South Africa Tops Africa in Salary Purchasing Power
Numbeo's 2026 Mid-Year index ranks South Africa first among African countries for how far net salaries stretch.
Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Africa
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Numbeo's 2026 Mid-Year Local Purchasing Power Index, which benchmarks New York City at 100, gave South Africa a score of 105.5, the only African country in the global top 10 above 100. Botswana, Namibia and Mauritius followed in the African ranking.
Why it matters
The index compares what average net salaries can buy after accounting for local costs of goods and services, giving travelers and prospective residents a rough gauge of relative affordability. Higher scores indicate stronger purchasing power against the New York City benchmark.
Numbeo's 2026 Mid-Year Local Purchasing Power Index places South Africa at 105.5 against a New York City benchmark of 100, while Botswana scored 80, Namibia 69 and Mauritius 54.1. The index does not address how these figures shift by city, income level or currency movements during the year.
The players
Numbeo
Numbeo is an online database of user-contributed data on cost of living, housing, crime and quality of life across cities and countries worldwide.
The details
The index measures how much average net salary can buy after accounting for the cost of goods and services in each country. Zimbabwe scored 27.8 and Mozambique 30.9 in the same global dataset, illustrating the wide spread across the continent.
Timeline
2026: Numbeo publishes its Mid-Year Local Purchasing Power Index ranking.
October 2026: IMF estimates are cited for Seychelles' GDP per capita, which the source says is Africa's highest.
Travel Outlook
Numbeo's purchasing power index, benchmarked to New York City at 100, lets travelers compare how far a local salary stretches across destinations. South Africa's 105.5 score places it above the benchmark, while several North African and East African countries score well below it.
Travelers budgeting for South Africa, Botswana or Namibia may find local costs more manageable relative to a New York City salary benchmark. Those comparing destinations can use the index as one reference point alongside current prices and exchange rates.
The takeaway
Purchasing power rankings show how far a salary goes locally, which can matter more to trip budgeting than headline prices alone. Checking current exchange rates and local costs before booking will sharpen any comparison.
Further reading
Explore more on Africa destinations and how cost of living shapes travel planning across the continent.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The South African.
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