at $1,425. In Somerset West it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Somerset West costs $1,191 versus $1,425 in Johannesburg. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Somerset West. 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.