Where does your city rank? August food basket prices revealed
Latest Household Affordability Index reveals the cost of a household food basket from Cape Town, Johannesburg to Mtubatuba
The cost of filling a grocery trolley varies across South Africa, with hundreds of rand separating the cheapest and most expensive household food baskets in August.
The average cost of the 44-item household food basket fell by R50,72 (0,9%) in August, from R5 530,52 in July to R5 479,80, The Witness reports.
However, the latest Household Affordability Index from the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group (PMBEJD) shows that food prices did not move in the same direction everywhere.
The index tracks the prices of 44 basic foods at 52 supermarkets and 36 butcheries across Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Mthatha, Pietermaritzburg, Springbok and Mtubatuba.
Food baskets became more expensive in Durban (+R51,36), Cape Town (+R26,99) and Pietermaritzburg (+R87,47), while prices declined in Johannesburg (-R108,67), Springbok (-R174,79), Mtubatuba (-R340,05) and Mthatha (-R192,00).
How the cities compare
The seven areas tracked by the index ranked as follows:
- Pietermaritzburg: R5 173,57
- Mtubatuba: R5 649,24
- Durban: R5 309,02
- Cape Town: R5 367,30
- Mthatha: R5 669,87
- Johannesburg: R5 763,70
- Springbok: R6 109,75
The national average was R5 530,52 in July.
The cheapest grocery baskets
Pietermaritzburg was the cheapest of the seven areas surveyed in August, followed by Mtubatuba and Durban.
Springbok remained the most expensive, followed by Johannesburg and Mthatha.
The difference between the cheapest and most expensive basket was R936,18.
Which food prices changed?
Of the 44 foods tracked in the basket, 19 increased in price while 25 decreased in August.
Some of the biggest increases were recorded for butternut (8%), potatoes (7%) and beef (5%).
Onions rose by 4%, while chicken gizzards and fish increased by 3%. Beef tripe, peanut butter and brown bread each increased by 2%.
Several fresh produce items recorded notable declines.
Tomatoes fell by 18%, oranges by 17%, carrots and apples by 8%, while cabbage and green pepper each declined by 6%.
Maize meal fell by 4%, while samp, salt, curry powder and stock cubes each declined by 3%.
What do some everyday groceries cost?
The August Household Affordability Index tracks 44 basic food items commonly bought by households, including staple foods, meat, dairy products, vegetables, fruit and other household essentials.
While the overall basket became slightly cheaper nationally, the PMBEJD figures show that households experienced different price movements depending on where they live.
Year-on-year, the average household food basket increased by R99,18 (1,8%), from R5 380,62 in August 2025 to R5 479,80 in August 2026.
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