C
General
Cost of Living
How much money you need every month just to exist — rent, food, transport, electricity, data. In Johannesburg it's way higher than Durban or Cape Town. If your rent is R8,000 in Sandton but only R3,500 in a township, that's the difference in your cost of living.
Usage Examples
"Thandi moved from the Joburg CBD to Soweto and her cost of living dropped by 35% just on rent. Suddenly she could actually save money."
"When lenders check if you can afford a loan, they're looking at your cost of living. If your income barely covers your basics, they're not lending you R100,000."
"Load shedding has tanked a lot of people's budgets — suddenly the cost of living in South Africa spiked because electricity is intermittent and backup power is hectic."