Johannesburg vs New York Cost of Living
Johannesburg (South Africa) · Overall index 29.9 — New York (United States) · Overall index 100.0
Summary
- Overall, New York is 234% more expensive than Johannesburg.
- Rent in New York is 646% more expensive than in Johannesburg.
- Dining out in New York is 213% more expensive than in Johannesburg.
| Item | Johannesburg | New York | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +646% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $575 | $4,328 | +653% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $334 | $2,796 | +737% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,156 | $7,980 | +590% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $689 | $4,915 | +613% |
| Groceries | +164% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.59 | $1.48 | +151% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.7 | $4.03 | +137% |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.08 | $5.54 | +166% |
| Eggs (12) | $2.05 | $5.18 | +153% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $5.54 | $16.5 | +198% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $5.16 | $13.6 | +164% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $8.21 | $22.8 | +178% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.41 | $6.73 | +179% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.92 | $2.56 | +178% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.97 | $5.31 | +170% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.22 | $6.04 | +172% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.21 | $3.01 | +149% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.31 | $3.09 | +136% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.01 | $2.85 | +182% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.04 | $2.81 | +170% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $6.75 | $17 | +152% |
| Transport | +211% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.81 | $2.75 | +240% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $41.5 | $145 | +249% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.34 | $4.13 | +208% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.62 | $2.06 | +232% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.35 | $0.93 | +166% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $10,194 | $29,178 | +186% |
| Dining out | +213% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $8.84 | $25.5 | +188% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $39.7 | $140 | +253% |
| Fast food combo meal | $4.59 | $12.7 | +177% |
| Cappuccino | $2.06 | $5.58 | +171% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.83 | $3.23 | +289% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.38 | $8.19 | +244% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.81 | $8.34 | +197% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.78 | $2.48 | +218% |
| Telecom | +114% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $28.5 | $64.2 | +125% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $29.2 | $66.9 | +129% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.17 | $0.38 | +124% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $8.09 | $14.9 | +84% |
| Utilities & household | +167% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $69.4 | $173 | +149% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.1 | $0.25 | +150% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.99 | $4.81 | +142% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.6 | $1.75 | +192% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $9.8 | $23.6 | +141% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $35.4 | $94.7 | +168% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $5.71 | $16.6 | +191% |
| Men's haircut | $12 | $36.8 | +207% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.85 | $25.1 | +155% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $812 | $2,473 | +205% |
3,126 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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