Car Finance / 4 February 2026 / Warren Hawkins

10 cars you can afford on the average salary in South Africa

Earning the average monthly salary in South Africa can open many doors, including the opportunity to finance a new car.

Motorists earning R29,490 per month have a variety of new cars to choose from, depending on personal affordability and budget.

According to the experts, it’s best not to spend more than 20% of your gross monthly salary on vehicle repayments.

At a prime lending rate of 10.25%, this means the average salary earner in South Africa could realistically afford to buy a R275,000 new car over five years by paying a monthly instalment of around R6,000.

This price range offers a great variety for the average motorist, including options in the hatchback, sedan, and compact SUV segments.

It goes without saying that these drivers can afford to finance the cheapest car in South Africa, but what about their other options?

Someone looking to buy the cheapest car in South Africa, the R178,799 Renault Kwid, can expect to pay around R4,000 per month in premiums for the Indian-built, French hatchback.

Its retail price tag means it is only R1 cheaper than South Africa’s next-cheapest hatchback, the Toyota Vitz.

Both of these, like so many cars in their price range, are low on power, 1.0-litre offerings that focus on fuel economy and affordability rather than a ton of power, features, and luxury.

That being said, some standout models offer a bit more bang for their buck, although most of these only make an appearance once the sticker reads R200,000.

Two of the most-popular cars in South Africa right now are also, unsurprisingly, within reach of the average salary earner.

The locally-built VW Polo Vivo manages to scrape in under the R275,000 threshold, while the cheapest Suzuki Swift manages to do so quite comfortably.

Prices for the former start at R271,900, while the latter is considerably more affordable at R227,900.

Monthly premiums for these two popular models range from R4,965 to R5,905 per month.

The average driver’s other choices

There are more than 50 different models that the average South African should be able to afford, but these are either variants of the same vehicle or rebadged versions of the same vehicles.

This is relatively common with some of the more affordable offerings from Toyota and Suzuki, including the Vitz and Celerio, as well as the Starlet and Baleno.

Here are some of the other models that the average South African salary earner should be able to afford:

Click on the underlined prices to learn more about models and variants.