South Africans in this province are paid R10,000 more for doing the same job

New data shows that South Africans doing the same job can earn more than R10,000 extra per month, depending on where they work, with two provinces consistently offering the highest salaries.

South African online recruitment platform Pnet has released its May 2026 Job Market Trends Report, which explores how salary ranges vary for the same job roles across different provinces.

Based on vacancies posted across the company’s platforms, the data shows significant differences in how much professionals in different parts of South Africa can earn, driven by regional labour market dynamics.

Unsurprisingly, Pnet found that professionals in Gauteng command the highest salary premiums in most job categories.

This is due to the province’s status as South Africa’s largest economic hub and the high concentration of corporate headquarters and growth industries.

Salaries in the Western Cape are also competitive, particularly for technology roles in a province that has built a dynamic software and services sector.

“Your location has a significant bearing on your earning potential, with professionals in Gauteng and the Western Cape outearning their peers in the other provinces across most job roles,” said Pnet’s Head of Data, Anja Bates.

“Variations in salaries across different locations are driven by a number of factors, including the economic activity of each province, industry concentration, labour demand, skills shortages and regional living costs.”

While Pnet’s comparison does not include several aspects which are important for salary comparisons – such as the age of the worker, years of experience, or qualifications – it is still a useful metric.

For employers, Pnet explained that regional salary benchmarks help to inform competitive remuneration strategies.

For job seekers, they provide insight into where specific skills command the highest market value and can support career and relocation decisions.

Areas with the best and worst salaries

In Gauteng, receptionists earn up to 9% more than the national average for this role, while those in the Western Cape earn up to 4% more.

By comparison, in the Eastern Cape, receptionist salaries are up to 7% lower than the national average. In KwaZulu-Natal, receptionist salaries are up to 2% lower than the national average.

In Gauteng, sales consultants earn up to 14% more than the national average, and in the Western Cape, they command a premium of up to 12% above the national average.

On the other hand, in the Eastern Cape, salaries for sales consultants are, on average, up to 5% lower.

In Gauteng, accountants earn up to 19% more than the national average for this role, while those in the Western Cape earn up to 9% more than the national average.

Eastern Cape salaries for accountants are up to 17% lower than the national average, and salaries for accountants in KwaZulu-Natal are up to 2% lower than the national average.

In Gauteng, software developers can command salaries of up to 25% above the national average, while those in the Western Cape can earn up to 15% more.

In KwaZulu-Natal, software developers earn up to 4% more than the national average for this role. But Eastern Cape software developers may earn up to 12% less than the national average.

In Gauteng, solutions architects can earn up to 24% more than the national average for this role. In the Western Cape, these professionals earn up to 25% more than the national average.

“For employers, these regional differences highlight the importance of benchmarking remuneration against local market conditions rather than relying on national averages,” Bates said.

“Understanding where salary expectations are highest can help organisations attract and retain talent in an increasingly competitive labour market.”

For job seekers, Bates said the findings demonstrate that the same skills can command significantly different salaries depending on location.

“While relocation is not always practical or desirable, understanding regional salary trends can help professionals make more informed career decisions and negotiate compensation with greater confidence.”

The table below shows the regional cost-to-company ranges for five different job titles, according to Pnet.