Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Australia Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Australia

Name: Australia
Address: AU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,144 per month in South Africa vs $2,538 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,780 per month in South Africa vs $3,664 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,415 per month in South Africa vs $4,789 in Australia, rent included.

The cost of living in South Africa is roughly 55% lower than in Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

South Africa sits 17% below the global median, while Australia is 85% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,207–$3,344) than in South Africa ($636–$1,831), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.96 R 176

$18.15 A$25.32

-39.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.98 R 707

$87.3 A$122

-49.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.02 R 96.7

$11.04 A$15.41

-45.47%

Cappuccino

$2.46 R 39.47

$4.01 A$5.59

-38.65%

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

$1.15 R 18.40

$2.97 A$4.15

-61.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.08

$2.38 A$3.33

-60.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 R 40.31

$7.91 A$11.03

-68.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 R 50.7

$7.96 A$11.11

-60.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 R 20.17

$1.83 A$2.55

-31.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 R 18.53

$2.88 A$4.02

-60.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 R 28.65

$2.39 A$3.34

-25.52%

Eggs

$2.63 R 42.26

$5.19 A$7.24

-49.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 R 133

$9.94 A$13.88

-16.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 R 85.7

$9.14 A$12.76

-41.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 R 125

$15.28 A$21.32

-48.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 R 30.48

$3.66 A$5.11

-48.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.28

$3.07 A$4.29

-44.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 R 27.61

$3.24 A$4.52

-46.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 R 30.01

$4.70 A$6.55

-60.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.47

$2.90 A$4.04

-47.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.10

$2.46 A$3.43

-39.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 R 20.13

$2.50 A$3.48

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 18.70

$1.76 A$2.46

-34.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 R 53.4

$38.84 A$54.2

-91.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.18 R 83.2

$14.50 A$20.24

-64.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 R 25.04

$4.92 A$6.87

-68.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 R 32.49

$5.12 A$7.14

-60.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 R 29.55

$2.95 A$4.12

-37.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 R 985

$94.9 A$132

-35.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 R 18.20

$3.65 A$5.10

-69.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R 14.39

$1.61 A$2.24

-44.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 R 123

$40.79 A$56.9

-81.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 R 23.19

$1.30 A$1.81

10.77%

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

$36.5K R 587.1K

$28.2K A$39.4K

29.59%

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

$32.1K R 515.2K

$29.5K A$41.2K

8.58%

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

$132 R 2,118

$204 A$284

-35.25%

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

$35.05 R 563

$29.50 A$41.17

18.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.77 R 655

$58.7 A$81.9

-30.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.05 R 547

$57.3 A$80.0

-40.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.06 R 194

$19.45 A$27.15

-37.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.44 R 119

$15.70 A$21.91

-52.61%

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

$232 R 3,727

$2,139 A$2,985

-89.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,509 R 88.5K

$18.4K A$25.7K

-70.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 R 867

$80.7 A$113

-33.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.03 R 563

$57.5 A$80.2

-39.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 R 1,674

$117 A$163

-10.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 R 1,430

$128 A$178

-30.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 R 8,003

$1,635 A$2,281

-69.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 R 6,718

$1,289 A$1,799

-67.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$991 R 15.9K

$2,474 A$3,453

-59.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 R 13.3K

$1,961 A$2,736

-57.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,136 R 18.3K

$8,452 A$11.8K

-86.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$815 R 13.1K

$6,152 A$8,585

-86.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,548 R 24.9K

$4,067 A$5,675

-61.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.23

5.92

89.70%

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

Last update for South Africa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Australia: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $432 in South Africa vs $1,423 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $333 in Bloemfontein and $1,824 in Canberra.

Average salary: $1,547 in South Africa vs $3,932 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 229% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 113% more in Australia.

Public transport is 371% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 154% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

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

South Africa vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

South Africa is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 84% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in South Africa, contributing to the overall 84% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in South Africa, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

South Africa is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.