Your braai costs more this year, but wors is cheaper. See the prices
A braai costs about 4% more than a year ago. Meat is cheaper, but onions have doubled and potatoes and tomatoes are up sharply, PMBEJD's October prices show.
The cost of a braai is still climbing, but not because of the meat. Wors, beef and chicken are all cheaper than a year ago. The vegetables on the side are what's pushing the bill up, led by onions, which have more than doubled in price since October 2025 (PMBEJD).
BusinessTech's Braai Index, built on the same supermarket price data, came in at 4.1% year on year for October. That is down from 5.2% in September, which was the highest reading in 12 months (BusinessTech).
How much more does a braai cost than last year?
Using the October 2026 prices collected by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group (PMBEJD), the 13 braai items below cost R1,849.98 together, against R1,771.95 in October 2025. That is R78.03 more, or 4.4% (PMBEJD, page 2). This total is Reported's own tally of PMBEJD's prices, so it differs slightly from BusinessTech's index.
The quantities are what a low-income household of seven buys for a month, so the rand figures are bigger than one weekend's shopping. The percentages are what matter for your own braai.
Which braai items went up, and which got cheaper?
| Item | October 2025 | October 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Onions (10kg) | R94.08 | R191.49 | +R97.41 (+104%) |
| Potatoes (10kg) | R78.76 | R104.51 | +R25.75 (+33%) |
| Tomatoes (6kg) | R121.88 | R146.98 | +R25.10 (+21%) |
| Carrots (5kg) | R43.83 | R48.55 | +R4.72 (+11%) |
| Salt (1kg) | R15.55 | R17.03 | +R1.47 (+9%) |
| Chicken portions (10kg) | R422.22 | R419.56 | -R2.66 (-1%) |
| Curry powder (200g) | R40.52 | R39.62 | -R0.89 (-2%) |
| Beef (2kg) | R214.46 | R208.24 | -R6.22 (-3%) |
| Samp (5kg) | R75.64 | R71.64 | -R3.99 (-5%) |
| Wors (2kg) | R158.28 | R148.91 | -R9.37 (-6%) |
| Spinach (8 bunches) | R109.50 | R103.36 | -R6.14 (-6%) |
| Maize meal (30kg) | R324.23 | R289.12 | -R35.11 (-11%) |
| Green pepper (2kg) | R73.00 | R60.97 | -R12.03 (-16%) |
| Total | R1,771.95 | R1,849.98 | +R78.03 (+4.4%) |
Source: PMBEJD Household Affordability Index, October 2026, page 2. Prices are averages from 52 supermarkets and 36 butcheries in seven areas, collected in the first week of the month.
The six vegetables alone went from R521.05 to R655.86, a jump of almost 26%. The three meats fell from R794.96 to R776.71, about 2% cheaper.
Why is meat cheaper but the salads dearer?
Meat prices have eased, but from a high base after recent pressure in the industry, BusinessTech notes (BusinessTech). Tomatoes, potatoes and onions have risen sharply over the past year and again in the past month: onions were up 11% and tomatoes 10% between September and October alone (PMBEJD, page 2).
Higher fuel costs also filter into food, through diesel on farms and the cost of trucking produce to shops (BusinessTech).
Will braai prices come down before December?
Nobody can say for sure. Headline inflation rose to 4.5% in September (BusinessTech), and BusinessTech expects October's figure to reach about 5% because of high fuel prices, before easing in November thanks to the fuel price relief package (BusinessTech). Stats SA publishes October's official inflation figure in November.
PMBEJD releases fresh prices every month, usually in the last week. You can find them on its Household Affordability Index page.
FAQ
How much more does a braai cost in 2026?
Reported's tally of 13 braai items using PMBEJD's October 2026 prices shows a rise of 4.4% (R78.03) on October 2025. BusinessTech's Braai Index put the yearly rise at 4.1%.
Is boerewors cheaper than last year?
Yes. PMBEJD's average price for 2kg of wors was R148.91 in October 2026, down from R158.28 in October 2025, a drop of about 6%.
Why are onions so expensive in South Africa?
PMBEJD's data shows 10kg of onions cost R191.49 in October 2026, up 104% from R94.08 a year earlier. BusinessTech links the rise in vegetable prices partly to higher energy and transport costs.