Cost of living in South Africa - 2017

Hallo

> How much does it cost to rent an apartment/house in South Africa?
A ONE bedroom apartment is typically between, R4500 to R6000 per month in Johannesburg, which is the most affluent and expensive area in South Africa.[/color]

> How much do you pay for your public transport tickets (bus, subway, train, tram)?
Unfortunately public transport is still poor in this country, so for a bus ticket its about R12 to R15 for single trips, on the subway which is know as Gautrain, you looking at about R65 for a single trip. The rest of the country does not have reasonable train or metro system which is safe for tourists. No trams in South Africa. A taxi will cost about R15 to R20 per km in Johannesburg.

> Staple food: what do people eat and how much do they pay for basic food like bread, rice or pasta?
Staple food is bread or pasta, and for 1kg of Rice is between R15to R35 per kg (depending on quality and type). Pasta is about R20 for a sachet of 500 grams.

>What is your monthly grocery budget?
A single persons budget is between R1000 to R1500 at most per month.


> How much does it cost to see a physician/doctor/specialist in South Africa ? 
The appointment is about R500 and can vary on type of medical examination, so the fees afterwards is carried by the medical aid, and if I remember correctly it will be about R2000 per month for a good medical aid cover. You don't want to think about public hospitals, as they are really badly managed or operated. If you traveling here as a tourist, I think it would be best to talk to your relevant embassy on what to do in case of such emergencies.

> What is your children's schooling monthly budget?
Well I have finished schooling a while back but public schools is about R2500 per month, and private school is varies between R7000 to R14000 per month depending on grade level. University can vary depending on your financial background and choice of studies, and I would be lying if I knew this, as government is currently assisting making university more subsidised to the masses. You will need to check with the Universities respectively.

> How much does it cost to fill up your car's fuel tank?
Petrol in South Africa in general at the moment is about R13,50 per litre and to fill up will cost about R800

> How much do you pay for electricity/gas/water etc.?
This is relative to area and type of rental agreement, though for one person you will look at about R500 per month on electricity and R200 per month for water, with other taxes included you are looking at about R2500 per month in a decent area, though some areas are about double that amount per month. Not sure about gas as we mostly rely on electrical stoves, but a gas stove really makes a big reduction in monthly costs.

> How much do you pay for your Internet/phone subscription?
Internet per month on a wireless option can be about R250 for 10GB per month but some service providers have specials which is less. Phone contract can be about R350 per month.

> How much do you pay for your lunch pack on weekdays?
Lunch at a restaurant can be R100 to R200 per meal., but fast food cheaper.


> How much do you pay for an espresso coffee?
Coffee is R25

> How much do you pay for a cinema ticket?
Cinema is R120

> How much does a gym membership cost in South Africa? 
Well membership can be either one year or two year. One year is substantially higher with R700 per month. The two year option can be with a special deal, such as, first year you pay R199 per month then on the second year you pay about R500 per month.

Hope this helps with those who are interested in South Africa.