Household costs
Price changes
See how Stats SA's monthly price indexes for common household costs have changed over time. They show changes over time, not today's prices.
What this measures
These are Statistics South Africa's consumer price indexes (CPI) for all urban areas. A price index tracks how prices move, not what anything costs in rand.
The rand amounts on each card are illustrations. They show what something that cost R 100 a year earlier would cost after the same percentage change. They are not prices Stats SA measured.
These figures are for all urban areas, the same measure as Stats SA's headline inflation. They don't cover rural areas separately, or any single province or city.
Overall price changes (headline CPI)
Overall, prices were 4,4% higher than a year earlier (headline CPI). August 2026 compared with August 2025
Illustration: R 100 a year earlier would be about R 104,40 now.
From July 2026 to August 2026: prices hardly moved (0,0% in the month).
Food and non-alcoholic drinks
Stats SA's food and non-alcoholic drinks index was 1,1% higher than a year earlier. August 2026 compared with August 2025
Illustration: R 100 a year earlier would be about R 101,10 now.
From July 2026 to August 2026: prices rose 0,1% in the month.
Electricity and other home fuels
Mostly electricity. Also gas and paraffin.
Stats SA's electricity and other home fuels index was 7,4% higher than a year earlier. August 2026 compared with August 2025
Illustration: R 100 a year earlier would be about R 107,40 now.
Stats SA checks municipal prices once a year, in July, so we only show the change over a year.
Water, refuse, sewerage and rates
Water, refuse removal, sewerage, property rates and sectional title levies.
Stats SA's water, refuse, sewerage and rates index was 7,2% higher than a year earlier. August 2026 compared with August 2025
Illustration: R 100 a year earlier would be about R 107,20 now.
Stats SA checks municipal prices once a year, in July, so we only show the change over a year.
Rent
What tenants pay. Not bond repayments.
Stats SA's rent index was 4,1% higher than a year earlier. August 2026 compared with August 2025
Illustration: R 100 a year earlier would be about R 104,10 now.
Stats SA checks these prices every three months, so we only show the change over a year.
Petrol and diesel
Stats SA's petrol and diesel index was 20,0% higher than a year earlier. August 2026 compared with August 2025
Illustration: R 100 a year earlier would be about R 120,00 now.
From July 2026 to August 2026: prices fell 1,3% in the month.
Taxi, bus and other fares
Mostly minibus taxi fares, plus buses, trains and e-hailing.
Stats SA's taxi, bus and other fares index was 11,6% higher than a year earlier. August 2026 compared with August 2025
Illustration: R 100 a year earlier would be about R 111,60 now.
Stats SA checks these prices every three months, so we only show the change over a year.
| Category | Sep 2025 | Oct 2025 | Nov 2025 | Dec 2025 | Jan 2026 | Feb 2026 | Mar 2026 | Apr 2026 | May 2026 | Jun 2026 | Jul 2026 | Aug 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall price changes (headline CPI) | 3,4% higher | 3,6% higher | 3,5% higher | 3,6% higher | 3,5% higher | 3,0% higher | 3,1% higher | 4,0% higher | 4,5% higher | 5,0% higher | 4,3% higher | 4,4% higher |
| Food and non-alcoholic drinks | 4,5% higher | 3,9% higher | 4,4% higher | 4,4% higher | 4,4% higher | 3,7% higher | 3,6% higher | 2,9% higher | 1,9% higher | 1,6% higher | 0,9% higher | 1,1% higher |
| Electricity and other home fuels | 8,2% higher | 8,2% higher | 7,9% higher | 7,9% higher | 7,5% higher | 7,5% higher | 7,4% higher | 8,2% higher | 9,4% higher | 9,9% higher | 8,3% higher | 7,4% higher |
| Water, refuse, sewerage and rates | 7,0% higher | 7,0% higher | 7,0% higher | 7,0% higher | 7,0% higher | 7,1% higher | 7,0% higher | 7,0% higher | 6,9% higher | 6,9% higher | 6,4% higher | 7,2% higher |
| Rent | 3,2% higher | 3,2% higher | 3,2% higher | 3,7% higher | 3,7% higher | 3,7% higher | 4,0% higher | 4,0% higher | 4,0% higher | 4,1% higher | 4,1% higher | 4,1% higher |
| Petrol and diesel | 2,2% lower | 3,3% higher | 0,1% higher | 0,6% higher | 3,7% lower | 10,1% lower | 8,7% lower | 11,4% higher | 28,7% higher | 34,3% higher | 20,6% higher | 20,0% higher |
| Taxi, bus and other fares | 1,9% lower | 2,8% lower | 1,7% lower | 0,9% lower | 0,8% lower | 0,1% lower | 0,7% higher | 3,9% higher | 4,0% higher | 12,5% higher | 11,8% higher | 11,6% higher |