Top 5 African cities with the highest purchasing power mid-way into 2025
As the world approaches the halfway point of 2025, a few African cities continue to stand out, not just for their skylines or tech hubs, but for something more fundamental: their citizens' high purchasing power.
Business Insider Africa presents the top 5 African cities with the highest purchasing power mid-way into 2025.
This list is courtesy of Numbeo.
Pretoria, South Africa, ranks number 1 on the list.
People's entire quality of life greatly increases when they can afford good housing, healthcare, education, transportation, and leisure.
Families are better equipped to invest in their children's futures, afford healthier lifestyles, and break free from the cycles of poverty and dependency in African cities with high purchasing power.
Residents with high purchasing power have more money to spend, which directly stimulates local businesses. Increased consumer spending boosts businesses such as stores, marketplaces, eateries, and service providers, which in turn boosts economic activity and employment development.
Increased purchasing power is directly associated with the emergence of a robust urban middle class in a number of African cities by the middle of 2025.
In addition to increasing demand for products and services, a growing middle class also calls for improved infrastructure, governance, and transparency, all of which strengthen municipal institutions and processes.
A city's stable and profitable market is indicated to investors by high consumer spending power. Both local startups and big firms seeking to grow are drawn to this.
A tech company, for instance, is more likely to provide digital products in a location where residents can genuinely afford cellphones, data, and subscriptions.
People who have the finances to spend are more willing to take entrepreneurial risks or promote new ideas.
This encourages innovation and the expansion of small firms.
African Cities with significant purchasing power provide ideal ground for new initiatives ranging from e-commerce platforms to agritech solutions.
A city's ability to economically empower its residents is reflected in its high purchasing power, which is more than just a number.
African cities with more affluent populations are becoming leaders in inclusive growth, resilience, and innovation by the middle of 2025.
These cities provide important insights into how stable governance, sensible economic policies, and focused investment may change urban life throughout the continent.
With that said, here are the 5 major African cities with the highest purchasing power, mid-way into the year, as per data from Numbeo.
Compared to the index at the beginning of the year, Windhoek, Namibia, now ranks as number five, as opposed to Morocco's Rabat.
Rank City Local purchasing power index mid-2025 Global rank Country Local purchasing power index at the start of 2025
1. Pretoria 125.1 117th South Africa 133.0
2. Cape Town 112.7 148th South Africa 108.0
3. Johannesburg 109.5 151st South Africa 107.7
4 Durban 108.7 154th South Africa 102.3
5. Windhoek 75.3 214th Namibia -
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