THE SOUTH AFRICAN
REALITY INDEX
What things actually cost in rands, right now. No spin. No jargon. Just the numbers that matter.
Live Indexes
May 2026Total cost of a standard braai for 10 people: 2 kg boerewors, 1 kg chops, 3 kg chicken pieces, rolls, coals, and 24 beers.
Recommended retail price per litre for 95 ULP in Gauteng (inland). Set monthly by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy.
Standard 35-item basket for a household of 4: bread, milk, eggs, rice, cooking oil, vegetables, chicken, and hygiene essentials.
Estimated monthly cost of Stage 4 load shedding for an average household: generator fuel, food spoilage, and lost productivity (WFH).
Median asking rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in a safe Cape Town suburb (Southern Suburbs, Atlantic Seaboard, or City Bowl).
Average minibus taxi fare for a standard route to the Johannesburg CBD (15–25 km). Excludes transfer fares.
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