Summary of cost of living in South Africa: The estimated monthly costs for a family of four are $2,363. 3% lower than in United. To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a central reference city (that happens to be Prague). For 100 US dollars you can get 1. 📌 A couple spends around $1,595 per month with rent on average across South Africa. The average salary after taxes in South Africa is $1286, which is enough to cover living. The average salary in South Africa in 2026 is 28,231 South African rand per month ($1,705). Skilled foreign workers often have higher incomes.