Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,167 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $1,149 in Johannesburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,849 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $1,813 in Johannesburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,532 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $2,476 in Johannesburg, rent included.

Port Elizabeth costs about 2% more than Johannesburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg are more affordable than the global median – Port Elizabeth 13% lower, Johannesburg 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.89 R 146

$11.15 R 183

-20.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.06 R 724

$45.18 R 743

-2.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 R 88.2

$4.89 R 80.4

9.61%

Cappuccino

$2.14 R 35.22

$2.17 R 35.60

-1.38%

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

$1.14 R 18.70

$0.99 R 16.22

15.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 R 16.38

$0.77 R 12.65

29.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 R 42.11

$2.68 R 43.98

-4.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 R 49.69

$2.59 R 42.63

16.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R 18.40

$1.16 R 19.04

-3.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 R 15.67

$1.09 R 17.93

-12.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.63

$1.65 R 27.13

-9.09%

Eggs

$2.45 R 40.30

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 R 128

$8.43 R 139

-7.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 R 78.0

$4.77 R 78.3

-0.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.03 R 132

$6.56 R 108

22.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.89

$1.67 R 27.41

-1.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.40

$1.51 R 24.90

-5.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.82

$1.49 R 24.48

9.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.72

$1.61 R 26.42

1.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 R 25.55

$1.49 R 24.57

4.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 R 18.45

$1.39 R 22.88

-19.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 R 19.29

$1.09 R 17.89

7.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 R 16.57

$0.94 R 15.46

7.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 R 48.41

$3.16 R 51.9

-6.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.86 R 79.8

$6.04 R 99.3

-19.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R 18.09

$1.30 R 21.32

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 R 28.20

$1.68 R 27.55

2.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 R 18.61

$1.72 R 28.23

-34.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.27 R 563

$71.3 R 1,171

-51.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 R 43.87

$1.10 R 18.16

142.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 R 7.42

$0.96 R 15.84

-53.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.95 R 131

$4.09 R 67.2

94.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R 20.83

$1.28 R 21.06

-0.78%

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

$23.9K R 393.4K

$22.2K R 364.6K

7.88%

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

$25.8K R 423.5K

$23.5K R 387.0K

9.42%

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

$114 R 1,879

$118 R 1,933

-2.80%

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

$31.86 R 524

$40.44 R 665

-21.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.72 R 735

$42.11 R 692

6.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.14 R 479

$33.88 R 557

-13.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.28 R 350

$13.59 R 223

56.59%

Cinema Ticket

$9.73 R 160

$7.07 R 116

37.62%

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

$168 R 2,763

$204 R 3,353

-17.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,835 R 79.5K

$4,903 R 80.6K

-1.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 R 1,105

$50.9 R 836

32.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.20 R 612

$33.65 R 553

10.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 R 1,588

$92.4 R 1,518

4.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 R 1,462

$79.3 R 1,303

12.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 R 9,602

$414 R 6,803

41.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 R 7,192

$365 R 6,004

19.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,097 R 18.0K

$907 R 14.9K

20.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$870 R 14.3K

$694 R 11.4K

25.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$772 R 12.7K

$1,043 R 17.1K

-26.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$525 R 8,636

$761 R 12.5K

-30.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,623 R 26.7K

$1,734 R 28.5K

-6.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.04

11.51

4.60%

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

Last update for Port Elizabeth: July 11, 2026

Last update for Johannesburg: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $584 in Port Elizabeth versus $414 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 7% higher in Johannesburg, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Port Elizabeth versus $45.00 in Johannesburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $184 – making Port Elizabeth 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

Port Elizabeth vs Johannesburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Port Elizabeth costs about 2% more than Johannesburg, 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 $1,750 per month in Port Elizabeth and $1,724 in Johannesburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Johannesburg, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Port Elizabeth and $45.00 in Johannesburg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,167 in Port Elizabeth and $1,149 in Johannesburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Johannesburg, where all-in costs run around $1,149, than in Port Elizabeth at $1,167. In Johannesburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Elizabeth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Johannesburg costs $1,149 versus $1,167 in Port Elizabeth. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Johannesburg. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Port Elizabeth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.