“Single-Income Households In Trouble”: Mzansi Reacts To Salary Needed For R1M House In TikTok Video

• Khanya That Property Guy broke down salary requirements for six house prices using a 20-year loan term
• Buyers need to earn R33,279 a month to qualify for a R1 million house at 10.5% interest
• South Africans flooded the comments, with many saying they cannot afford a home on one salary

Estate agent Khanya, known online as Khanya That Property Guy, posted a TikTok video on 21 July 2026 breaking down the salary needed for a R1 million house.

The Mzansi-based agent used a fixed 10.5% interest rate over a 20-year loan term. He assumed zero deposit and covered six different property price points. He said the guide applies whether buyers finance a small starter home or a large family house.

How much you need to earn

A R300,000 house requires a gross monthly salary of R9,983 to qualify. A R500,000 property needs an income of R16,639, with a monthly instalment of R4,991.

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Buyers eyeing an R800,000 house must earn R26,623 a month, with instalments sitting at R7,987. Anyone wanting a R1 million home needs a salary of R33,279, with instalments of R9,983.

Bigger budgets demand bigger paychecks across the board. A R1.5 million house needs an income of R49,918, with instalments reaching R14,975. The priciest option, a R2 million home, needs a monthly salary of R66,558, with instalments of R19,967.

According to him, banks typically look at 30% of gross income to decide affordability. None of these figures includes insurance costs added onto the loan.

South Africans reacted strongly to the salary breakdown online. One person said their R800,000 bond needed a salary of R17,000, with instalments around R6,559. Another said single income earners cannot cover a bond, car, and school fees together anymore.

Some self-employed commenters pointed out irregular income makes bank approval even harder without payslips. A few viewers said renting remains the only realistic option for many single-income households right now. Others joked about browsing R6 million homes despite currently earning nothing at all.

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The breakdown left many South Africans reflecting on how far one salary can really stretch in today’s housing market.

Watch the video below:

Source: Briefly News