Cairo vs Johannesburg Cost of Living
Cairo (Egypt) · Overall index 19.8 — Johannesburg (South Africa) · Overall index 29.9
Summary
- Overall, Johannesburg is 51% more expensive than Cairo.
- Rent in Johannesburg is 81% more expensive than in Cairo.
- Transport in Johannesburg is 72% more expensive than in Cairo.
| Item | Cairo | Johannesburg | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +81% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $280 | $575 | +105% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $221 | $334 | +51% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $613 | $1,156 | +89% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $376 | $689 | +83% |
| Groceries | +49% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.41 | $0.59 | +44% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.11 | $1.7 | +53% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.36 | $2.08 | +53% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.44 | $2.05 | +42% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $3.69 | $5.54 | +50% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $3.49 | $5.16 | +48% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $5.77 | $8.21 | +42% |
| Apples (1kg) | $1.44 | $2.41 | +67% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.53 | $0.92 | +74% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.24 | $1.97 | +59% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $1.62 | $2.22 | +37% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $0.86 | $1.21 | +41% |
| Onions (1kg) | $0.77 | $1.31 | +70% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.76 | $1.01 | +33% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.73 | $1.04 | +42% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $4.67 | $6.75 | +45% |
| Transport | +72% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.5 | $0.81 | +62% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $25 | $41.5 | +66% |
| Taxi, base fare | $0.85 | $1.34 | +58% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.38 | $0.62 | +63% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.19 | $0.35 | +84% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $5,001 | $10,194 | +104% |
| Dining out | +53% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $4.94 | $8.84 | +79% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $29.7 | $39.7 | +34% |
| Fast food combo meal | $2.86 | $4.59 | +60% |
| Cappuccino | $1.34 | $2.06 | +54% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.65 | $0.83 | +28% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $1.51 | $2.38 | +58% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.73 | $2.81 | +62% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.52 | $0.78 | +50% |
| Telecom | +30% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $24.5 | $28.5 | +16% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $22.8 | $29.2 | +28% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.13 | $0.17 | +31% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $5.67 | $8.09 | +43% |
| Utilities & household | +47% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $47.7 | $69.4 | +45% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.06 | $0.1 | +67% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.21 | $1.99 | +64% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.44 | $0.6 | +36% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $5.67 | $9.8 | +73% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $25.3 | $35.4 | +40% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $4.67 | $5.71 | +22% |
| Men's haircut | $8.23 | $12 | +46% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $7.37 | $9.85 | +34% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $560 | $812 | +45% |
3,095 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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