“Making Cape Town Look Good”: South African Lawyer’s R55.9k Rental Home in London Stuns the Internet
- A South African lawyer, Tshidi Vilakazi, shared how she had to adjust to the United Kingdom's cost of living
- She explained that she had to pay approximately R55 900 for a one-bedroom home in London
- The amount shocked local internet users, who spoke about how expensive the international city is
Source: UGC
Tshidi Vilakazi, a corporate lawyer and digital creator, shared the cost of living in London, United Kingdom. She mainly focused on rental prices, revealing that she pays a whopping R55 900 for her one-bedroom home.
The mother of twin boys uploaded her TikTok post on 12 November, 2025, while sitting outside before work. Besides housing, Tshidi also touched on the cost of takeaways, coffee, and groceries, briefly explaining how it affected her pocket, especially the first two items she listed.
"I think the biggest shock, from a financial perspective, was the rental prices in London. It really shouldn't have been a shock because I have friends who live here."
Tshidi stated that her friends had warned her about the costly rental prices. She noted that although she set a price range for herself, she had a limited time to find a place to stay following her secondment.
She then got a real estate agent to help her find a place, who found the home she currently lives in. It seems Tshidi had no other option but to take the home, as other rental places were not available at the time. The lawyer stated that her home away from home was £2 500, which was roughly R60 000 when she first converted the pounds into rands. At the time of publication, the exchange rate saw £2 500 equivalent to approximately R55 900.
"In hindsight, when I did more research on rental pricing and affordable but good places, I realised that I could have probably stayed a little bit further away from work and gotten a very nice one-bedroom apartment.
The lawyer added that it had been quite a financial adjustment finding her feet in the United Kingdom, and she couldn't understand how people could live there permanently.
"When you start getting paid in pounds, it's much better, but when you get here in South African rands, you feel like you have a five bob in your account."
London's rental prices stun South Africans
Hundreds of curious online community members hurried to the comment section, typing questions they hoped would be answered. Other people shared similar experiences about living in the international city.
Source: Getty Images
@lisa_fisha0 said to Tshidi:
"You're making Cape Town look good, and I’m barely surviving, and by barely, I mean barely."
@rue_muda told people on the internet:
"London is expensive. This is why I stay away from this city. I love living in my little village and come to London as and when I need to."
A stunned @knowmeee_s commented:
"I assumed the company would give you corporate accommodation. The London rental market is a humbling experience."
@fiwegg shared with a laugh:
"Five years in London. Mina, my problem is that I don’t understand rands anymore. I have no idea what R500 buys or what it’s worth. Anything in rands, I’m lost, shame. Yho!"
@zoemkoena added under the post:
"One of my mutuals said she paid 18 000 a month, and she was sharing with three other people."
@_small_do advised Tshidi and others:
"You will never leave in peace abroad if you are going to convert every single amount that you spend to rands. Remember, you are not getting paid in rands. Start living the pounds life."
Watch the TikTok video posted on Tshidi's account below:
3 Other stories about the cost of living
- In another article, Briefly News reported that a college student short on funds dealt with the rising cost of living by starting a garden in her residence. People were impressed by how she took matters into her own hands.
- A spaza shop owner in Gauteng explained how much food would cost if $1 were equal to R7. The calculations amazed social media users, who discussed salaries and allowances.
- South Africans expressed frustration at the value of R100, noting that it could barely cover necessities. The online conversation sparked calls for the government to address the issue.
Source: Briefly News
