Cost of Living in South Africa

Somerset West Sandton Richards Bay Randburg Pretoria Port Elizabeth Polokwane Pietermaritzburg Johannesburg Hermanus George East London Cape Town Bloemfontein Benoni Alberton Durban Bellville Bhisho Bloubergstrand (Blaauwberg) Alexandra Boksburg Ballito Brackenfell Burgersfort Centurion (Verwoerdburg) Brakpan Edenvale Oudtshoorn Mossel Bay Paarl Heidelberg, GP Nelspruit Howick Newcastle Hillcrest Jeffreys Bay Port Shepstone Rustenburg Krugersdorp Kempton Park Margate Secunda Potchefstroom Middelburg Kimberley Soweto Midrand Springs Klerksdorp Knysna St Francis Bay Roodepoort Sun City Stellenbosch Welkom Uitenhage Upington Witbank Vredenburg Vereeniging Vryheid Grahamstown Worcester Westonaria Vanderbijlpark

If you've ever considered moving to South Africa, one of the first questions that likely crossed your mind is, "What is the cost of living in South Africa?" After all, it's essential to have a clear picture of your potential expenses before making such a life-changing decision. At this page, we'll dive into the nitty-gritty of the cost of living in South Africa and whether the reported $1265 per month figure aligns with the average monthly salary of $1235.11.

Restaurants
Markets
Transportation
Childcare
Clothing
Rent Per Month
Buy Apartment
Salaries
South Africa
restaurant

Restaurants

Price

World Range

Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant

8.27 $

Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course

33.09 $

McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal)

3.86 $

Domestic Beer (1 pint draught)

1.74 $

Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle)

2.21 $

Cappuccino (regular)

1.67 $

Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle)

0.85 $

Water (12 oz small bottle)

0.65 $

store

Markets

Price

World Range

Milk (regular), (1 gallon)

0.93 $

Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb)

0.83 $

Rice (white), (1 lb)

1.29 $

Eggs (regular) (12)

1.7 $

Local Cheese (1 lb)

6.31 $

Chicken Fillets (1 lb)

4.12 $

Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)

6.4 $

Apples (1 lb)

1.36 $

Banana (1 lb)

1.26 $

Oranges (1 lb)

1.28 $

Tomato (1 lb)

1.29 $

Potato (1 lb)

1.01 $

Onion (1 lb)

0.98 $

Lettuce (1 head)

0.93 $

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

0.87 $

Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range)

4.41 $

Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

1.25 $

Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle)

1.67 $

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro)

2.76 $

commute

Transportation

Price

World Range

One-way Ticket (Local Transport)

1.54 $

Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

35.85 $

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

1.1 $

Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff)

0.66 $

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

3.31 $

Gasoline (1 gallon)

1.22 $

Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car)

18972.66 $

Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car)

20410.38 $

mark_as_unread

Utilities (Monthly)

Price

World Range

Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment

96.07 $

1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans)

0.1 $

Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL)

46.57 $

kitesurfing

Sports And Leisure

Price

World Range

Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult

31.78 $

Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend)

7.3 $

Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat

5.52 $

child_friendly

Childcare

Price

World Range

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

180.43 $

International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child

3936.45 $

checkroom

Clothing And Shoes

Price

World Range

1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

43.19 $

1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...)

27.73 $

1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range)

78.03 $

1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes

71.86 $

night_shelter

Rent Per Month

Price

World Range

Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre

429.65 $

Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre

353.85 $

Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre

800.43 $

Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre

703.11 $

home

Buy Apartment Price

Price

World Range

Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre

949.98 $

Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre

690.56 $

account_balance_wallet

Salaries And Financing

Price

World Range

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

1235.11 $

Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate

8.5 %

South Africa

How Safe Is South Africa for Travel?
Warnings & Dangers in South Africa

OVERALL RISK: HIGH

As amazingly fun and exciting South Africa might be, you should be aware of the many dangers that await the unsuspecting tourists. This country has extremely high rates of crime. You should be vigilant and take all possible precautions measures in order to minimize the risk of something going wrong.

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: HIGH

Public transport in South Africa is the scene of many criminal activities. Be aware of criminals waiting around at Johannesburg and Cape Town airports and then following tourists to their accommodation with a goal to rob them. There have also been reports of luggage thefts at the airports. Rails and metro trains are also the locations where assaults and robberies have occurred. If you plan to take the train in Cape Town, always opt for the 1st Class, travel during the day and in a cabin with people. Avoid traveling to Cape Flats altogether.

PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM

Pickpocketing was once a serious problem in this country, but it has been on a decline during the past couple of years. Still, the riskiest locations where you may encounter petty theft are crowded places such as markets, public transport and bus, and train stations.

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM

South Africa is often the victim of many natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, storms, and wildfires. One of the bigger floods in South Africa occurred in 2011 killing 91 people.

MUGGING RISK: HIGH

Mugging and robberies are a much bigger issue in this country than petty theft. And though usually, the motive of these incidents is theft, rape is sadly not uncommon at all, so female tourists should be particularly cautious.

TERRORISM RISK: HIGH

There are threats coming from extremists linked to Daesh (formerly referred to as ISIL), as well as threats from individuals inspired by terrorist groups, including Daesh, who might try to carry out so-called ‘lone actor’ attacks targeting public places.

SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM

There are a couple of popular scams, one of them involving criminals posing as "tourist police" with a goal to rob visitors. They are known to stop tourist buses, saying that they're checking identification and searching luggage. However there's no such thing as "tourist police" in South Africa, so be on the lookout.Then there are so-called "strollers", and they can be anyone from children to junkies. Their only goal is to rob you blind so keep your valuables well hidden.

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: MEDIUM

Though many female travelers went to South Africa and had no problems at all, this country might not be the safest choice for female solo travelers. Be very careful at night and avoid risky situations such as winding-up in deserted and poorly lit streets or finding yourself in an unknown area with strange people.

Useful Information & Tips
credit_card

Visas

While U.S. citizens visiting the Republic of South Africa for tourism purposes do not need a visa for any stays shorter than ninety days, along with many other countries, there are some nationals that do need a visa in order to enter South Africa. Make sure your passports are valid for at least 30 days past your planned date of return from South Africa. If you are not sure about your visa status, visit www.doyouneedvisa.com which will let you know whether or not you need a visa based on your nationality and the country you want to visit.

currency_exchange

Currency

South African rand is the official currency in South America. ATMs can be found throughout the country and credit cards are widely accepted.

cloudy_snowing

Weather

Since it is such a large country, the climate in South Africa varies from the Mediterranean in the southwest to temperate in the middle part of the country, and subtropical in the northeast. There is a small area in the northwest that has a desert climate. Most of the country experiences warm, sunny days and cool nights.

flight_takeoff

Airports

Cape Town International Airport is the busiest and biggest airport serving the city of Cape Town. It is also the second-busiest airport in South Africa and third-busiest in Africa. It is located approximately 20 km from the city center.

health_and_safety

Travel Insurance

Just like anywhere else, we recommend getting travel insurance when traveling to South Africa, since it covers not only the costs of medical problems but also theft and loss of valuables.

Comparison of the Cost Of Living in South Africa with other countries

Comparison Cost of living between South Africa VS Bahrain

>

Comparison Cost of living between South Africa VS Puerto Rico

>

Comparison Cost of living between South Africa VS Kenya

>

Comparison Cost of living between South Africa VS Armenia

>

Comparison Cost of living between South Africa VS Isle Of Man

>

Comparison Cost of living between South Africa VS Curacao

>

Cost of living in countries

Cost of living in

Rwanda

More

Cost of living in

Cook Islands

More

Cost of living in

Afghanistan

More

Cost of living in

Philippines

More

Cost of living in

China

More

Cost of living in

Portugal

More

Cost of living in

El Salvador

More

Cost of living in

Bosnia And Herzegovina

More

Cost of living in

Aruba

More
Copyright ©2024 All rights reserved