Cars you can buy on the average salary in South Africa

·5 Apr 2025

As of April 2025, someone earning the average salary in South Africa has 17 new cars from 10 different brands to choose from.

According to the latest Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) from Stats SA, the average salary in South Africa increased by 5.3% year-on-year to R28,231 in the fourth quarter of 2024.

The QES highlighted that the average salary has dropped by 0.2% quarter-on-quarter from the revised estimate of R28,274 in Q3 2024.

However, the 5.3% year-on-year increase is higher than the average inflation for 2024 (4.4%), meaning salaries have increased in real terms year over year.

The Q4 data covers the final quarter of 2024, ending December. The QES represents data for South Africa’s formal non-agricultural job market.

Over the period, gross earnings paid to employees increased by R59.1 billion or 6.1% from R969.4 billion in September 2024 to R1.03 trillion in December 2024.

Stats SA said this was due to increases in trade, manufacturing, community services, business services, construction, transport and electricity.

Year-on-year gross earnings increased by R35.5 billion or 3.6% between December 2023 and December 2024.

The boost in earnings over the period was driven mainly by bonuses, reflecting the end-of-year period where these rewards are paid out.

Basic salaries and wages paid to employees increased by only 1.1% or R9.5 billion over the period, though in line with inflation year-on-year, up 4%.

Bonuses, meanwhile, were up by R51.8 billion or 85.4% from the prior quarter—up 3.2% year on year from December 2023.

Stats SA said that while overall earnings are rising, the latest figures highlight a labour market experiencing growth and disparities, with some sectors thriving while others struggle to keep pace.

The statistics body noted that while recent figures show short-term increases in both full-time and part-time employment, the overall labour market still faces challenges, especially compared to last year’s performance.

Cars you can afford on the average salary

Financing experts advise that individuals should allocate no more than 25% of their monthly income to vehicle-related expenses.

For someone earning an average salary of R28,231, this translates to a budget of R7,058 per month for car costs, including instalments, insurance, and fuel.

Given this guideline, the portion allocated solely to car repayments for this article is capped at R5,000 per month.

At a prime lending rate of 11% over 60 months with no deposit or balloon payment, this cap equates to a maximum car price of roughly R260,000.

While 17 new cars remain within reach of this budget, the list is shrinking as vehicle prices continue to climb.

Exchange rate fluctuations, for instance, have made imported vehicle components significantly more expensive.

Coupled with supply chain disruptions, manufacturers face higher production costs, which are inevitably passed on to consumers.

Considering this, there are currently only 17 cars priced under R260,000 in South Africa. These are listed below with pricing and estimated monthly repayment amounts.