Cost of Living Comparison Between Polokwane and Johannesburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Polokwane and Johannesburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $816 per month in Polokwane vs $1,160 in Johannesburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,285 per month in Polokwane vs $1,812 in Johannesburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,754 per month in Polokwane vs $2,464 in Johannesburg, rent included.

Polokwane is about 30% cheaper than Johannesburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Polokwane and Johannesburg are more affordable than the global median – Polokwane 39% lower, Johannesburg 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.51 R 157

$11.10 R 184

-14.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.38 R 684

$45.36 R 750

-8.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 R 81.0

$4.81 R 79.5

1.66%

Cappuccino

$2.19 R 36.23

$2.18 R 36.02

0.46%

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

$0.88 R 14.52

$1.02 R 16.92

-13.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 R 12.59

$0.82 R 13.52

-7.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 R 28.21

$2.70 R 44.59

-36.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 R 32.65

$2.49 R 41.13

-20.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 R 19.56

$1.15 R 19.08

2.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 R 16.46

$1.09 R 18.02

-8.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 R 28.55

$1.69 R 27.99

2.37%

Eggs

$2.46 R 40.77

$2.55 R 42.11

-3.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.02 R 116

$8.24 R 136

-14.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 R 54.6

$4.78 R 79.1

-30.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.58 R 92.3

$6.56 R 109

-14.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.69

$1.68 R 27.75

-0.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.42

$1.54 R 25.42

-3.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 R 25.68

$1.48 R 24.49

4.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 26.33

$1.59 R 26.31

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.52

$1.44 R 23.84

2.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 R 20.36

$1.39 R 23.01

-11.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 R 17.83

$1.09 R 18.02

-0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 R 12.88

$0.89 R 14.65

-12.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 R 43.48

$3.00 R 49.57

-12.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.64 R 76.8

$5.87 R 97.1

-20.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 R 17.82

$1.31 R 21.73

-17.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 R 21.32

$1.65 R 27.28

-21.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.28 R 54.2

$1.67 R 27.59

96.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 R 1,180

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 R 14.08

$1.09 R 18.00

-22.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R 14.90

$0.89 R 14.70

1.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 R 66.0

$4.09 R 67.6

-2.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 R 19.90

$1.27 R 21.02

-5.51%

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

$14.0K R 232.0K

$22.5K R 372.3K

-37.69%

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

$22.4K R 370.7K

$23.8K R 394.1K

-5.94%

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

$121 R 1,994

$119 R 1,967

1.37%

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

$40.06 R 663

$41.09 R 680

-2.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.47 R 603

$42.46 R 702

-14.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.96 R 363

$34.18 R 565

-35.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.64 R 226

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 R 121

$7.42 R 123

-1.21%

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

$168 R 2,775

$209 R 3,457

-19.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,355 R 22.4K

$4,974 R 82.3K

-72.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.75 R 558

$49.97 R 827

-32.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.16 R 565

$33.46 R 553

2.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 R 1,220

$90.6 R 1,498

-18.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 R 1,290

$77.6 R 1,284

0.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 R 4,246

$417 R 6,890

-38.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 R 2,886

$377 R 6,230

-53.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 R 6,218

$925 R 15.3K

-59.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 R 4,691

$697 R 11.5K

-59.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 R 16.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$760 R 12.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,473 R 24.4K

$1,689 R 27.9K

-12.78%

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 Polokwane: July 26, 2026

Last update for Johannesburg: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $257 in Polokwane versus $417 in Johannesburg. 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 15% 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 $41.00 in Polokwane versus $45.00 in Johannesburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $162 vs $183 – making Polokwane 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

Polokwane vs Johannesburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Johannesburg costs about 42% more than Polokwane, 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 $1,224 per month in Polokwane and $1,739 in Johannesburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Polokwane, 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 $816 in Polokwane and $1,160 in Johannesburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $168 per month in Polokwane and $209 in Johannesburg. 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 Polokwane, where all-in costs run around $816, than in Johannesburg at $1,160. In Polokwane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Polokwane costs $816 versus $1,160 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 Polokwane. 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.