The cost of groceries in South Africa’s major metros continues to soar, with Johannesburg once again emerging as the most expensive city for groceries in July 2025.
This marks the third consecutive month that the city has held the unenviable top spot, according to the latest report by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity (PMBEJD) group.
The price of the average household food basket in Johannesburg hit R5 656.43 last month – R213.71 more than the national average of R5,442.72 and a 2.2% increase year-on-year.
The basket comprises 44 essential items reflecting typical urban household consumption patterns.
Cape Town followed closely behind with a July basket price of R5 371.35, while Durban remains the most affordable metro at R5 358.09, despite also seeing a steady increase.
Rising costs, stagnant wages
Nationally, the annual cost of the household basket rose by 3.6% – higher than the current consumer price index (CPI) inflation rate of 3.0%.
Month-on-month, the basket price saw only a marginal dip of 41 cents, offering little relief to cash-strapped South Africans.
Driving the increase is a surge in meat prices, especially beef.
According to Stats SA, stewing beef rose by 21.2% year-on-year, the sharpest increase since January 2017.
The jump is attributed to a combination of foot-and-mouth outbreaks and rising feed costs.
Prices for vegetables such as beetroot, lettuce, and carrots also climbed sharply.
A tale of three cities
While Durban remains the cheapest city to fill a grocery basket, prices there rose by 0.9% month-on-month and 2.8% year-on-year.
Cape Town saw the highest annual increase among the three cities at 6.7%, despite a 0.5% monthly decline.
Food security concerns grow
The rising cost of groceries is compounding broader cost-of-living pressures and is particularly hard on lower-income households.
“This consistent rise in food costs is not just about numbers – it reflects growing household insecurity,” said a PMBEJD spokesperson.
The report has renewed calls for urgent interventions to curb food inflation and address food security, especially in urban areas.
Summary of july 2025 grocery basket prices:
- Johannesburg: R5 656.43
- Cape Town: R5 371.35
- Durban: R5 358.09
- National Average: R5 442.72
As South Africans grapple with rising prices and economic strain, food affordability remains one of the most pressing challenges facing the country’s urban population.
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