“Life Is So Expensive”: Woman Shows What R500 Gets You for Groceries in South Africa

• A content creator recently showed off the groceries she got for R500, which left online users stunned
• The lady expressed how she felt about the cost of living in South Africa, and the TikTok video gained massive traction
• Comments poured in from Mzansi netizens who flooded the viral post expressing their thoughts

A woman in Mzansi has taken to social media to showcase just how far R500 can go when it comes to grocery shopping in South Africa.

Woman unpacks her low-budget groceries

The content creator who goes by TikTok handle @jessicadiener1 shared her shopping haul which has gained traction, with thousands of views, likes and comments.

With the price of essentials like food, fuel and utilities on the rise, many people online were shocked at how little R500 could buy. In the video, @jessicadiener1 showed off the items which she purchased for R500.

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She got an 18-pack of eggs, two bags of grapes, sticky BBQ ribs, four small bottles of water, cranberry juice, onions, butter, baby juice, wraps and bacon.

@jessicadiener1 compared this to the rising cost of living, noting that what would have once filled a grocery cart is now just enough to buy a few essentials. While taking to her TikTok caption, she expressed how she felt about the cost of living in South Africa by saying:

"Life is so expensive nowadays."

The clip sparked a conversation about the country’s economic challenges, with many stating how increasingly difficult it is to stretch their budgets.

Watch the video below:

SA reacts to woman's R500 grocery haul

Many people headed to the comments section to express their thoughts on the young lady's R500 grocery haul. Others shared their own grocery shopping experiences, while others mourned the current economic climate and the struggles they face to make ends meet.

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Kaylin Claude Pillay was impressed by the lady's grocery haul, adding:

"Definitely not worth it. Eggs and grapes?"

Nazlie1989 suggested:

"Go to Shoprite and you can go home with a whole trolly lol that's crazy but hey it's your money girl."

MO-now wrote:

"Not worth it at all. You buy 4 bottles of 500ml water where you could of bought 2 litres for R45."

Thaylia_dash expressed:

"Explain to me how everyone can get more groceries than this for R500 cause the cranberry juice alone is about R50, eggs are so expensive cause those eggs are about R60-R70. Can we talk about it?"

Beloved replied:

"Cranberry juice is very good indeed."

TayG commented:

"Yho hai, this economy is bad."

Inflation and everyday struggles

In January 2025, the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity (PMBEJD) group revealed that an average household food basket now costs R5,433.70, up 2% from last year. And if you're in Joburg, groceries there are the most expensive, averaging R5,507.38 monthly.

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Inflation is another headache, and by November 2024, it hit 2.9% year-on-year. Food inflation dipped to 2.3%, the lowest in 14 years, but with salaries failing to keep up, many South Africans are still battling to make ends meet.

To cope, many people are opting for more affordable retailers and store-brand products to cut down on grocery expenses. Bulk buying has also become a popular strategy, with shoppers stocking up on non-perishable items when they’re on sale to save money in the long run.

Others are making tough choices by cutting back on non-essential purchases and prioritising necessities over luxuries.

Other grocery hauls from Mzansi's youth

• Briefly News previously reported that one young babe in Mzansi sparked widespread interest with her latest video where she flaunted her back to res grocery haul.
• A young person showed others his groceries after shopping at Checkers. The student admitted that he did not have much money to work with.
• A lady flexed her grocery haul in a TikTok video making rounds on social media, which left many people with mixed reactions.
• A young woman shared a TikTok video showcasing what R200 can buy in groceries in South Africa, leaving peeps stunned by the limited options.

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Hilary Sekgota, human interest head of desk at Briefly News, contributed to this article.

Source: Briefly News