This is the most expensive city for groceries in SA
Which South African city do you think has the highest grocery costs?
It might not come as a shock to many, but Gauteng – specifically Johannesburg – holds the title for the most expensive place to buy groceries in South Africa.
Trailing behind are Cape Town and Durban, making them the second and third most expensive metros for groceries in the country.
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This information comes from the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity (PMBEJD) group, which tracks the cost of a household food basket across the three major provinces.
According to BusinessTech, a household food basket comprising 44 essential food items has reached R5,329.36 by the end of March 2025.
This means the average household food basket has increased by 1.0%, or R51.43, since March 2024.
In Johannesburg specifically, the average food basket cost R5,481.88 by the end of March 2025, reflecting a 1.8% increase (R94.60) from the previous year.
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Durban's food basket was R5,267.58 – R214.30 cheaper than Johannesburg's but R23.47 more than in March 2024.
Cape Town's food basket increased to R5,305.31, reflecting a notable 2.8% annual rise, but remains R176.57 cheaper than Johannesburg’s.
Take a look at the average food basket here:
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