Budget · Johannesburg · South Africa
Johannesburg on a budget
What a trip to Johannesburg really costs, and where the savings are.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: NJR ZA, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Johannesburg is affordable for most international visitors. Budget roughly $40–$70 per person per day on a tight budget, $100–$200 mid-range and $300–$800 for luxury, excluding flights. Hotel prices are usually lowest in May–June and December.
Key facts
- Budget traveller
- $40–$70 a day
- Mid-range
- $100–$200 a day
- Luxury
- $300–$800 a day
- Local currency
- ZAR
- Free sights
- 6
Daily budget and trip cost
AMZBooking estimates per person in US dollars, excluding flights, reviewed October 2026. Accommodation is the biggest variable; prices rise in peak months.
| Style | Per day | 3 days | 5 days | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | $40–$70 | $120–$210 | $200–$350 | $280–$490 |
| Mid-range | $100–$200 | $300–$600 | $500–$1,000 | $700–$1,400 |
| Luxury | $300–$800 | $900–$2,400 | $1,500–$4,000 | $2,100–$5,600 |
Typical prices
Approximate prices in Johannesburg, October 2026. They change; use them for planning, not as quotes.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Ride-hailing trip of about 10 km | about R100–R200 |
| Flat white at a café | about R35–R50 |
| Kota from a township takeaway | about R30–R70 |
| Boerewors roll at a market | about R50–R80 |
| Steakhouse main course | about R200–R350 |
| Local beer in a bar | about R35–R50 |
Money-saving tips
- Restaurant and wine prices are low by international standards, so mid-range dining stretches far.
- Use the Gautrain from the airport to Sandton or Rosebank instead of a taxi if you are travelling light.
- Hotels in Sandton often drop rates at weekends when business travellers leave.
- Self-drive safaris in Pilanesberg or Kruger cost far less than guided lodge stays.
- Keep small notes and coins for car guards, petrol attendants and tips.
- Visit in late December and early January for lower city-hotel rates while residents are away.
Free things to do
- Maboneng street art and galleries — Maboneng's converted warehouses around Fox Street hold galleries, studios, cafés and an independent cinema, and large murals by South African and international artists cover the walls.
- Nelson Mandela Square — A paved piazza within the Sandton City complex, overlooked by a six-metre bronze statue of Nelson Mandela unveiled in 2004.
- Nelson Mandela Bridge — Opened in 2003, this 284-metre cable-stayed bridge spans the railway lines between Braamfontein and Newtown and is lit up in changing colours after dark.
- Johannesburg Botanical Garden and Emmarentia Dam — Lawns, a large rose garden, herb gardens and an arboretum slope down to Emmarentia Dam, where locals walk dogs, row and picnic at weekends.
- Rosebank galleries and Keyes Art Mile — A cluster of commercial galleries around Jellicoe Avenue and Keyes Avenue shows leading contemporary South African and African artists, with design shops and restaurants in between.
- Walter Sisulu Square — The open square in Kliptown where the Congress of the People adopted the Freedom Charter on 26 June 1955.
Where to stay on a budget
$$ · Best for budget, nightlife and solo travellers
Melville
Bohemian bars and guesthouses on and around 7th Street
$$ · Best for nightlife, budget, solo travellers and culture
Braamfontein
Student district with rooftop bars, galleries and a Saturday food market
$$ · Best for culture, solo travellers and nightlife
Maboneng
Regenerated warehouse precinct of murals, galleries and loft hotels
Eating well for less
- Boerewors roll — Weekend markets such as the Rosebank Sunday Market, and stadium and roadside stalls.
- Kota — Takeaway counters in Soweto and across the city's townships; ask your guide for a favourite.
- Bunny chow — Indian restaurants in Fordsburg and curry houses across the city.
- Biltong and droëwors — Butcheries and dedicated biltong shops in malls; supermarkets sell vacuum-packed versions.
- Vetkoek — Township street vendors in the morning and some market stalls and cafés.
Getting around for less
Gautrain card
A rechargeable smart card used for Gautrain trains, buses and station parking; buy and top it up at station ticket machines or counters.
Questions travellers ask
+How much does a trip to Johannesburg cost?
About $500–$1,000 per person for five days mid-range, excluding flights (estimate), or $200–$350 on a tight budget.
+Is Johannesburg expensive?
It is affordable for international visitors. Restaurant and wine prices are low by international standards, so mid-range dining stretches far.
+How much money do I need per day in Johannesburg?
Roughly $40–$70 on a budget and $100–$200 mid-range (estimates).
+When are hotel prices lowest in Johannesburg?
Usually in May–June and December.