Updated April 20265 cities covered

Average Salary by City in South Africa

Where you live in South Africa has a significant impact on what you earn. Compare median formal-sector salaries across major cities, with cost-of-living context to show what the figures actually mean for your purchasing power.

National formal-sector median: R 5 600/month · Source: Stats SA QLFS Q3 2024

Written by Tawanda Mukwenha · Founder, Rand Tools

Updated 1 April 2026

Salary by city

Johannesburg & Pretoria

Gauteng

R 8 000

median/month

+43% vs national medianCoL: +15% vs national avg

Cape Town

Western Cape

R 5 700

median/month

+2% vs national medianCoL: +20% vs national avg

Bloemfontein

Free State

R 5 000

median/month

-11% vs national medianCoL: -15% vs national avg

Durban

KwaZulu-Natal

R 4 800

median/month

-14% vs national medianCoL: +5% vs national avg

Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha)

Eastern Cape

R 4 500

median/month

-20% vs national medianCoL: -5% vs national avg

City salary comparison

City	Median/month	vs National	Cost of living
Johannesburg & Pretoria Gauteng	R 8 000	+43%	+15%	View →
Cape Town Western Cape	R 5 700	+2%	+20%	View →
Bloemfontein Free State	R 5 000	-11%	-15%	View →
Durban KwaZulu-Natal	R 4 800	-14%	+5%	View →
Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) Eastern Cape	R 4 500	-20%	-5%	View →

Median = formal-sector gross monthly, all experience levels combined · Cost of living vs national average index · Source: CareerJunction 2025/2026 Salary Survey, Stats SA QLFS Q3 2024

What the numbers mean

These are formal-sector medians. Half of formal-sector workers earn above the median, half below. Informal-sector workers and the unemployed are not included — the actual national average across all adults is significantly lower.

Salary and cost of living move together. Johannesburg pays the most but costs the most. Bloemfontein pays the least but is the most affordable. The real purchasing-power gap between cities is smaller than the nominal salary gap suggests.

Remote work is reshaping this. Professionals working remotely for Gauteng or international employers while living in Durban, PE, or Bloemfontein can achieve meaningfully higher living standards than the city medians suggest.

Calculate your take-home pay

See exactly what any of these salaries look like after PAYE, UIF, and medical aid.

PAYE Calculator →

← All salary guides