Johannesburg average 1-bed rent: R 11,000/mo Year-on-year rent increase: +4.5% Johannesburg rents grow moderately Sandton remains the business hub Secure estates drive suburban demand Deposits are typically 1–2 months' rent and must be held in an interest-bearing account. The deposit must be refunded within 7–14 days of move-out minus documented damage. Johannesburg average 1-bed rent: R 11,000/mo Year-on-year rent increase: +4.5% Johannesburg rents grow moderately Sandton remains the business hub Secure estates drive suburban demand Deposits are typically 1–2 months' rent and must be held in an interest-bearing account. The deposit must be refunded within 7–14 days of move-out minus documented damage.
South Africa · Rent guide
Johannesburg Rent Guide 2026
Average rent costs by neighbourhood, yearly rent increases and tenant rights in Johannesburg. The typical one-bedroom rent is R 11,000 per month, up 4.5% year on year.
Average rent by neighbourhood
| Neighbourhood | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | Yearly increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandton | R 16,000 | R 26,000 | +4.2% |
| Rosebank | R 14,000 | R 22,000 | +4.6% |
| Fourways | R 12,000 | R 18,000 | +4.8% |
| Braamfontein | R 8,000 | R 12,000 | +5.2% |
Indicative 2026 figures (per month, ZAR). Compare with real tenant-reported rents on RentScore.
Average rent per square metre in Johannesburg
R 220 / m² per month
City-wide indicative average, based on a typical 50 m² one-bedroom flat. Central neighbourhoods cost more:
- Sandton: R 320 / m²
- Rosebank: R 280 / m²
- Fourways: R 240 / m²
- Braamfontein: R 160 / m²
Deposit laws in Johannesburg
- Deposits are typically 1–2 months' rent and must be held in an interest-bearing account.
- The deposit must be refunded within 7–14 days of move-out minus documented damage.
- Always get a written inventory with dated photos at move-in to protect your deposit.
How do foreigners and expats without a local credit score find a home in Johannesburg with RentScore?
- Check the building first: read verified tenant reviews, rent history and street safety on RentScore before you contact a landlord.
- Know the fair price: use the neighbourhood averages above and the RentScore rent estimate so you are not overcharged as a newcomer.
- Replace the missing credit score: offer an employment contract, recent payslips, a reference from your previous landlord and your RentScore rental history.
- Consider a rent guarantee service or a larger (but legal) deposit instead of a local guarantor — never pay more than the legal limit shown above.
- Upload your lease to the free RentScore contract check: RentScore flags hidden clauses, unfair rent increases and deposit traps in your own language.
- Ask the RentScore advisor below any local question, in any language.
Tenant rights in Johannesburg
- Deposits are typically 1–2 months' rent and must be held in an interest-bearing account.
- The deposit must be refunded within 7–14 days of move-out minus documented damage.
- The Rental Housing Act requires a written lease if the tenant asks for one.
- Disputes go to the Rental Housing Tribunal.
Ask the RentScore advisor about renting in Johannesburg
Ask anything about rents here
For example: Which neighbourhood is cheapest for a 2-bedroom? Can my landlord raise the rent twice a year?
Other city rent guides
New YorkSan FranciscoLos AngelesTorontoVancouverMontrealMiamiChicagoLondonBerlinParisAmsterdamDublinBrusselsBarcelonaMadridLisbonMunichZurichGenevaViennaMilanRomeAthensPragueBudapestBucharestWarsawOsloStockholmCopenhagenHelsinkiTokyoOsakaSeoulTaipeiHong KongSingaporeKuala LumpurBangkokPhuketPattayaHo Chi Minh CityHanoiJakartaBali (Denpasar/Canggu)ManilaDubaiAbu DhabiDohaRiyadhSydneyMelbourneAucklandWellingtonIstanbulAnkaraİzmirMexico CitySão PauloBuenos AiresBogotáEstimate a fair rent