Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Sun City Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Sun City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,142 per month in Johannesburg vs $986 in Sun City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,779 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,582 in Sun City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,416 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,178 in Sun City, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 16% more than Sun City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Johannesburg and Sun City are more affordable than the global median – Johannesburg 15% lower, Sun City 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.40 R 184

$11.32 R 183

0.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.07 R 729

$45.35 R 733

-0.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 R 80.2

$4.90 R 79.2

1.22%

Cappuccino

$2.27 R 36.74

$2.25 R 36.42

0.89%

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

$1.03 R 16.71

$0.99 R 16.00

4.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 R 13.09

$0.75 R 12.15

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 R 42.60

$2.69 R 43.54

-2.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R 40.17

$2.58 R 41.69

-3.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 18.52

$1.09 R 17.57

5.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 17.59

$0.75 R 12.09

45.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 R 26.88

$1.66 R 26.89

Eggs

$2.45 R 39.54

$2.53 R 40.91

-3.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.40 R 136

$8.30 R 134

1.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 R 77.8

$4.84 R 78.2

-0.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.85 R 111

$6.79 R 110

0.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.29

$1.61 R 26.09

4.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.57

$1.48 R 23.99

2.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.92

$1.47 R 23.76

4.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R 26.65

$1.65 R 26.67

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 R 23.47

$1.48 R 23.97

-2.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 R 22.31

$1.43 R 23.15

-3.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 R 17.08

$1.05 R 16.99

0.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.21

$0.96 R 15.53

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 R 48.46

$3.03 R 48.92

-0.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 R 101

$6.18 R 99.9

0.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R 22.04

$1.29 R 20.88

5.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 R 25.95

$1.58 R 25.61

1.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 26.99

$1.66 R 26.88

0.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 R 1,149

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R 18.65

$1.09 R 17.60

5.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R 15.46

$0.94 R 15.23

2.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 R 65.3

$4.12 R 66.6

-1.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R 19.64

$1.23 R 19.93

-1.63%

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

$22.2K R 358.9K

$22.6K R 365.2K

-1.72%

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

$23.6K R 382.0K

$23.7K R 382.4K

-0.11%

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

$116 R 1,875

$96.7 R 1,563

19.94%

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

$39.97 R 646

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.66 R 690

$43.58 R 705

-2.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.37 R 556

$31.46 R 509

9.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.50 R 218

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 R 119

$3.11 R 50.2

135.69%

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

$211 R 3,405

$209 R 3,386

0.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,820 R 77.9K

$4,822 R 78.0K

-0.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 R 811

$50.4 R 815

-0.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.43 R 540

$32.92 R 532

1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 R 1,445

$67.8 R 1,096

31.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 R 1,273

$78.3 R 1,266

0.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 R 6,847

$361 R 5,832

17.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 R 6,079

$340 R 5,491

10.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$913 R 14.8K

$693 R 11.2K

31.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 R 11.5K

$684 R 11.1K

3.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,056 R 17.1K

$949 R 15.3K

11.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$770 R 12.5K

$699 R 11.3K

10.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,654 R 26.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

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

Last update for Johannesburg: June 9, 2026

Last update for Sun City: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Johannesburg versus $361 in Sun City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Johannesburg versus $45.00 in Sun City. Groceries tell a different story – $185 in Johannesburg vs $181 in Sun City – so Sun City 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 Sun City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johannesburg costs about 16% more than Sun City, 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 $1,713 per month in Johannesburg and $1,478 in Sun City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sun City, 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 $1,142 in Johannesburg and $986 in Sun City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $211 per month in Johannesburg and $209 in Sun City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sun City, where all-in costs run around $986, than in Johannesburg at $1,142. In Sun City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sun City costs $986 versus $1,142 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 Sun City. 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.