“R5700 a Month Just To Get To Work”: Johannesburg Gent Breaks Down Real Work Travel Costs in SA

• A Johannesburg man broke down how much it costs South Africans to drive to work every month
• Beyond fuel, the AA estimated the full cost of running a mid-range car at R5.21 per kilometre, which adds up, along with other costs
• South Africans in the comments had a lot to say about the costs and whether owning a car is even worth it

A young man had Johannesburg commuters doing the maths after he posted a video that put the real cost of driving to work into perspective. TikTok user @johan2ten shared the clip on 9 April 2026 while in an office, breaking down just how much money and time South Africans are losing every single month just by getting to and from work.

He pointed out that most people only think about fuel when calculating their travel costs, but that is just the beginning. The Automobile Association of South Africa estimates the full cost of running a mid-range car, including wear and tear and depreciation, at R5.21 per kilometre. For someone driving 50 kilometres a day, that works out to roughly 1 100 kilometres a month, which comes to around R5 700 a month just to get to work and back.

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That number alone is hard to swallow, but he did not stop there. He also brought up the time cost of sitting in Johannesburg traffic. From his breakdown, Johannesburg drivers lose about 55 hours a year to traffic delays, which is more than a full working week. At the average South African salary, that lost time is worth roughly R9 200 a year.

The Automobile Association of South Africa has previously shown that vehicle ownership costs go well beyond fuel. Things like insurance, tyre replacements, services and unexpected repairs all add to the total, and most motorists are not budgeting for all of them. The AA recommends tracking expenses by category so that drivers have a clearer picture of what their car is actually costing them each month.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

Netizens debate the work travel cost breakdown

South Africans shared their thoughts in the comments section of TikToker @johan2ten's clip:

@nickname21674256 said:

"Jah, 6 to 10k per month fuel only, no wear and tear included. I drive about 100 to 200km a day. Living alone in Joburg is a minimum of 15k if you're scraping it."

@Tshepiso Promise wrote:

"That's why I always park that and use a bus to work. I'm sick of the town traffic."

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@hendrik.smit01 added:

"And insurance, and you need to replace that car every 4 years, so you can double that, boeta."

@𖣂Keem said:

"This is why I haven't purchased a car yet."

@Lloyd Naidoo987 suggested:

"Try Cape Town."

More on fuel and travel costs

• Briefly News recently reported on two petrol attendants filling JoJo tanks ahead of a fuel price increase, and South Africans could not agree on whether it was a smart move or a problem.
• A TikToker staged a skit at an Engen garage about the April fuel price hike that went viral.
• A South African man travelling through Angola stopped to fill up his tank and posted the receipt, and the price left people back home stunned.

Source: Briefly News