“That’s a Lie”: SA Entrepreneur Ranks the Cheapest Cities to Live In, Leaves Mzansi Divided

• A South African entrepreneur ranked the five most affordable cities, and Bloemfontein shocked even him by coming out on top of the list
• Residents of Kimberley and Welkom say that while rent is low, limited jobs and transport costs quickly cancel out the savings
• Data shows that maintaining the same lifestyle in Bloemfontein costs roughly 33% less every month than living in Johannesburg

South Africans who are tired of paying a premium to live in big cities may want to reconsider their postcodes.

A South African entrepreneur broke down which cities offer the most value for money right now, and the number one spot on his list caught many people off guard.

Jandre de Beer, who runs the Instagram account @officialjandredebeer, shared the breakdown on 1 November 2025. He named five cities where the cost of living is significantly lower than in Cape Town and Johannesburg. De Beer ranked East London, Kimberley, Polokwane, Welkom and Bloemfontein from fifth to first place. The rankings are based on rental prices, food costs, transport and monthly utility spending.

Read also

"Very rare scenes": SA reacts to Eastern Cape triplets graduating together with law degrees from UFS

The cities that made the cut

Starting at number five, East London offers real coastal living without the Cape Town price tag attached. Renters can find a two-bedroom apartment for around R6,000 a month there. Food, transport and utilities add roughly R7,000 on top of that figure. Property listings in the Buffalo City area back those numbers up quite consistently.

Coming in at number four is Kimberley, a city whose diamond boom has long since passed. A one-bedroom apartment goes for about R4,400 a month in the Northern Cape capital. Additional living costs sit at around R10,000 for the rest of the month. The city is quieter and slower-paced, making it ideal for retirees and remote workers.

Third on the list is Polokwane, the Limpopo capital that punches well above its weight on affordability. Renters there spend only about 9% of their monthly income on rent alone. That is one of the lowest rent-to-income ratios found anywhere in the country. A two-bedroom flat costs between R5,000 and R10,000, with everything else adding about R7,000. The city also has malls, universities, hospitals and a growing business community worth noting.

Read also

"What's the catch?": Mzansi in disbelief as Instagram clip shows stunning KZN house worth R5 million

Welkom and the surprise winner

Welkom takes the second spot on De Beer’s list. The Free State mining town is often overlooked, but offers low food, transport and utility costs combined at around R10,000 monthly. Rent in Welkom sits well below what most other South African cities charge their residents.

And then there is Bloemfontein. De Beer said he went back and double-checked his data because the numbers genuinely surprised him. A one-bedroom apartment in the judicial capital starts at R5,250 a month. A sit-down restaurant meal costs around R200, and a loaf of bread costs just R17. Monthly groceries come in at roughly R3,000 for one person living there.

See the Instagram clip here:

Mzansi reacts to the list

Briefly News compiled some comments from the post below.

@i_am_tshireletso_maake commented:

“Am I living in the wrong Bloemfontein?”

@osh_sa said:

“Gqeberha is cheaper than East London. 🤞🏾”

@cosmic.contradiction highlighted:

Read also

"The motivation I need": SGB teacher breaks down monthly budget in TikTok video, Mzansi takes notes

“And the most expensive is Cape Town.”

@biencamadolo noted:

“East London is not cheap. The rent can be affordable, but they get you with municipal rates and electricity. 😢”

@justine_prinsloo wrote:

“I was in Bloem last month, and we were at Grey College. I thought the school was amazing, and I googled the school fees. It shook me. I could not believe how affordable the fees were for such a prestigious school. 😮😮”

@x_annatjie_official_x commented:

“I promise that’s a lie. Bloem is far from cheap. 😭”

More cheap stuff in Mzansi

• In another article, a KZN content creator shared a video of a Durban factory shop selling classy and beautiful gifts for as little as R40 each.
• A UK travel content creator visited a top-rated steakhouse in Cape Town, calling South Africa the land of cheap and amazing steak.
• A British tourist, Max Jeffery, shared the pros and cons of his month-long stay in South Africa.

Source: Briefly News