Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Stilbaai Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Stilbaai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Johannesburg vs $878 in Stilbaai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,233 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,449 in Stilbaai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,037 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,021 in Stilbaai, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 63% more than Stilbaai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Johannesburg sits 4% above the global median, while Stilbaai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.66 R 204

$6.34 R 102

99.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.32 R 794

$49.31 R 794

0.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 R 119

$4.89 R 78.7

51.12%

Cappuccino

$2.61 R 42.02

$1.59 R 25.55

64.15%

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

$1.23 R 19.89

$0.66 R 10.64

86.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 R 15.90

$0.65 R 10.48

52.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 R 34.81

$3.16 R 50.9

-31.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 R 44.33

$1.86 R 30.00

47.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 R 21.80

$0.90 R 14.56

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 R 20.51

$0.58 R 9.33

118.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 R 29.88

$1.92 R 30.94

-3.12%

Eggs

$2.68 R 43.15

$3.18 R 51.2

-15.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 R 151

$4.90 R 78.9

91.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.71 R 91.9

$4.98 R 80.2

14.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.81 R 142

$8.93 R 144

-1.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 R 35.56

$1.37 R 21.99

61.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 R 31.56

$0.97 R 15.55

102.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.45

$1.27 R 20.50

44.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 R 35.21

$1.36 R 21.92

61.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 R 28.59

$0.36 R 5.87

394.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.22

$1.60 R 25.74

17.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 R 24.70

$0.90 R 14.45

70.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.06

$0.62 R 9.94

111.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 R 53.9

$3.82 R 61.5

-12.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 R 102

$4.92 R 79.2

29.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 R 29.64

$0.97 R 15.58

89.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 R 39.10

$1.29 R 20.70

88.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.18 R 35.10

$1.44 R 23.12

51.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.5 R 1,506

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 R 15.77

$0.66 R 10.57

48.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R 14.52

$0.32 R 5.17

181.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.96 R 241

$5.18 R 83.5

188.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 R 24.75

$1.42 R 22.82

8.45%

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

$36.5K R 587.1K

$18.7K R 301.4K

94.78%

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

$33.0K R 530.8K

$19.0K R 306.0K

73.50%

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

$229 R 3,687

$57.4 R 925

298.61%

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

$39.48 R 636

$31.11 R 501

26.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.82 R 625

$31.68 R 510

22.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.11 R 598

$31.69 R 510

17.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.07 R 291

Cinema Ticket

$8.36 R 135

$5.51 R 88.7

51.72%

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

$253 R 4,067

$270 R 4,348

-6.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,708 R 91.9K

$1,257 R 20.2K

354.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 R 953

$31.87 R 513

85.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 R 776

$18.97 R 306

154.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 R 1,789

$61.4 R 989

80.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 R 1,782

$63.2 R 1,017

75.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$518 R 8,338

$454 R 7,313

14.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 R 6,967

$380 R 6,116

13.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 R 17.1K

$737 R 11.9K

44.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$901 R 14.5K

$765 R 12.3K

17.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,010 R 16.3K

$933 R 15.0K

8.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$784 R 12.6K

$727 R 11.7K

7.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,746 R 28.1K

$2,477 R 39.9K

-29.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

11.02

-1.00%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: September 8, 2026

Last update for Stilbaai: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $518 in Johannesburg versus $454 in Stilbaai. 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 42% higher in Stilbaai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Johannesburg versus $49.00 in Stilbaai. Groceries tell a different story – $226 in Johannesburg vs $159 in Stilbaai – so Stilbaai 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 Stilbaai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johannesburg costs about 63% more than Stilbaai, 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 $2,145 per month in Johannesburg and $1,317 in Stilbaai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stilbaai, 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 $1,430 in Johannesburg and $878 in Stilbaai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $253 per month in Johannesburg and $270 in Stilbaai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Stilbaai, where all-in costs run around $878, than in Johannesburg at $1,430. In Stilbaai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Stilbaai costs $878 versus $1,430 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 Stilbaai. 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.