The Best Cities to Find a Good Paying Job in South Africa‌

Why Location Matters in Your South African Job Search

Location plays a huge factor when it comes to attracting and retaining a good paying job with a lovely work environment. Apparently for companies, a good location can successfully boost a company’s long term performance while a poor one can result in a company losing millions in lost talent, productivity and capital. For a South African searching for a good job with great benefits, you have to consider the kind of profession you are in, the type of job you are looking for and where it will likely thrive in matters of location. For example you may find a great job in Durban which may turn out to be the only good place you will work, limiting your professional growth as a Tech savvy because the best innovation and tech are usually in Cape town. A job’s location affects quality of life  and an opportunity  for professional development. Job marketing and networking potential may also be influenced by the location you are in and how saturated the market is.

Johannesburg: The Economic Powerhouse of South Africa

Johannesburg is the economic hub of South Africa offering a massive amount of job opportunities. The city has an employee rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars based on company reviews on Glassdoor showing positive reviews about the companies and the working experience. Johannesburg consists of a large number of multinational corporations alongside small and medium businesses.The city is said to be the most powerful commercial center in Africa with a leading infrastructure, commercial and financial services, supported by competitive tourism, leisure and hospitality.

The types of Jobs you can find in Johannesburg

• Engineering – Mechanical engineers, electrical engineering technicians, estimators, civil engineers, project engineers, structural engineers, automation engineers and consulting mine engineers.
• Healthcare – Pharmacy assistants, registered nurses, pharmacy technicians, dental secretaries, medical secretaries, medical receptionists.
• Hospitality – Managers, administration, marketing, sales, waiters
• Retail – Managers, cashiers, packers, casuals
• Finance – Bookkeepers, financial analysts, accountants, financial advisors, internal auditors, payroll specialists
• Technology – Software engineers, program managers, business analysts, network technicians, IT

Cost of living in Johannesburg

The cost of living in Johannesburg is said to be relatively low compared to other cities in South Africa including market prices and lifestyle factors. According to Numbeo, a single person’s estimated cost of living is R12.367.7 without rent, a family of 4 estimated monthly costs is R43,689 without and rent is also higher than other cities.

You can find some jobs in Johannesburg here that are currently hiring

Take a look at these Remote Virtual Assistant Jobs To Try As You Prepare To Move To Johannesburg

Cape Town: A Hub for Tech, Tourism, and Creative Industries

Cape Town  is one of the large  and well known cities that offer many opportunities for professional growth development mainly under Tech, Tourism and creative industries. Cape Town’s Tech industry is the largest and a dominant player in Africa’s Tech landscape. The city has the largest number of operating Tech start-ups in South Africa followed by Johannesburg.

Employee reviews on Glassdoor show the companies to have great benefits like paid sick leave, paid holidays, insurance covers and the companies pension plan seem to be really good. All these benefits might be dependent on the kind of position you have but you may have an idea of how good the working environment is.

Types of Jobs you can find in Cape Town

• Finance – Bookkeepers, financial analysts, accountants, financial advisors, internal auditors, payroll specialists
• Real Estate – Property consultant, real estate agent, 
• Construction – Site Manager, Site Agent, Foreman, Drivers, laborers
• Technology – Software engineers, program managers, business analysts, network technicians, IT
• Creatives, film and TV – Production coordinators, videographers, video directors, film editors, media coordinators, graphic designers
• Hospitality – Managers, administration, marketing, sales, waiters
• Retail – Managers, cashiers, packers, casuals

Cost of living in Cape Town

Cape Town is considered to be the most expensive city in South Africa, but that can be managed according to the lifestyle you live, the area of your accommodation and the job you have chosen. A family of four estimated monthly costs are R39,058.8 without rent while a single person’s estimated monthly costs are  R11,078.2 without rent.

These Jobs Are Great If You Are an Entry Level or Have Zero Experience

Cape Town Is Known For It’s Well Paying Customer Service Jobs Which You can Find Here

Durban: Opportunities in Manufacturing and Trade

Durban is also a major contributor to the economy of South Africa through manufacturing and trade. This is the third largest city in South Africa. Moving into Durban has its advantages like the warm climate, diverse culture, relaxed atmosphere and not as busy as Johannesburg. This might be perfect for someone looking for a good job in South Africa wanting a city life that does not come with the overcrowding.  

The main advantage of Durban is having a port in which there are many job opportunities relating to transport, stevedoring and marine operations. The city is also a popular tourism destination with a warm sea and white beaches which also offers many job opportunities. 

Types of Jobs in Durban

• Manufacturing -Quality Assurer, production planning, chartered accountant, electricians, panel beaters etc
• Trade -Trade tested mechanical and electrical, electrician, quality specialist, laborers
• Tourism – marine operations, travel agents, coordinator, travel consultant, shipping jobs

Cost of living in Durban

Durban’s cost of living is lower than most big cities in South Africa with market prices and rent low and affordable. The night life activities are low with various day activities like exploring the beach and other beautiful sites. A family of four estimated monthly costs are R34,586.3 without rent while a single person estimated monthly costs are R10,284.3 without rent.

Pretoria: Government and Public Sector Job Market

Pretoria is said to be the executive capital city of South Africa with one of its three largest metropolitan areas. There are a variety of opportunities for skilled workers mainly in the government, public sector,  engineering, manufacturing and IT sectors.

With Pretoria being a home for several world class universities and colleges, the institutions provide skilled labor job opportunities. They have a lot of IT companies which will offer growth and development for job seekers in the IT industry. The health care department is also a lucrative opportunity if you are looking to find a good job in South Africa.

Types of Jobs you can find in Pretoria

• Agriculture – Production manager, trader, marketing and sales, accountants, farm manager, administration
• Mining- Technical sales mining, Fitter, structural engineer, operators, laborers 
• Manufacturing – Drafter, operator, engineers, shift maintenance technician
• Government and Public sector – HR officer, Policy and programme officer, administration, finance, skilled labor

Cost of living in Pretoria

The marketing prices in various malls in Pretoria is said to be low and affordable with rent prices relatively lower than the big cities. A family of four estimated monthly costs are R39,155.1 without rent while a single person’s estimated monthly costs are R11,145.2 without rent.

Port Elizabeth: Growing Opportunities in Automotive and Manufacturing

Port Elizabeth  is a home to major exports like Manganese ores, concentrates, iron ores and semi finished iron which are important to Germany, China, Czechia, India, United States and many others.If you are looking to find a good job in South Africa under Manufacturing industry then Port Elizabeth can give you that opportunity. Besides mining, the city has 4 major international public trading private equity firms that offer a variety of jobs for skilled professionals and laborers. There is a place for everyone in this industry from the office jobs to the site jobs where little to no experience will be needed if you are looking to find jobs in manufacturing and Automotive.

Port Elizabeth has beautiful beaches with rare sea animals and sea birds which makes it a beautiful tourism place for boat tours and surfing. The city also has wildlife reserves close to the city with it’s divergent landscapes and diverse wildlife. This could be the perfect place for you when looking for a new challenge in the tourism industry.

Types of Jobs you can find in Port Elizabeth

• Hospitality – Management, marketing, administration, graphic design, waiters
• Tourism – Field guide, travel consultant, skilled labor 
• Automotive and Manufacturing- Plant engineer, IT support specialist, Industrial engineer, Process engineer, Automotive analyst, operations manager, etc

Cost of living in Port Elizabeth

The city is said to have an affordable cost of living, a laid-back lifestyle, and some of South Africa’s best beaches. A family of four estimated monthly costs are R39,468.5 without rent while a single person estimated monthly costs are R11,298.1 without rent.

Bloemfontein: A Quiet but Emerging Job Market

Bloemfontein might sound like a village compared to other cities but there is a growing job market promising to be just as big as the other cities. There are more than 100 jobs on Pnet right now that are available in Bloemfontein. You can find a good job in Bloemfontein with popular job opportunities like Accountant, High school teacher and operations Manager with a very good pay according to reviews on Glassdoor.

There are also popular employers in Bloemfontein like University of  Free State, G4S Security Services and Mediclinic. You can also find a good job in Health care, hospitality and the growing Tech industry.

Cost of living in Bloemfontein

The transport fees are lower than most of the cities, market prices are also relatively low, average rent apartment accommodation with low utility cost and low education fees. A family of four could be estimated at 25 000 including rents and kindergarten fees. Buying an apartment in the city center is 8000 per square meter.

Nelspruit: Jobs in Agriculture and Tourism

Nelspruit is located in the heart of Mpumalanga as the capital of the province in South Africa. Nelspruit is known for its extraordinary scenery and wildlife. The city affords a variety of job opportunities across different industries the main one being Tourism and Agriculture. Nelspruit is the biggest contributor of Mpumalanga’s agricultural and forestry region making it a major employer in these industries. If you are looking for a good job in South Africa under agriculture and tourism then Nelspruit can afford you that. They have roles in farming. Forestry management, agricultural research and agribusiness. 

The city has been a popular tourist destination with natural attractions and wildlife reserves around the area paving way for professionals looking to tap into the tourism and hospitality industry. You can definitely find a good job in the industry with roles in accommodation, food and beverage, travel and management. There is also a pool of opportunities in administrative roles, education, healthcare, engineering and operations.

Types of jobs you can find in Nelspruit

• Agriculture – Farm production manager, SHE officer, sales representative, agricultural specialist, accountant
• Tourism – reservationist, travel consultant, guides, waiters and hotel managers

Cost of living i n Nelspruit

The cost of living is relatively low, childcare is a bit high, transport and market prices lower than the big cities and the rent average for a family of 3 is R8000. Low traffic and crime and moderate healthcare benefits.

Polokwane: Mining and Industrial Job Opportunities

Polokwane is a large contributor to South Africa’s mineral industry producing  high qualities of coal, copper, diamonds, gold, iron ore, nickel platinum group metals, rare earth minerals to South Africa’s mineral industry. There are job opportunities for Highly experienced professionals to fresh off graduation posts that you can choose from while looking for a good job in South Africa. They also have jobs in Administration, Customer care, Accounting and operations assistant in these mines.

With 108 mining projects in Limpopo listed on Africa Mining IQ, surely there is a lucrative place for growth and development in the mining industry with space for high paying job opportunities and the ones with no experience. Polokwane is now the center of a productive agricultural region. Industries produce processed meat, dairy products, beverages, and sweets, as well as mineral products.

Types of Jobs you can find in Polokwane

• Mining- safety officer, site manager, engineers, section manager, boilermaker mining, electrician, foreman
• Industrial – quantity surveyor, section engineer smelter, drivers, operators, quality controller etc

Cost of living in Polokwane

Cost of living in this area is moderate and affordable, the market prices are a bit high, the restaurant prices are high too but with lower rent prices and lower child care fees. The population is not as congested as other cities and they have low crime rate and sound governance. 

How to Choose the Right City for Your Career in South Africa

The first thing you have to consider is where your industry thrives most, as listed above you can weigh your options on which city would suit you most looking at the cost of living, how populated it is, whether it will bring growth to your career and how saturated the market is in the city you are choosing.