The most affordable South African province to rent in
The latest PayProp Rental Index data revealed the most and least affordable provinces to rent in South Africa in 2025.
The latest PayProp Rental Index data revealed clear regional divides in South Africa’s rental market, with some provinces experiencing sharp growth while others fell behind.
According to BusinessTech, South Africa’s residential rental market started the year strong, posting year-on-year growth of 5.2% in January, 6.0% in February, and 5.5% in March.
The data also showed that all provinces recorded positive rental growth in the first quarter, with one province standing out as the cheapest place to rent currently.
How much it costs to rent in each SA province
South Africa’s North West province was found to be the cheapest province for South Africans to rent in, with an average rent of just over R7 000 per month.
The Western Cape leads the country with the highest rent prices, averaging just over R11 The most affordable South African province to rent in000.
Here’s a look at how each province ranked and how rental prices increased in the first quarter of 2025:
| Province | Ranking by rent (cheapest to most expensive) | Average rent (Q1 2025) | Year-on-Year growth | Rand increase (YoY) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Cape | 1 | R11 285 | 9.6% | R985 |
| Northern Cape | 2 | R9 581 | 3.3% | R307 |
| Gauteng | 3 | R9 201 | 2.9% | R258 |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 4 | R9 170 | 4.5% | R400 |
| Limpopo | 5 | R8 899 | 10.9% | R872 |
| Mpumalanga | 6 | R8 460 | 1.1% | R91 |
| Free State | 7 | R7 453 | 7.6% | R526 |
| Eastern Cape | 8 | R7 330 | 4.4% | R309 |
| North West | 9 | R7 153 | 13.5% | R852 |