{"id":847172,"date":"2026-01-05T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=847172"},"modified":"2026-01-05T16:14:37","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T14:14:37","slug":"the-most-expensive-province-to-buy-groceries-in-south-africa-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/lifestyle\/847172\/the-most-expensive-province-to-buy-groceries-in-south-africa-2\/","title":{"rendered":"The most expensive province to buy groceries in South Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Johannesburg in Gauteng remains the most expensive city among South Africa\u2019s three major metros for groceries for the seventh consecutive month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the end of December 2025, Johannesburg is followed by Durban (KZN) and then Cape Town (Western Cape) when it comes to grocery prices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to data from the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity (PMBEJD) group, which tracks the cost of a household food basket across the three major provinces and the Northern Cape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When expanding the analysis to smaller towns like Springbok (Northern Cape), Mtubatuba (KZN) and Pietermaritzburg (KZN), it becomes evident that outlying and remote areas of the country pay a premium at the tills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This results in Springbok actually paying more than R100 for a basket of goods than consumers in Johannesburg, but other factors\u2014like transport and scarcity\u2014are typically at play here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the major metros, which are also more populous and more representative of pricing, Johannesburg, Gauteng, remains the most expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The PMBEJD looks at a basket of 44 food items that are most commonly purchased by households in South Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The basket reflects the purchases of households that make up the vast majority of the country’s population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For December 2025, the total cost of this basket averaged R5,333.45, a 1.5% decrease from the previous month and a 0.9% decrease from the same period in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of the 44 food items tracked in the basket, 19 items decreased in price year-over-year, while 23 items increased. Two items remained flat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While more products experienced price inflation than not, the increases were mainly limited to low single-digit levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some notable increases included beef (up 21%), oranges (up 20%), butternut squash (up 16%), beef liver (up 16%), and gizzards (up 12%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was offset by steep double-digit decreases in other products, such as potatoes (-26%), rice (-22%), cabbage (-17%), eggs (-16%), and onions and sugar beans (-12%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The PMBEJD’s data reflects “on the ground” pricing ahead of the official inflation figures published by Stats SA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The latest inflation data from Stats SA (November 2025) showed that food & non-alcoholic beverages (NAB) inflation rose that month, increasing to 4.4% from 3.9% previously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rising beef prices primarily drove this trend, although spikes were also recorded across multiple protein sources, including chicken, pork, and lamb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Analysis of the red meat industry for December showed that this inflationary pressure continued, reflected in the steep price increases tracked by the PMBEJD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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