Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and South Africa Reverse

For major cities in those countries you get more relevant data by specifying cities.
City in United States:
City in South Africa:
Indices DifferenceInfo
Cost of Living in South Africa is 51.4% lower than in United States (excluding rent)
Cost of Living Including Rent in South Africa is 58.1% lower than in United States
Rent Prices in South Africa are 71.7% lower than in United States
Restaurant Prices in South Africa are 55.5% lower than in United States
Groceries Prices in South Africa are 59.7% lower than in United States
Local Purchasing Power in South Africa is 27.5% lower than in United States
Currency: Sticky Currency      Switch to metric measurement units
Restaurants
United States Edit South Africa Edit Difference
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 20.00 $
(360.86 R)
8.87 $
(160.00 R)
     -55.7 %
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 75.00 $
(1,353.22 R)
38.80 $
(700.00 R)
     -48.3 %
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) 11.50 $
(207.40 R)
4.99 $
(90.00 R)
     -56.6 %
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) 6.00 $
(108.26 R)
2.22 $
(40.00 R)
     -63.1 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 7.00 $
(126.30 R)
2.49 $
(45.00 R)
     -64.4 %
Cappuccino (regular) 5.24 $
(94.63 R)
1.99 $
(35.88 R)
     -62.1 %
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) 2.57 $
(46.30 R)
0.98 $
(17.62 R)
     -62.0 %
Water (12 oz small bottle) 2.09 $
(37.68 R)
0.77 $
(13.82 R)
     -63.3 %
Markets
United States Edit South Africa Edit
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) 4.01 $
(72.40 R)
4.10 $
(73.89 R)
     +2.1 %
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) 3.30 $
(59.59 R)
0.89 $
(16.03 R)
     -73.1 %
Rice (white), (1 lb) 2.10 $
(37.83 R)
0.71 $
(12.88 R)
     -66.0 %
Eggs (regular) (12) 4.32 $
(77.90 R)
2.26 $
(40.83 R)
     -47.6 %
Local Cheese (1 lb) 5.85 $
(105.58 R)
3.46 $
(62.44 R)
     -40.9 %
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) 5.55 $
(100.07 R)
2.07 $
(37.34 R)
     -62.7 %
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 7.41 $
(133.65 R)
3.03 $
(54.75 R)
     -59.0 %
Apples (1 lb) 2.40 $
(43.21 R)
0.69 $
(12.50 R)
     -71.1 %
Banana (1 lb) 0.76 $
(13.77 R)
0.65 $
(11.68 R)
     -15.2 %
Oranges (1 lb) 2.04 $
(36.82 R)
0.66 $
(11.99 R)
     -67.4 %
Tomato (1 lb) 2.23 $
(40.26 R)
0.68 $
(12.35 R)
     -69.3 %
Potato (1 lb) 1.33 $
(24.05 R)
0.55 $
(9.98 R)
     -58.5 %
Onion (1 lb) 1.40 $
(25.19 R)
0.59 $
(10.59 R)
     -57.9 %
Lettuce (1 head) 2.21 $
(39.79 R)
1.05 $
(18.96 R)
     -52.4 %
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 2.23 $
(40.32 R)
0.94 $
(17.03 R)
     -57.8 %
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 15.00 $
(270.64 R)
4.71 $
(85.00 R)
     -68.6 %
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 1.96 $
(35.41 R)
1.33 $
(24.04 R)
     -32.1 %
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 3.61 $
(65.06 R)
1.68 $
(30.30 R)
     -53.4 %
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) 10.00 $
(180.43 R)
2.88 $
(52.00 R)
     -71.2 %
Transportation
United States Edit South Africa Edit
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 2.50 $
(45.11 R)
1.66 $
(30.00 R)
     -33.5 %
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 65.00 $
(1,172.79 R)
44.34 $
(800.00 R)
     -31.8 %
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 3.75 $
(67.66 R)
1.11 $
(20.00 R)
     -70.4 %
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) 2.80 $
(50.52 R)
1.69 $
(30.58 R)
     -39.5 %
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 30.00 $
(541.29 R)
4.71 $
(85.00 R)
     -84.3 %
Gasoline (1 gallon) 3.49 $
(62.91 R)
4.77 $
(86.06 R)
     +36.8 %
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 30,000.00 $
(541,287.00 R)
20,506.68 $
(370,000.00 R)
     -31.6 %
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) 25,987.96 $
(468,898.10 R)
23,549.68 $
(424,904.54 R)
     -9.4 %
Utilities (Monthly)
United States Edit South Africa Edit
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment 208.25 $
(3,757.49 R)
110.81 $
(1,999.30 R)
     -46.8 %
Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data 57.39 $
(1,035.45 R)
32.13 $
(579.71 R)
     -44.0 %
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 71.83 $
(1,296.05 R)
40.74 $
(735.02 R)
     -43.3 %
Sports And Leisure
United States Edit South Africa Edit
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 45.81 $
(826.56 R)
31.23 $
(563.40 R)
     -31.8 %
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 21.85 $
(394.30 R)
9.44 $
(170.30 R)
     -56.8 %
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 14.00 $
(252.60 R)
6.65 $
(120.00 R)
     -52.5 %
Childcare
United States Edit South Africa Edit
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child 1,374.65 $
(24,802.67 R)
187.20 $
(3,377.68 R)
     -86.4 %
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child 22,609.18 $
(407,935.20 R)
4,336.65 $
(78,245.77 R)
     -80.8 %
Clothing And Shoes
United States Edit South Africa Edit
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 52.26 $
(942.87 R)
48.66 $
(877.98 R)
     -6.9 %
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 42.56 $
(767.87 R)
30.40 $
(548.42 R)
     -28.6 %
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 89.96 $
(1,623.19 R)
92.20 $
(1,663.49 R)
     +2.5 %
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 113.56 $
(2,049.01 R)
79.14 $
(1,427.91 R)
     -30.3 %
Rent Per Month
United States Edit South Africa Edit
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 1,734.71 $
(31,299.20 R)
439.82 $
(7,935.59 R)
     -74.6 %
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 1,435.53 $
(25,901.14 R)
363.83 $
(6,564.55 R)
     -74.7 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 2,876.82 $
(51,906.23 R)
883.64 $
(15,943.38 R)
     -69.3 %
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 2,392.12 $
(43,160.78 R)
702.98 $
(12,683.71 R)
     -70.6 %
Buy Apartment Price
United States Edit South Africa Edit
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 298.94 $
(5,393.71 R)
92.68 $
(1,672.22 R)
     -69.0 %
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 251.44 $
(4,536.66 R)
70.83 $
(1,277.96 R)
     -71.8 %
Salaries And Financing
United States Edit South Africa Edit
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 4,320.93 $
(77,962.11 R)
1,314.03 $
(23,708.92 R)
     -69.6 %
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate 6.51 11.55      +77.5 %
Last update: 18 June 202518 June 2025
Contributors in the past 12 months:11378716