Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Tembisa Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Tembisa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,129 in Tembisa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,233 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,768 in Tembisa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,037 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,406 in Tembisa, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 27% more than Tembisa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Johannesburg sits 4% above the global median, while Tembisa is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.66 R 204

$10.52 R 169

20.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.32 R 794

$41.92 R 675

17.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 R 119

$5.82 R 93.7

26.98%

Cappuccino

$2.61 R 42.02

$2.37 R 38.18

10.13%

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

$1.23 R 19.89

$1.13 R 18.15

8.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 R 15.90

$0.89 R 14.28

11.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 R 34.81

$2.44 R 39.22

-11.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 R 44.33

$2.73 R 44.02

0.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 R 21.80

$1.22 R 19.61

10.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 R 20.51

$1.13 R 18.14

12.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 R 29.88

$1.80 R 29.03

3.33%

Eggs

$2.68 R 43.15

$2.61 R 42.00

2.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 R 151

$8.71 R 140

7.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.71 R 91.9

$5.43 R 87.4

5.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.81 R 142

$7.65 R 123

15.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 R 35.56

$1.93 R 31.03

14.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 R 31.56

$1.66 R 26.71

18.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.45

$1.84 R 29.58

-0.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 R 35.21

$1.70 R 27.31

28.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 R 28.59

$1.55 R 25.02

14.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.22

$1.46 R 23.55

28.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 R 24.70

$1.28 R 20.55

19.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.06

$1.06 R 17.13

23.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 R 53.9

$3.61 R 58.1

-7.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 R 102

$5.57 R 89.7

14.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 R 29.64

$1.42 R 22.89

29.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 R 39.10

$1.78 R 28.68

36.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.18 R 35.10

$1.78 R 28.74

22.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.5 R 1,506

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 R 15.77

$0.60 R 9.63

63.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R 14.52

$0.95 R 15.22

-5.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.96 R 241

$8.86 R 143

68.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 R 24.75

$1.51 R 24.25

1.99%

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

$36.5K R 587.1K

$39.5K R 635.9K

-7.67%

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

$33.0K R 530.8K

$34.8K R 560.5K

-5.29%

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

$229 R 3,687

$144 R 2,318

59.08%

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

$39.48 R 636

$38.59 R 621

2.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.82 R 625

$37.91 R 611

2.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.11 R 598

$32.04 R 516

15.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.07 R 291

Cinema Ticket

$8.36 R 135

$7.51 R 121

11.32%

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

$253 R 4,067

$257 R 4,138

-1.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,708 R 91.9K

$5,205 R 83.8K

9.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 R 953

$50.5 R 814

17.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 R 776

$29.46 R 474

63.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 R 1,789

$118 R 1,905

-6.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 R 1,782

$83.8 R 1,350

31.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$518 R 8,338

$418 R 6,728

23.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 R 6,967

$370 R 5,953

17.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 R 17.1K

$693 R 11.2K

53.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$901 R 14.5K

$771 R 12.4K

16.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,010 R 16.3K

$890 R 14.3K

13.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$784 R 12.6K

$623 R 10.0K

25.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,746 R 28.1K

$582 R 9,370

200.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

-0.82%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: September 8, 2026

Last update for Tembisa: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $518 in Johannesburg versus $418 in Tembisa. 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 200% 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 $49.00 in Johannesburg versus $42.00 in Tembisa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $200 – making Tembisa 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 Tembisa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johannesburg costs about 27% more than Tembisa, 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 $1,693 in Tembisa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tembisa, 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 $1,129 in Tembisa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $253 per month in Johannesburg and $257 in Tembisa. 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 Tembisa, where all-in costs run around $1,129, than in Johannesburg at $1,430. In Tembisa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tembisa costs $1,129 versus $1,430 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 Tembisa. 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.