Property

The cheapest and most expensive provinces to buy property in South Africa

Kirsten Minnaar • 21 October 2025

Property prices vary greatly depending on where they are located in South Africa, ranging from averages of under R1 million to over R40 million.

According to The Africanvestor, the national average residential property price reached R1.6 million in September 2025.

“The current pricing reflects a market that has experienced modest growth throughout 2025. Property prices have risen by approximately 2.2% year-on-year, which is considerably lower than the 5% annual average seen between 2012 and 2022,” The Africanvestor said.

This controlled growth indicates a more stable market environment compared to previous volatile periods.” From 2020 to 2025, house prices have grown modestly, with nominal increases of approximately 18%.

“The house price index rose from 209 in 2020 to 246 in 2025, representing steady but controlled appreciation,” The Africanvestor said.

“However, when adjusted for inflation, real prices have actually declined slightly since 2021, indicating that property price growth has not kept pace with general inflation over this period.”

Property appreciation has seen a notable change since 2020. The years leading up to 2020 showed more robust growth, whereas the 2020 to 2025 period has been marked by more modest price increases.

“The annual growth rate of 2.2% in 2025 stands well below the historical average of 5% seen from 2012 to 2022,” the organisation said.

“This moderate price evolution creates opportunities for buyers, as properties remain relatively affordable compared to the rapid appreciation cycles experienced in many other global markets during the same timeframe.”

Even as the market grows, The Africanvestor pointed out that South Africa’s real estate remains relatively attractive compared to international markets.

“The average house price of R1.6 million translates to approximately $85,000 to $90,000, making South African property significantly more accessible than comparable markets in developed countries,” it said.

Interestingly, The Africanvestor noted that the national average property price of R1.6 million masks significant regional variations, with some provinces much more expensive than others.

South Africa’s most expensive province

Unsurprisingly, the Western Cape continues to dominate the upper end of the real estate market, driven by semigration and demand from international buyers.

Stats SA reported that from March 2019 to March 2024, the province saw an average annual increase of 35.5%. In comparison, national average growth was at 4.8% for the same period.

Property24 trends show that the average sale price for a property in the Western Cape is R1.72 million. This number is based on the average selling price and asking price of all Property24 listings for the year.

The Africanvestor reported a slightly higher average price for the province at R1.8 million for September 2025.

Cape Town, in particular, is outperforming other major cities, with its average house prices reaching R3.5 million as of September 2025, according to The Africanvestor.

“The city shows significant price variations across different property types and neighborhoods, from affordable Northern Suburbs starting at R1.2 million to luxury Atlantic Seaboard properties exceeding R40 million,” it said.

“Property prices have grown 8.5% over the past year and are expected to continue rising due to strong local and international demand.”

According to Ooba, the province’s luxury segment is experiencing significant growth. In the first five months of 2025, international buyers spent over R1 billion in Cape Town alone.

Record-breaking sales include properties selling for R66 million in Clifton and R52 million in Bishopscourt, driven by strong demand and limited luxury stock availability.

In August 2025, a five-bedroom villa on Clifton‘s Nettleton Road sold for R157.55 million, making it the highest-value residential transaction on the African continent in 2025 to date.

Ooba Home Loans explained that the typical price ranges for properties in the Western Cape are as follows –

Property type	Price range
1-bedroom apartments	R1 million – R1.5 million
2-bedroom apartments	R1.5 million – R2.2 million
Family homes	R2.2 million – R3.2 million
Luxury properties	R3.5 million – R15 million +

South Africa’s cheapest province

On the other end of the spectrum, the Northern Cape is South Africa’s most affordable province in the country, according to Seeff.

Its average price is still at just R935,806, with most sales falling between R400,000 and R1.5 million. Less than 2% of sales are above R2 million.

Ooba also reported that the average price range for properties in the province is R700,000 to R1 million. This would not be enough to buy a one-bedroom apartment in many parts of the Western Cape.

For years, the Northern Cape’s property market has been stagnant. Stats SA’s revealed that from March 2019 to March 2024, the province recorded an average annual increase of only 0.9%, the slowest growth in the country.

However, the province’s property market has seen somewhat of a surge with sales and rental prices, said Seeff Country sales manager Jaco Badenhorst. The Reserve Bank’s latest interest rate cuts are expected to have a further positive impact.

Aside from local buyers, Seeff’s branches have seen more buyers coming from Joburg, Pretoria and KwaZulu-Natal looking to move to small towns.

According to recent data from Lightstone, price growth in the province is now among the best in the country at 4.75%, outdone only by the Western Cape and Limpopo.

The average rental rate has reached R10,122 per month, up by a phenomenal 7.5% year-on-year, according to PayProp data. Around 81% of tenants are in good standing, making it the second-best market in the country in this regard.

The images below show homes for sale in South Africa’s most expensive province, the Western Cape, and cheapest province, the Northern Cape, at the same price point.