Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Upington Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Upington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,123 in Upington, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,233 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,789 in Upington, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,037 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,455 in Upington, rent included.

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

Johannesburg sits 4% above the global median, while Upington is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.66 R 204

$12.43 R 200

1.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.32 R 794

$38.08 R 613

29.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 R 119

$6.02 R 97.0

22.76%

Cappuccino

$2.61 R 42.02

$1.80 R 29.03

45.00%

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

$1.23 R 19.89

$1.09 R 17.53

12.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 R 15.90

$0.78 R 12.60

26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 R 34.81

$1.80 R 28.98

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 R 44.33

$2.89 R 46.52

-4.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 R 21.80

$0.98 R 15.71

37.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 R 20.51

$1.29 R 20.69

-1.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 R 29.88

$1.58 R 25.44

17.72%

Eggs

$2.68 R 43.15

$3.08 R 49.55

-12.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 R 151

$8.33 R 134

12.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.71 R 91.9

$6.05 R 97.5

-5.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.81 R 142

$7.41 R 119

18.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 R 35.56

$1.87 R 30.19

18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 R 31.56

$1.50 R 24.21

30.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.45

$1.60 R 25.75

14.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 R 35.21

$1.92 R 30.96

14.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 R 28.59

$1.48 R 23.82

20.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.22

$1.31 R 21.10

43.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 R 24.70

$1.11 R 17.82

37.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.06

$1.35 R 21.75

-2.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 R 53.9

$2.79 R 44.91

20.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 R 102

$3.94 R 63.5

61.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 R 29.64

$1.51 R 24.32

21.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 R 39.10

$1.80 R 29.00

35.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.18 R 35.10

$1.64 R 26.40

32.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.5 R 1,506

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 R 15.77

$0.72 R 11.60

36.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R 14.52

$0.94 R 15.09

-4.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.96 R 241

$8.05 R 130

85.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 R 24.75

$1.48 R 23.78

4.05%

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

$36.5K R 587.1K

$32.3K R 519.5K

13.02%

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

$33.0K R 530.8K

$34.3K R 552.9K

-3.98%

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

$229 R 3,687

$144 R 2,315

59.29%

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

$39.48 R 636

$38.08 R 613

3.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.82 R 625

$38.37 R 618

1.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.11 R 598

$35.49 R 572

4.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.07 R 291

Cinema Ticket

$8.36 R 135

$7.75 R 125

7.87%

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

$253 R 4,067

$254 R 4,094

-0.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,708 R 91.9K

$5,727 R 92.2K

-0.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 R 953

$62.9 R 1,012

-5.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 R 776

$33.73 R 543

42.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 R 1,789

$108 R 1,732

3.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 R 1,782

$90.5 R 1,457

22.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$518 R 8,338

$432 R 6,956

19.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 R 6,967

$376 R 6,052

15.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 R 17.1K

$615 R 9,908

72.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$901 R 14.5K

$788 R 12.7K

14.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,010 R 16.3K

$1,025 R 16.5K

-1.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$784 R 12.6K

$623 R 10.0K

25.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,746 R 28.1K

$816 R 13.1K

113.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

11.38

-4.13%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: September 8, 2026

Last update for Upington: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $518 in Johannesburg versus $432 in Upington. 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 114% 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 $38.00 in Upington. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $200 – making Upington 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 Upington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johannesburg costs about 27% more than Upington, 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 $1,685 in Upington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Upington, 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 $1,123 in Upington. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $253 per month in Johannesburg and $254 in Upington. 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 Upington, where all-in costs run around $1,123, than in Johannesburg at $1,430. In Upington it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Upington costs $1,123 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 Upington. 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.