May 2025 Household Affordability Index and Key Data

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Key data from the May 2025 Household Affordability Index

The May 2025 Household Affordability Index, which tracks the prices of 44 basic foods from 47 supermarkets and 32 butcheries, in Johannesburg (Soweto, Alexandra, Tembisa and Hillbrow), Durban (KwaMashu, Umlazi, Isipingo, Durban CBD, Hammarsdale and Pinetown), Cape Town (Khayelitsha, Gugulethu, Philippi, Langa, Delft and Dunoon), Pietermaritzburg, Mtubatuba (in Northern KwaZulu-Natal), and Springbok (in the Northern Cape), shows that:

• In May 2025: The average cost of the Household Food Basket is R5 466,59.
• Month-on-month: The average cost of the Household Food Basket increased by R46,29 (0,9%), from R5 420,30 in April 2025 to R5 466,59 in May 2025.
• Year-on-year:  The average cost of the Household Food Basket increased by R136,29 (2,6%), from R5 330,30 in May 2024 to R5 466,59 in May 2025.

Food pricing trends in May 2025.

In May, of the 44 foods tracked in the basket:  33 foods increased in price, and 11 foods decreased in price.  See page 2 of May 2025, Household Affordability Index.

Below are the price movements of individual foods in the average household food basket:

Foods in the basket which increased in price in May 2025 by 5% or more, include:  potatoes (7%), onions (23%), tea (5%), chicken feet (6%), carrots (8%), butternut (9%), spinach (5%), and peanut butter (5%).

Foods in the basket which increased in price in May 2025 by 2% or more, include:  samp (2%), salt (2%), frozen chicken portions (2%), soup (2%), Maas (4%), beef liver (3%), beef (4%), wors (3%), fish (2%), cabbage (2%), cremora (3%), bananas (2%), apples (2%), margarine (3%), polony (3%), and apricot jam (2%).

Foods in the basket which decreased in price in May 2025, by 5% or more, include:  rice (-5%), tomatoes (-9%) and oranges (-23%).

Foods in the basket which decreased in price in May 2025, by 2% or more, include:  white sugar (-2%), full cream milk (-2%), green pepper (-2%), and tinned pilchards (-2%).

Inflation on the food baskets per area tracked.

In May 2025, food baskets in Joburg, Durban, Cape Town, Pietermaritzburg, and Mtubatuba increased in price.  The Springbok food basket decreased in price.

The Joburg basket increased by R51,00 (0,9%) month-on-month, and increased by R17,17 (0,3%) year-on-year, to R5 610,46 in May 2025. 

The Durban basket increased by R2,64 (0,0%) month-on-month, and increased by R87,08 (1,6%) year-on-year, to R5 427,87 in May 2025. 

The Cape Town basket increased by R112,62 (2,1%) month-on-month, and increased by R299,18 (5,8%) year-on-year, to R5 429,18 in May 2025. 

The Springbok basket decreased by R28,90 (-0,5%) month-on-month, and increased by R302,46 (5,4%) year-on-year, to R5 879,94 in May 2025. 

The Pietermaritzburg basket increased by R6,33 (0,1%) month-on-month, and increased by R57,01 (1,1%) year-on-year, to R5 050,80 in May 2025. 

The Mtubatuba basket increased by R87,51 (1,6%) month-on-month, and increased by R75,97 (1,4%) year-on-year, to R5 400,06 in May 2025. 

(See pages 10-15 for area specific data, in the May 2025, Household Affordability Index).

Statistics South Africa’s latest Consumer Price Index.

Statistics South Africa’s latest Consumer Price Index for April 20251 shows that Headline inflation was 2,8%, and for the lowest expenditure quintiles 1-3 it is 4,3%, 3,9%, and 3,5% respectively.  CPI Food inflation was 3,3% (for CPI Food & NAB it was 4,0%, we use the figure excluding non-alcoholic beverages).  STATS SA’s Producer Price Index for March 20251 shows Agriculture was 2,4%, of which, Products of crops and horticulture was 9,2%, and Live animals and animal products was -7.1%

Workers

The National Minimum Wage is R28,79 per hour, R230,32 for an 8-hour day, and R4 836,72 for an average 21-day working month.

In May 2025, with 21 working-days, the maximum National Minimum Wage for a General Worker is R4 836,72.  Workers work to support their families.  The wage workers earn is not just to sustain themselves alone, it is used to support the entire family. For Black South African workers, one wage typically must support 4 people.  Dispersed in a worker’s family of 4 persons, the NMW, is R1 209,18 per person – this is below the upper-bound poverty line of R1 634 per person per month.

The May 2025 average cost of a basic nutritional food basket for a family of four persons is R3 843,40 (See page 6 of May 2025, Household Affordability Index).

On our calculations, using Pietermaritzburg-based figures for electricity and transport, and the average figure for a minimum nutritional basket of food for a family of four, puts electricity, and transport, taking up 56,3% of a worker’s wage (R2 722,97/R4 836,72).  Food is bought after monies for transport and electricity have been paid for or set aside (leaving R2 113,75 – for food and everything else), and so in May 2025, PMBEJD calculates that workers’ families will underspend on food by a minimum of 45,0% (having R2 113,75 left over after transport and electricity have been paid, and with food for the month costing R3 843,40). In this scenario there is no possibility of a worker being able to afford enough nutritious food for her family.  If the entire R2 113,75 all went to buy food, then for a family of 4 persons, it would provide R528,44 per person per month.  This is below the food poverty line of R796 (See page 8 of May 2025, Household Affordability Index).

Women and children

In May 2025, the average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet was R979,66.  Over the past month, the average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet increased by R6,41 (0,7%).  Year-on-year, the average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet increased by R25,07 (2,6%). See page 6 of May 2025, Household Affordability Index.

In May 2025, the Child Support Grant of R560 is 30% below the Food Poverty Line of R796, and 43% below the average cost to feed a child a basic nutritious diet (R979,66).

Household domestic and personal hygiene products

The May 2025 Household Domestic & Personal Hygiene Index decreased by R3,58 (-0,3%) month-on-month.  Year-on-year the household domestic and personal hygiene products index increased by R5,89 (0,6%) bringing the total average cost of basic household domestic and personal hygiene products to R1 029,52 in May 2025 (See page 5 of May 2025, Household Affordability Index). 

The cost of basic hygiene products is high.  These products are part of the monthly groceries, and compete in the household purse with food.  These products are essential for good health and hygiene; and dignity.