🇿🇦 South Africa · #383 of 538 cities · 2026

Cost of Living in Johannesburg

Close to the South Africa average

Ranked #383 of 538 cities · More expensive than 28.8% of cities worldwide

Compared to South Africa average

Rent Prices

Rent Prices in Johannesburg

Apartment City Centre Outside Centre You Save
1-Bedroom ZAR 8,233/mo ≈ $507 ZAR 6,705/mo ≈ $413 19%
3-Bedroom ZAR 19,700/mo ≈ $1,214 ZAR 13,779/mo ≈ $849 19%
Numbeo · 2026-03-18

Multi-Source Comparison

★★ Medium Confidence

Johannesburg has a composite cost index of 30.2 from 4 independent data sources.

30.2
Composite
4
Sources
4.0
Spread

Source Values (NYC = 100)

Numbeo
29.7
Expatistan
33.7
LivingCost
30.7
SIM
22.3
View all 127 cities | Data last updated: 2026-03-18

Cost Indices

Cost of Living
+1.3% Average
Rent
-1.0% Average
Groceries
+1.2% Average
Restaurants
+2.6% Average
Purchasing Power
+7.4% Average

Living in Johannesburg: What to Expect

Johannesburg is average by global standards (ranked #383 of 538 cities). It is 1.3% more expensive than the South Africa average, based on 4 cities.

Groceries are average, while dining out is average. Rent offers the best value, while Restaurants is the priciest.

Local purchasing power is limited — residents can afford fewer goods and services than in most cities.

Similar Cities

How Does Johannesburg Compare?

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