Johannesburg vs Soweto - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Johannesburg Soweto
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1082
$984
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2560
$1812
🏠 One person rent
$485
$567
🏘️ Family rent
$833
$581
🍽️ Food expenses
$306
$247
🚐 Transport expenses
$206
$104
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$1614
$1672
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
12 km
29 km
🎓 Higher education
74
63
😀 Quality of life
62
45
🏙️ Population
4.43M
1.27M

The cost of living in Johannesburg is 10% more expensive than in Soweto. Cities ranked 5031st and 5704th ($1082 vs $984) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 4th and 7th in South Africa.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.5 months in Johannesburg compared to 1.7 months in Soweto. Ranked 1st vs 9th best cities to live in South Africa, and 5648th vs 7050th among the best cities to live in the world.

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the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Johannesburg vs Soweto infographic

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Prices in Johannesburg vs Soweto

Prices for goods and services in Johannesburg and Soweto are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Johannesburg Soweto
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$10.1
$6.53
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$38.1
$28.3
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.03
$4.24
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.51
$2
☕ Cappuccino
$2.18
$2.14
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.08
$1.07
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$462
$867
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$342
$362
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$824
$538
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$632
$415
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$78.5
$69.9
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$122
$108
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$40.5
$33.8
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
11.57%
11.64%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1106
$907
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$741
$724
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$2.21
$2.49
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$77.1
$32.3
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$11.7
$11.3
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.32
$1.2
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.28
$1.14
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.01
$0.96
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.44
$1.33
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.6
$2.62
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.5
$8.24
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.34
$4.25
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.4
$6.66
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.71
$1.71
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.63
$1.56
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.63
$1.63
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.77
$1.55
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.41
$1.31
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.6
$1.2
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.66
$0.66
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.53
$1.21
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$6.13
$7.85
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.46
$1.65
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.19
$2.69
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$5.86
$2.99
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$4.11
$2.57
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.98
$1.23
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.49
$0.51
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$33.6
$13.5
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$7.33
$6
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$29.7
$21.9
💇 Haircut, simple
$6.46
$3.1
👖 Brand Jeans
$52.2
$49.6
👟 Brand Sneakers
$93.1
$75.1
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$227
$202
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$5503
$3811

Cost of living in other countries

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Johannesburg

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 6.8 mi Sandton
$984
13 km or 8 mi Randburg
$890
19 km or 12 mi Soweto
$984
28 km or 17 mi Benoni
$826
40 km or 25 mi Springs
$740
41 km or 25 mi Centurion
$892
53 km or 33 mi Pretoria
$975
53 km or 33 mi Vereeniging
$706
59 km or 36 mi Vanderbijlpark
$799
71 km or 44 mi Brits
$875
101 km or 62 mi Rustenburg
$940
109 km or 68 mi Potchefstroom
$731
143 km or 89 mi Bethal
$838
152 km or 94 mi Middelburg
$830
155 km or 97 mi Klerksdorp
$762
179 km or 111 mi Kroonstad
$808
237 km or 147 mi Welkom
$762
244 km or 152 mi Mmabatho
$833
262 km or 163 mi Lobatse
$637
275 km or 171 mi Gaborone
$668
287 km or 179 mi Butha-Buthe
$570
302 km or 188 mi Kanye
$637
311 km or 193 mi Mbabane
$599
323 km or 201 mi Vryheid
$827
325 km or 202 mi Molepolole
$607
329 km or 204 mi Teyateyaneng
$533
333 km or 207 mi Manzini
$469
350 km or 217 mi Maseru
$650
366 km or 228 mi Mahalapye
$577
369 km or 229 mi Bloemfontein
$698
409 km or 254 mi Mafeteng
$598
417 km or 259 mi Palapye
$514
429 km or 267 mi Kimberley
$861
442 km or 275 mi Pietermaritzburg
$705
443 km or 275 mi Matola
$908
446 km or 277 mi Serowe
$536
454 km or 282 mi Maputo
$915
501 km or 311 mi Durban
$892
562 km or 349 mi Francistown
$587
577 km or 358 mi Xai-Xai
$915

Cities near Soweto

Distance City Cost of living
19 km or 12 mi Johannesburg
$1082
24 km or 15 mi Randburg
$890
26 km or 16 mi Sandton
$984
46 km or 28 mi Vereeniging
$706
46 km or 29 mi Benoni
$826
48 km or 30 mi Vanderbijlpark
$799
56 km or 34 mi Centurion
$892
58 km or 36 mi Springs
$740
66 km or 41 mi Pretoria
$975
73 km or 45 mi Brits
$875
91 km or 56 mi Potchefstroom
$731
92 km or 57 mi Rustenburg
$940
137 km or 85 mi Klerksdorp
$762
159 km or 99 mi Bethal
$838
166 km or 103 mi Kroonstad
$808
170 km or 106 mi Middelburg
$830
222 km or 138 mi Welkom
$762
228 km or 142 mi Mmabatho
$833
249 km or 155 mi Lobatse
$637
266 km or 165 mi Gaborone
$668
282 km or 175 mi Butha-Buthe
$570
290 km or 180 mi Kanye
$637
315 km or 196 mi Molepolole
$607
321 km or 199 mi Teyateyaneng
$533
329 km or 204 mi Mbabane
$599
335 km or 208 mi Vryheid
$827
341 km or 212 mi Maseru
$650
350 km or 217 mi Manzini
$469
354 km or 220 mi Bloemfontein
$698
367 km or 228 mi Mahalapye
$577
399 km or 248 mi Mafeteng
$598
412 km or 256 mi Kimberley
$861
420 km or 261 mi Palapye
$514
446 km or 277 mi Pietermaritzburg
$705
447 km or 278 mi Serowe
$536
461 km or 286 mi Matola
$908
472 km or 293 mi Maputo
$915
506 km or 314 mi Durban
$892
567 km or 353 mi Francistown
$587
595 km or 370 mi Xai-Xai
$915