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Johannesburg on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Johannesburg is affordable on a budget, though ride-hailing and tours eat into the savings since walking is not an option. A realistic minimum is about R1,100 per person a day: R400 for a bed, R300 for food, R250 for sights and R150 for transport.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | R400 | R1,000 | R2,800 |
| Food & drink | R300 | R600 | R1,200 |
| Sights & tickets | R250 | R700 | R1,300 |
| Local transport | R150 | R350 | R700 |
| Per person, per day | R1,100 | R2,650 | R6,000 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Johannesburg day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Rosebank Sunday rooftop market (free entry).
- Zoo Lake park, popular with families at weekends.
- Wits Art Museum in Braamfontein (generally free).
- The outdoor Hector Pieterson Memorial in Orlando West, Soweto (the museum charges a small fee).
- Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton with its 6-metre statue.
- Regina Mundi Church in Soweto (donation appreciated).
Cheap eats
- Kota (quarter loaf with chips, polony and cheese): about R40–70.
- Bunny chow curry in bread: about R60–90.
- Boerewors roll at a market: about R50–70.
- Pap and chakalaka with braai meat (shisa nyama): about R80–150.
- Soweto buffet lunch at Sakhumzi on Vilakazi Street: about R250–350.
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in Melville or Braamfontein, which have hostels and guesthouses near cafés, bars and Constitution Hill, with doubles about R700–1,300 and dorm beds lower.
Getting around cheaply
Take the Gautrain from O.R. Tambo airport to Sandton (about 15 minutes, roughly R200–230), then Uber or Bolt for most trips at R60–150 across central Joburg. Join tours for Soweto and the Cradle of Humankind rather than driving alone.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Uber to Constitution Hill (about R100 ride, R120–150 tour).
- Lunch: kota or bunny chow in Braamfontein (about R70).
- Afternoon: Wits Art Museum (free) and coffee in Braamfontein.
- Evening: dinner on Melville's 7th Street (about R200) and Uber back.
- Total: about R1,100 including a R400 bed share.
More ways to save
- Group sights by area to reduce Uber rides.
- Visit on a Sunday for markets, Regina Mundi and a lively Soweto.
- Choose hostels that offer tours; they are often cheaper than agencies.
- Use a Gautrain card or contactless card and travel off-peak.
- Eat at shisa nyama grills for cheap, filling meals.
- Book combined tickets for the Cradle of Humankind (Maropeng and Sterkfontein), roughly R300–450.
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Common questions
Can you visit Johannesburg on a budget?
Yes, with about R1,100 a day: stay in Melville or Braamfontein, eat at markets and shisa nyamas and group sights to limit Uber rides.
Is Uber cheap in Johannesburg?
Yes, most rides across central Joburg cost R60–150, and airport to Sandton about R300–450.
What can you do free in Johannesburg?
Rosebank's Sunday rooftop market, Zoo Lake, the Wits Art Museum, Nelson Mandela Square and the outdoor Hector Pieterson Memorial.