By Dylan Bettencourt
- Johannesburg has been ranked the most expensive city for groceries for six months in a row, with the average basket now costing R5,671.73.
- Durban is the cheapest metro, but prices there and in Cape Town also rose, as meat costs drive up household expenses nationwide.
Johannesburg has officially become the most expensive city in South Africa to buy groceries – and it has held that spot for six straight months.
The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity group’s latest report shows the average Joburg food basket cost R5,671.73 in October 2025. That’s R231 higher than the national average of R5,440.60 and R184.86 more than a year ago.
Durban is now the cheapest metro for groceries, pushing Cape Town into second place. But both cities are still more expensive than last year, with Durban’s average basket at R5,341.95 and Cape Town’s at R5,372.28.
Out of the 44 items tracked, 28 have gone up in price, with seven showing double-digit inflation. Meat has risen the most, with beef, pork, lamb and chicken all more expensive. Beef prices jumped 11.7%, the highest since 2018, mostly because of foot-and-mouth disease.
There’s some relief for shoppers: milk, eggs and white rice have dropped slightly in price, with full-cream milk down 2.1%. But coffee drinkers are feeling it – prices have climbed 12.2%.
Pictured above: Grocery prices in Johannesburg have hit record highs this year.
Image source: Pexels
