Food prices
What food costs now.
44 foods that low-income households buy each month, priced off the shelves of the supermarkets and butcheries they use, against a year ago, and the whole basket city by city.
- Household food basket, family of seven
- R5,488.06
- September 2026
- Up the most in a year
- Onions
- +66%
- Dearest basket
- Springbok
- R5,891.18
Food pricesSeptember 2026, against a year ago.
Up the most in a year
- 01Onions 10kgR103.70 → R172.35+66%
- 02Potatoes 10kgR74.99 → R100.16+34%
- 03Bananas 4kgR65.09 → R79.91+23%
- 04Carrots 5kgR41.98 → R49.81+19%
- 05Tomatoes 6kgR113.27 → R133.85+18%
- 06Fish 2kgR121.39 → R137.82+14%
- 07Salt 1kgR15.53 → R17.39+12%
- 08Tinned pilchards 400g x6R154.03 → R170.79+11%
Down the most in a year
- 01Oranges 7kgR59.77 → R48.81-18%
- 02Sugar beans 5kgR220.88 → R188.80-15%
- 03Maize meal 30kgR331.79 → R293.73-11%
- 04Green pepper 2kgR69.85 → R62.02-11%
- 05Rice 10kgR145.78 → R131.49-10%
- 06Butternut 10kgR123.72 → R113.32-8%
- 07Chicken feet 2kgR86.10 → R78.88-8%
- 08Beef tripe 2kgR109.93 → R103.65-6%
By cityThe basket, town by town.
The same household food basket, for a family of seven, priced in each place.
| City or town | Basket now | Last month | A year ago | In a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springbok | R5,891.18 | R5,934.96 | R5,701.90 | +3.3% |
| Johannesburg | R5,679.01 | R5,655.03 | R5,554.41 | +2.2% |
| Mthatha | R5,536.16 | R5,477.87 | R5,573.54 | -0.7% |
| Cape Town | R5,364.98 | R5,394.29 | R5,364.04 | +0.0% |
| Durban | R5,364.64 | R5,360.38 | R5,229.11 | +2.6% |
| Pietermaritzburg | R5,331.08 | R5,261.04 | R5,159.93 | +3.3% |
| Mtubatuba | R5,232.34 | R5,309.19 | R5,323.02 | -1.7% |
All 44 foods
| Food and quantity | Now | Last month | A year ago | In a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maize meal 30kg | R293.73 | R295.12 | R331.79 | -11% |
| Rice 10kg | R131.49 | R132.62 | R145.78 | -10% |
| Cake Flour 10kg | R121.53 | R120.07 | R123.76 | -2% |
| White sugar 10kg | R231.91 | R229.43 | R218.42 | +6% |
| Sugar beans 5kg | R188.80 | R187.54 | R220.88 | -15% |
| Samp 5kg | R71.84 | R70.95 | R72.96 | -2% |
| Cooking oil 5L | R161.44 | R163.49 | R157.74 | +2% |
| Salt 1kg | R17.39 | R16.89 | R15.53 | +12% |
| Potatoes 10kg | R100.16 | R96.38 | R74.99 | +34% |
| Onions 10kg | R172.35 | R151.43 | R103.70 | +66% |
| Frozen chicken portions 10kg | R427.94 | R431.20 | R407.95 | +5% |
| Curry powder 200g | R39.47 | R38.05 | R39.86 | -1% |
| Stock cubes 24 cubes x2 | R50.86 | R50.23 | R50.70 | +0% |
| Soup 400g x2 | R53.51 | R52.70 | R53.02 | +1% |
| Tea 250g | R32.99 | R33.77 | R31.27 | +6% |
| Full cream milk 6L | R98.39 | R97.12 | R97.92 | +0% |
| Maas 4L | R64.44 | R64.33 | R60.12 | +7% |
| Eggs 60 eggs | R138.72 | R142.24 | R145.33 | -5% |
| Chicken feet 2kg | R78.88 | R81.97 | R86.10 | -8% |
| Gizzards 2kg | R104.19 | R103.36 | R101.32 | +3% |
| Chicken livers 2kg | R76.77 | R76.47 | R75.62 | +2% |
| Beef liver 2kg | R126.99 | R130.63 | R129.22 | -2% |
| Beef 2kg | R209.46 | R216.85 | R216.35 | -3% |
| Wors 2kg | R155.46 | R157.90 | R157.07 | -1% |
| Beef tripe 2kg | R103.65 | R109.66 | R109.93 | -6% |
| Fish 2kg | R137.82 | R141.19 | R121.39 | +14% |
| Tomatoes 6kg | R133.85 | R146.04 | R113.27 | +18% |
| Carrots 5kg | R49.81 | R50.38 | R41.98 | +19% |
| Butternut 10kg | R113.32 | R105.75 | R123.72 | -8% |
| Spinach 8 bunches | R114.54 | R120.38 | R107.46 | +7% |
| Cabbage 2 heads | R41.63 | R43.23 | R41.04 | +1% |
| Green pepper 2kg | R62.02 | R62.30 | R69.85 | -11% |
| Cremora 800g | R55.57 | R54.79 | R57.88 | -4% |
| Tinned pilchards 400g x6 | R170.79 | R168.74 | R154.03 | +11% |
| Canned beans 410g x6 | R92.19 | R93.84 | R93.71 | -2% |
| Bananas 4kg | R79.91 | R67.20 | R65.09 | +23% |
| Apples 3kg | R47.45 | R45.10 | R47.39 | +0% |
| Oranges 7kg | R48.81 | R48.95 | R59.77 | -18% |
| Margarine 1kg | R41.61 | R41.78 | R42.06 | -1% |
| Peanut butter 400g x2 | R84.45 | R86.35 | R86.94 | -3% |
| Polony 2.5kg | R70.51 | R71.45 | R70.13 | +1% |
| Apricot jam 900g | R39.70 | R40.95 | R39.66 | +0% |
| White bread 25 loaves | R444.67 | R438.15 | R421.09 | +6% |
| Brown bread 25 loaves | R407.07 | R402.83 | R395.66 | +3% |
September 2026. Quantities are what a family of seven buys in a month (25 loaves of bread, 30kg of maize meal). Prices from the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group’s Household Affordability Index. Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group (PMBEJD), Household Affordability Index.
QuestionsGood to know.
The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group’s Household Affordability Index. Women data collectors price 44 foods each month off the shelves of supermarkets and butcheries that serve low-income households, in seven towns and cities.
The basket is what a low-income family of seven tries to buy in a month, so the prices are for a month’s supply: 25 loaves of bread, 30kg of maize meal, 10kg of chicken pieces.
The whole squeeze: food, fuel, power, rates · Your month, now and a year ago
The Monday briefCommerce, in your inbox.
Every Monday: last week’s moves in JSE commerce, your own shares, and the results and numbers due this week. Free, and you can unsubscribe any time.
We don’t take outside money, but we always like talking markets and commerce.
For media, research and partnership questions, send us an email.