Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Welkom Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Welkom

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,435 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,112 in Welkom, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,252 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,780 in Welkom, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,069 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,449 in Welkom, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 29% more than Welkom, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.61 R 202

$9.08 R 145

38.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.05 R 736

$22.05 R 353

108.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 R 120

$5.63 R 90.1

33.39%

Cappuccino

$2.49 R 39.82

$1.78 R 28.39

39.89%

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

$1.26 R 20.23

$0.49 R 7.81

157.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.07

$0.64 R 10.30

46.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 R 33.11

$1.21 R 19.43

71.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R 44.24

$1.59 R 25.45

74.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 R 21.79

$1.05 R 16.74

29.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 R 20.57

$1.07 R 17.14

20.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.27

$1.45 R 23.27

26.21%

Eggs

$2.68 R 42.86

$1.91 R 30.52

40.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 R 149

$6.80 R 109

37.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.00 R 96.0

$4.86 R 77.7

23.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 R 146

$4.89 R 78.1

87.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 R 35.97

$1.54 R 24.60

46.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 R 31.25

$1.68 R 26.86

16.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 R 29.09

$1.86 R 29.67

-2.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 R 34.08

$1.20 R 19.24

77.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 R 28.66

$1.15 R 18.42

55.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 R 29.95

$1.24 R 19.91

50.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 R 24.14

$0.92 R 14.64

64.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 R 21.44

$1.30 R 20.85

3.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 R 54.4

$2.43 R 38.78

39.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.05 R 96.8

$2.51 R 40.21

141.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 R 29.76

$1.53 R 24.45

21.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 R 39.14

$1.83 R 29.30

33.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 R 34.08

$0.89 R 14.24

139.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 R 1,501

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 R 14.43

$0.30 R 4.78

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.10

$0.84 R 13.36

11.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.16 R 243

$14.80 R 237

2.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 R 24.56

$1.49 R 23.86

3.36%

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

$36.4K R 581.6K

$35.9K R 574.2K

1.29%

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

$32.9K R 525.6K

$34.2K R 547.2K

-3.96%

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

$222 R 3,552

$158 R 2,530

40.39%

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

$38.73 R 619

$37.80 R 605

2.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.69 R 635

$38.61 R 617

2.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.29 R 612

$44.23 R 707

-13.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.46 R 279

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 R 128

$7.42 R 119

7.68%

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

$248 R 3,964

$268 R 4,283

-7.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,745 R 91.9K

$7,960 R 127.3K

-27.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 R 958

$53.8 R 860

11.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.00 R 768

$32.95 R 527

45.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 R 1,748

$96.8 R 1,547

12.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 R 1,760

$84.8 R 1,357

29.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 R 8,731

$276 R 4,419

97.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 R 7,081

$406 R 6,488

9.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 R 17.7K

$943 R 15.1K

17.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$939 R 15.0K

$1,075 R 17.2K

-12.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 R 16.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$773 R 12.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,787 R 28.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

11.34

-3.79%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: August 30, 2026

Last update for Welkom: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $546 in Johannesburg versus $276 in Welkom. 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 $46.00 in Johannesburg versus $22.00 in Welkom. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $167 – making Welkom 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 Welkom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johannesburg costs about 29% more than Welkom, 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 $2,152 per month in Johannesburg and $1,668 in Welkom. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Welkom, 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 $1,435 in Johannesburg and $1,112 in Welkom. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $248 per month in Johannesburg and $268 in Welkom. 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 Welkom, where all-in costs run around $1,112, than in Johannesburg at $1,435. In Welkom it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Welkom costs $1,112 versus $1,435 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 Welkom. 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.