Cost of living in South Africa

Property/Shelter
Average house in a township like Soweto costs R250 000 – R600 000/$36 000 - $86 000
Average house in a middle income suburb costs R1 000 000 – R3 500 000/$142 000 - $500 000
Average house in a high income suburb costs R5 000 000 – R40 000 000/$714 300 - $5 714 000
Average rent for a house in a township costs R2 000pm/$285pm
Average rent in a middle income suburb costs R5 000pm/$714pm
Average rent in high income suburb costs R10 000 – R50 000pm/$1 430 - $7 140

Education
Daycare centres cost R0 – R2 000pm/$0 - $285pm depending on whether it's government supported or private
Public primary and high schools cost R0 – R30 000/$0 - $4 286 per year depending on which school. Most public schools are free especially those in the rural areas and townships. Public schools in the affluent suburbs still charge fees especially the top schools.
Private primary and high schools cost R40 000 – R160 000/$5 714 - $22 850 per year. The average private school costs R60 000/$8 570 per year.
University
Average tuition costs R25 000/$3 570 per year for South Africans who can afford. Those who can't afford are helped out by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme(NSFAS)
Students outside the SADC area pay average fees R25 000/$3 570 plus foreign training levy average R50 000/$7 140 per year(universities charge their own levy, some charge as much as R150 000/$21 430)
University accommodation cost average R35 000/$5000 per year(single room, catering) and average R18 000/$2 570 per year(single room, self-catering)
Total average cost of study for SA citizen is R0 – R70 000/$0 - $10 000 per year(tuition, accommodation with catering, books, pocket money)
Total average cost of study for a foreign national is R120 000/$17 140 per year(tuition, accommodation with catering, books, pocket money)

Food and Clothing
Average loaf of bread costs R7/$1 - Average 1.5L milk costs R11/$1,5 - Average 1kg frozen chicken chops costs R20/$2.8 - 24 x 330ml beer costs R160/$23 - 200g biscuits cost R7/$1 - 2,5kg cake flour cost R16/$2.3 - Canned backed beans cost R5/$0.7 - Can of 330ml Coke costs R6/$0.8 – McDonald's Big Mac burger costs R22/$3,15 – Average food spend per month is R1 400/$200
Levi's jeans cost R500/$71 – Average no name jeans cost R100/$14 – Nike sneakers average R700/$100 – Average items of clothing range from R20 – R600/$2.8 - $86

Transport
Average mini bus taxi fare is R7/$1(depending on route and distance) - Average metrorail train fare is R5/$0.7(depending on route and distance) - Gautrain high speed link from Sandton to Pretoria costs R125/$18 - Gautrain high speed link from ORT airport to Sandton costs R120/$17(monthly tickets reduce these fares by great margin) – Rea Vaya BRT costs R7/$1 per trip depending on route(monthly ticket reduces fares)
Average new low end car(Toyota, Yaris) costs R100 000/$14 200 - Average new mid end car(VW, Golf) costs R250 000/$35 700 - Average high end car(BMW) costs R400 000/57 100 - Super cars(Lamborghini) cost R700 000/$100 000 and up

Energy
1 litre petrol and diesel costs R11/$1.6
Electricity costs average R700/$100pm depending on where you live and how much you use(prepaid meter). Rural areas and poor townships receive free or subsidize electricity

Telecoms
Mobile operators Vodacom, MTN, CellC and 8ta charge an average of R0.90/$0.12 per minute
SMS cost average R0.80/$0.11. Different contracts and packages create different pricing
Broadband prices keep dropping every month so I wont write much about them. The best offer so far is from 8ta charging R199/$28pm for 10gig/pm
Fixed line operators Telkom and Neotel and many other independent ISP's have introduced uncapped ADSL averaging R700/$100pm for a 10Mbps line

Household and technology expenses
Average smartphone costs R3000/$428
Average LCD HD 3D flat screen costs R7 000/$1000
Cinema costs average R50/$7 depending on which cinema and area
Average laptop computer costs R4000/$571
DSTV Premium costs R559/$80pm
DSTV Compact costs R246/$35pm
Other DSTV packages range from R20 – R199pm/$2,8 - $28pm
Average two door fridge costs R2000/$286
Average night out costs R300/$43 depending on where you go

@poster.this is a very thoughtful and informative write up you have placed here.it will help our people to prep for what they are coming to face in SA.once again a Big thanks.

@paniki,

Thumb up! If info for the US and other major countries can be uploaded like this it will be good for the newcomers.