Cost of Living Comparison Between Roodepoort and Johannesburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Roodepoort and Johannesburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,362 per month in Roodepoort vs $1,149 in Johannesburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,939 per month in Roodepoort vs $1,813 in Johannesburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,515 per month in Roodepoort vs $2,476 in Johannesburg, rent included.

Roodepoort costs about 18% more than Johannesburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Roodepoort sits 2% above the global median, while Johannesburg is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.18 R 185

$11.15 R 185

0.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.01 R 745

$45.18 R 748

-0.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.66 R 77.2

$4.89 R 80.9

-4.70%

Cappuccino

$2.05 R 33.91

$2.17 R 35.85

-5.53%

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

$1.03 R 17.01

$0.99 R 16.34

4.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 R 12.82

$0.77 R 12.74

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 R 37.71

$2.68 R 44.29

-14.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R 41.11

$2.59 R 42.93

-4.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.76

$1.16 R 19.18

2.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 R 17.62

$1.09 R 18.05

-2.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 R 27.10

$1.65 R 27.32

-0.61%

Eggs

$2.45 R 40.50

$2.45 R 40.59

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.46 R 140

$8.43 R 140

0.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 R 77.6

$4.77 R 78.9

-1.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.90 R 114

$6.56 R 109

5.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.74

$1.67 R 27.61

-2.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.52

$1.51 R 25.08

1.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.78

$1.49 R 24.65

12.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.82

$1.61 R 26.61

0.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.65

$1.49 R 24.74

-12.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.49

$1.39 R 23.05

2.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 R 17.92

$1.09 R 18.02

-0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 R 18.51

$0.94 R 15.57

19.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 R 45.88

$3.16 R 52.3

-12.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 R 103

$6.04 R 100

3.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 R 21.77

$1.30 R 21.47

1.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 R 27.36

$1.68 R 27.74

-1.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 R 27.96

$1.72 R 28.43

-1.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 R 1,180

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 R 18.95

$1.10 R 18.28

3.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 R 14.77

$0.96 R 15.95

-7.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 R 50.1

$4.09 R 67.6

-25.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R 21.87

$1.28 R 21.21

3.13%

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

$19.2K R 317.9K

$22.2K R 367.2K

-13.43%

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

$24.1K R 399.7K

$23.5K R 389.8K

2.55%

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

$124 R 2,057

$118 R 1,946

5.70%

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

$37.44 R 620

$40.44 R 670

-7.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.69 R 707

$42.11 R 697

1.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.99 R 629

$33.88 R 561

12.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.29 R 170

$13.59 R 225

-24.28%

Cinema Ticket

$7.37 R 122

$7.07 R 117

4.24%

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

$211 R 3,494

$204 R 3,377

3.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,931 R 81.6K

$4,903 R 81.2K

0.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 R 841

$50.9 R 842

-0.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.62 R 523

$33.65 R 557

-6.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 R 1,481

$92.4 R 1,529

-3.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 R 1,314

$79.3 R 1,312

0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 R 9,447

$414 R 6,851

37.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 R 10.3K

$365 R 6,047

69.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,418 R 23.5K

$907 R 15.0K

56.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$875 R 14.5K

$694 R 11.5K

26.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,043 R 17.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$761 R 12.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,562 R 25.9K

$1,734 R 28.7K

-9.90%

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 Roodepoort: July 14, 2026

Last update for Johannesburg: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $571 in Roodepoort 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 11% 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 $45.00 in Roodepoort versus $45.00 in Johannesburg. Groceries tell a different story – $187 in Roodepoort vs $184 in Johannesburg – so Johannesburg wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Roodepoort vs Johannesburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Roodepoort costs about 18% 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 $2,043 per month in Roodepoort 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,362 in Roodepoort and $1,149 in Johannesburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $211 per month in Roodepoort and $204 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 Johannesburg, where all-in costs run around $1,149, than in Roodepoort at $1,362. In Johannesburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Roodepoort it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Johannesburg costs $1,149 versus $1,362 in Roodepoort. 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, Roodepoort makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.