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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,160 per month in Johannesburg vs $804 in Stilbaai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,812 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,309 in Stilbaai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,814 in Stilbaai, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 44% more than Stilbaai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Johannesburg and Stilbaai are more affordable than the global median – Johannesburg 13% lower, Stilbaai 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.10 R 185

$5.72 R 95.3

94.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.36 R 756

$44.69 R 745

1.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 R 80.1

$4.40 R 73.3

9.32%

Cappuccino

$2.18 R 36.28

$1.37 R 22.78

59.12%

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

$1.02 R 17.04

$0.54 R 9.04

88.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.61

$0.57 R 9.51

43.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 R 44.90

$2.83 R 47.10

-4.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 R 41.42

$1.67 R 27.76

49.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 19.21

$0.76 R 12.68

51.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 18.14

$0.50 R 8.40

118.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 R 28.19

$1.65 R 27.55

2.42%

Eggs

$2.55 R 42.40

$2.41 R 40.08

5.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 R 137

$4.35 R 72.5

89.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 R 79.7

$4.41 R 73.5

8.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 R 109

$7.65 R 128

-14.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.95

$1.21 R 20.21

38.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.60

$0.81 R 13.52

90.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.66

$1.15 R 19.15

28.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 26.49

$1.26 R 20.91

26.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 R 24.01

$0.35 R 5.85

311.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 R 23.17

$1.24 R 20.60

12.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 18.15

$0.86 R 14.25

26.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 R 14.75

$0.58 R 9.73

53.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 R 49.92

$3.05 R 50.9

-1.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 R 97.8

$4.65 R 77.4

26.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.89

$0.81 R 13.57

61.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 27.47

$1.15 R 19.08

43.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 27.79

$1.67 R 27.80

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 R 1,188

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 18.12

$1.38 R 22.92

-21.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 R 14.80

$0.28 R 4.71

217.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 R 68.1

$4.53 R 75.5

-9.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 21.17

$1.24 R 20.60

2.42%

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

$22.5K R 375.0K

$16.7K R 278.1K

34.83%

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

$23.8K R 396.9K

$16.8K R 279.2K

42.18%

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

$119 R 1,981

$51.2 R 853

132.17%

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

$41.09 R 684

$32.58 R 543

26.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.46 R 707

$27.49 R 458

54.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.18 R 569

$31.46 R 524

8.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.64 R 227

Cinema Ticket

$7.42 R 124

$4.98 R 83.0

49.00%

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

$209 R 3,481

$216 R 3,590

-3.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,974 R 82.9K

$1,125 R 18.7K

341.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.97 R 832

$28.33 R 472

76.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.46 R 557

$17.13 R 285

95.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 R 1,508

$55.2 R 920

63.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 R 1,293

$55.7 R 927

39.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$417 R 6,939

$369 R 6,145

12.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 R 6,275

$340 R 5,663

10.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 R 15.4K

$674 R 11.2K

37.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 R 11.6K

$680 R 11.3K

2.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 R 17.0K

$797 R 13.3K

27.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$760 R 12.7K

$564 R 9,401

34.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 R 28.1K

$2,391 R 39.8K

-29.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

11.77

-2.21%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: July 26, 2026

Last update for Stilbaai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $417 in Johannesburg versus $369 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 $45.00 in Johannesburg versus $45.00 in Stilbaai. Groceries tell a different story – $183 in Johannesburg vs $138 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 44% 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 $1,739 per month in Johannesburg and $1,205 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 $1,160 in Johannesburg and $804 in Stilbaai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $209 per month in Johannesburg and $216 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 $804, than in Johannesburg at $1,160. 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 $804 versus $1,160 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.