The average rent per province in South Africa contrasts hugely depending on where you live. However, the trend across the country is the same, as the overall rental market continued to grow at a reduced rate in Q3 of 2025, according to the PayProp Rental Index.
According to experts, higher inflation continues to put pressure on tenants. Likewise, landlords and rental agents are having to thoroughly vet tenants and ask for ever-higher deposits before opening up their doors. Nevertheless, the index has also highlighted the gaps between average rent per province in South Africa …
AVERAGE RENT PER PROVINCE SOUTH AFRICA
From most expensive to least, here’s how average rent per province in South Africa stacks up. Year-on-year percentage changes shown in brackets:
- Western Cape – R11 635 (7.0% +)
- Northern Cape – R10 111 (7.1% +)
- Gauteng – R9 321 (3.0% +)
- KwaZulu-Natal – R9 293 (3.1% +)
- Limpopo – R9 283 (10.9% +)
- Mpumalanga – R8 441 (0.2% -)
- Eastern Cape – R7 608 (7.0% +)
- North West – R7 179 (4.1% +)
- Free State – R7 120 (5.1% +)
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
Therefore, according to Payprop’s 2025 data, there is a huge disparity between the highest and lowest average rent per province. Specifically, the gap between the Western Cape and Free State, which is R4 515. Moreover, the Northern Cape is something of an outsider in rental performance, with asking prices higher than Gauteng.
And the markets are most stagnant in Mpumalanga (actually declining), and Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal (flatlining) as residents grow tired of poor local governance. However, the surge in average rent per province in high-performing areas does threaten a bubble. In the Western Cape, for example, the average rental deposit is now R19 630. Experts warn if this gets any higher it may put undue strain on household budgets and begin eliminating people from the market.
But what do you think? Is the average rent per province too high across South Africa? How does your rent compare to the average figures mentioned? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below …
