A general rule is that your monthly bond repayment should not exceed 30% of your gross monthly income. For example, if you earn R30,000/month, you can typically afford a bond of around R700,000–R900,000, depending on your existing debt obligations and the bank's credit criteria.

South African home loan rates are linked to the prime lending rate, currently 10.75% (October 2026) — the SARB repo rate of 7.25% plus 3.5%. Most banks offer prime minus 1% to prime plus 2%, depending on your credit score, deposit size, and loan-to-value ratio. Use our calculator above to model different rate scenarios.

Most South African banks require a deposit of 10%–20% of the property value for standard home loans. However, some banks offer 100% bonds (no deposit) for first-time buyers with excellent credit records. A larger deposit reduces your monthly repayment and total interest paid.

Use the Finance EzyFind bond calculator — enter your purchase price, deposit, interest rate (prime ±%), and loan term. For Gauteng specifically, average property prices range from R900,000 in Pretoria East to R2,500,000+ in Sandton. The calculation is the same across provinces as rates are set nationally.

Most South African banks offer home loan terms of up to 30 years. However, the most common term is 20 years. A longer term reduces monthly repayments but significantly increases total interest paid over the life of the loan.