Median earnings per month in the service sector, aged 15-64, local in South Africa

South Africa: Median earnings per month in the service sector, aged 15-64, local was 4,500 in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
4,500
Change on year
up 12.5%
World rank
25th
of 67 countries
All-time high
4,500
in 2020
All-time low
1,500
in 2001
Years of data
16
1995–2020

Median earnings per month in the service sector, aged 15-64, local in South Africa, 1995–2020

1.0k2.0k3.0k4.0k5.0k1995200720201995: 1.8k2000: 1.6k2001: 1.5k2003: 1.5k2004: 1.5k2010: 3.5k2011: 3.5k2012: 3.8k2013: 3.5k2014: 3.5k2015: 3.5k2016: 3.8k2017: 3.9k2018: 4.0k2019: 4.0k2020: 4.5k

Source: World Bank.

Analysis

In 2020, median earnings per month in the service sector, aged 15-64, local in South Africa stood at 4,500. That is the highest value across all 16 years on record.

That represents a change of up 12.5% on the previous year and up 29.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, median earnings per month in the service sector, aged 15-64, local in South Africa peaked at 4,500 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1,500, in 2001.

That places South Africa 25th out of 67 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.

Median earnings per month in the service sector, aged 15-64, local in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Median earnings per month in the service sector, aged 15-64, local currency values, urban in South Africa, 1995 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1995 1,800
2000 1,600 -11.1%
2001 1,500 -6.2%
2003 1,521 +1.4%
2004 1,521 +0.0%
2010 3,466 +127.9%
2011 3,500 +1.0%
2012 3,800 +8.6%
2013 3,500 -7.9%
2014 3,500 +0.0%
2015 3,500 +0.0%
2016 3,800 +8.6%
2017 3,900 +2.6%
2018 4,000 +2.6%
2019 4,000 +0.0%
2020 4,500 +12.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 1,800 1,800 1,800 1
2000s 1,535 1,500 1,600 4
2010s 3,697 3,466 4,000 10
2020s 4,500 4,500 4,500 1

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 22 Honduras 8,000 compare
  2. 23 Mexico 6,450 compare
  3. 24 Nicaragua 6,139 compare
  4. 26 Norway 4,168 compare
  5. 27 Denmark 4,019 compare
  6. 28 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 2,829 compare

See the full ranking of 67 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is median earnings per month in the service sector, aged 15-64, local in South Africa?
Median earnings per month in the service sector, aged 15-64, local in South Africa was 4,500 in 2020, according to the World Bank.
What is the highest median earnings per month in the service sector, aged 15-64, local recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 4,500 in 2020.
What is the lowest median earnings per month in the service sector, aged 15-64, local recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 1,500 in 2001.
How does South Africa rank for median earnings per month in the service sector, aged 15-64, local?
South Africa ranks 25th out of 67 countries with data for 2020.
Is median earnings per month in the service sector, aged 15-64, local rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 29.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from the World Bank, published as part of Median earnings per month in the service sector, aged 15-64, local currency values, urban. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Median earnings per month in the service sector, aged 15-64, local in South Africa. Statizoid. Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/median-earnings-per-month-in-the-service-sector-aged-15-64-local-currency-values-urban/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Median earnings per month in the service sector, aged 15-64, local currency values, urban
Source
World Bank
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
67 places, 872 data points, 1981–2021
Last refreshed