Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Uitenhage Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Uitenhage

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,141 per month in Johannesburg vs $991 in Uitenhage, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,776 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,559 in Uitenhage, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,410 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,127 in Uitenhage, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 15% more than Uitenhage, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Johannesburg and Uitenhage are more affordable than the global median – Johannesburg 15% lower, Uitenhage 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.36 R 190

$8.79 R 147

29.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.87 R 752

$33.80 R 567

32.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 R 80.2

$4.95 R 83.1

-3.43%

Cappuccino

$2.22 R 37.25

$2.12 R 35.57

4.72%

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

$1.00 R 16.73

$0.99 R 16.58

1.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 R 12.59

$0.83 R 13.87

-9.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 R 45.55

$2.20 R 36.85

23.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R 41.57

$2.50 R 41.84

-0.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 19.32

$1.15 R 19.24

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 R 17.69

$1.05 R 17.53

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.62

$1.56 R 26.18

5.77%

Eggs

$2.52 R 42.19

$2.41 R 40.47

4.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.37 R 140

$7.88 R 132

6.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 R 81.6

$4.63 R 77.6

5.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.82 R 114

$6.61 R 111

3.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 R 27.41

$1.61 R 26.92

1.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.53

$1.48 R 24.78

2.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.98

$1.47 R 24.62

1.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 R 26.52

$1.65 R 27.70

-4.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 R 25.39

$1.30 R 21.85

16.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 R 23.60

$1.24 R 20.71

13.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 R 18.42

$1.04 R 17.46

5.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 16.15

$0.96 R 16.03

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 R 52.0

$2.75 R 46.13

12.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 R 102

$3.54 R 59.4

71.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R 22.59

$1.39 R 23.23

-2.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 R 26.73

$1.73 R 28.95

-8.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 R 28.61

$1.63 R 27.32

4.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.8 R 1,171

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R 18.29

$1.14 R 19.13

-4.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 15.92

$0.95 R 15.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.95 R 66.2

$4.12 R 69.1

-4.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 21.24

$1.28 R 21.42

-0.78%

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

$22.0K R 369.7K

$20.9K R 349.9K

5.66%

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

$23.6K R 395.0K

$23.9K R 400.6K

-1.39%

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

$120 R 2,015

$116 R 1,951

3.28%

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

$41.02 R 688

$35.31 R 592

16.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.29 R 709

$41.97 R 704

0.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.01 R 570

$31.50 R 528

7.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.44 R 225

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 R 123

$6.60 R 111

11.06%

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

$210 R 3,517

$196 R 3,285

7.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,868 R 81.6K

$4,426 R 74.2K

9.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.43 R 829

$50.8 R 852

-2.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.23 R 557

$32.47 R 545

2.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 R 1,534

$87.6 R 1,468

4.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 R 1,340

$81.4 R 1,365

-1.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 R 7,131

$370 R 6,200

15.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 R 6,328

$327 R 5,489

15.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 R 15.6K

$699 R 11.7K

33.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 R 11.8K

$694 R 11.6K

1.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,050 R 17.6K

$787 R 13.2K

33.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$751 R 12.6K

$623 R 10.4K

20.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,570 R 26.3K

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Uitenhage: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Johannesburg versus $370 in Uitenhage. 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 $34.00 in Uitenhage. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $185 vs $175 – making Uitenhage 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 Uitenhage: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johannesburg costs about 15% more than Uitenhage, 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 $1,712 per month in Johannesburg and $1,487 in Uitenhage. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Uitenhage, 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 $1,141 in Johannesburg and $991 in Uitenhage. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $210 per month in Johannesburg and $196 in Uitenhage. 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 Uitenhage, where all-in costs run around $991, than in Johannesburg at $1,141. In Uitenhage it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Uitenhage costs $991 versus $1,141 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 Uitenhage. 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.