What you need to earn to live in South Africa’s most expensive estate
Silverhurst Estate in Cape Town has been touted as South Africa’s most expensive estate, and a person would need to earn R800,000 a month to afford a property there.
The estate is located in Constantia, one of Cape Town’s most expensive suburbs, and has previously been reported as the most expensive residential estate in South Africa.
In the last three years, the average asking price for properties in the estate was roughly R34.3 million, while the average selling price was R31.2 million, with 11 properties sold.
Based on the average selling price, a person could expect to spend over R280,000 per month on a 20-year mortgage for a Silverhurst property, including a 10% deposit.
The mortgage estimates were calculated using Absa’s online mortgage calculator, which provides a breakdown of the calculations.
For a 30-year mortgage (the maximum length for a home loan) with the same 10% deposit, monthly repayments on a property in the estate would be roughly R257,000.
The total cost of this 30-year mortgage would be R92.5 million, including interest and once-off fees such as the attorney bond registration and deeds office fees.
Interest payments on this 30-year mortgage would amount to R64.4 million alone at South Africa’s current 10.5% prime lending rate.
For a person earning South Africa’s current minimum wage of R30.23 per hour, this bond would take nearly 1,360 years to pay off.
In May 2026, Landsdowne Property Group said that most South African banks do not approve home loans where the monthly payment is more than 30% of gross monthly income.
This would mean that, for a person to afford a home in Silverhurst Estate with a 30-year mortgage with a typical 10% deposit, they would need to earn roughly R800,000 per month.
This is roughly 26.67 times South Africa’s average salary, according to the latest Quarterly Employment Survey (QES).
The QES found that the average salary in South Africa in the first three months of 2026 was R29,997.
Silverhurst Estate
The high price tag for a home in Silverhurst Estate is due to several factors, including its location in one of South Africa’s most sought-after areas.
The estate is located in the prestigious Constantia neighbourhood in Cape Town, where high demand for homes has driven property prices to rise sharply.
The estate itself is also home to impressive architecture, with all its homes inspired by early Victorian and Cape Dutch architecture.
Within its five precincts, the estate has 78 homes which all follow this historical design with contemporary design aspects incorporated.
Silverhurst is anchored by its manor house, a restored home from Cape Town’s early days, which serves as a centrepiece of many of the estate’s historical landmarks.
The estate also offers residents views of Table Mountain and Constantiaberg, which it calls “some of the most beautiful mountain views in the southern suburbs.”
“The estate is a true sanctuary, providing residents with a sense of serenity and seclusion,” it said on its website.
The estate is split by small lanes and quiet pathways that branch from its main avenue into various communal spaces and botanical gardens.
Along with its natural beauty, the estate offers amenities such as round-the-clock state-of-the-art security.
Homeowners in the estate also have exclusive access to tennis courts and a pavilion area, and are in close proximity to award-winning wine farms and private schools.
The estate favours simplicity over offering an abundance of amenities, which it said helps create a sense of sophistication for its residents.
“By scale, Silverhurst Estate is much more boutique than most country estates, without the complications and bustle of too many onsite amenities, offering a more exclusive sense of sophistication,” it said on its website.
Photos of Silverhurst Estate
Loading ...