- Download our Johannesburg Schools Guide
- Purchase the complete Johannesburg City Guide
- Purchase the complete Expat Arrivals Johannesburg Guide (PDF)
The cost of living in Johannesburg is around half that of European cities such as London and Paris. While the average salary in Johannesburg is comparatively lower, the city is still fairly low cost compared to many expat destinations in the world, with the 2019 Mercer Cost of Living report ranking the city at 185th out of 209 cities. Cape Town is slightly more expensive, ranking 180th.
Comparing Johannesburg with other cities in South Africa, expats generally enjoy a higher standard of living as a result of having higher purchasing power, especially when it comes to renting and buying housing.
For more statistics and general information, see Cost of Living in South Africa.
Cost of living in Johannesburg chart
Prices may vary depending on product and service provider. The list below shows average prices for January 2020.
|
Accommodation (monthly rent) |
|
|
Three-bedroom apartment in city centre |
ZAR 14,000 |
|
Three-bedroom apartment outside city centre |
ZAR 11,000 |
|
One-bedroom apartment in city centre |
ZAR 10,000 |
|
One-bedroom apartment outside city centre |
ZAR 7,000 |
|
Shopping |
|
|
Eggs (dozen) |
ZAR 31 |
|
Milk (1 litre) |
ZAR 16 |
|
Rice (1kg) |
ZAR 20 |
|
Loaf of white bread |
ZAR 14 |
|
Chicken breasts (1kg) |
ZAR 75 |
|
Pack of cigarettes (Marlboro) |
ZAR 45 |
|
Eating out |
|
|
Big Mac Meal |
ZAR 55 |
|
Coca-Cola (330ml) |
ZAR 15 |
|
Cappuccino |
ZAR 30 |
|
Local beer (500ml) |
ZAR 28 |
|
Three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant |
ZAR 500 |
|
Utilities |
|
|
Mobile-to-mobile call rate (per minute) |
ZAR 1.80 |
|
Internet (uncapped ADSL or cable – average per month) |
ZAR 960 |
|
Basic utilities (per month for small apartment) |
ZAR 1,300 |
|
Transportation |
|
|
Taxi rate (per kilometre) |
ZAR 15 |
|
Bus/train fare in the city centre |
ZAR 30 |
|
Petrol/gasoline (per litre) |
ZAR 17 |
Expat Health Insurance
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