▶ Quarterly Data · Edition Q3 2026 · Africa Estate Agricultural
South African Farm Price Report
What farmland sold for per hectare, by province, district and farm size. Sales from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2026.
South African farmland sold for a median of R2 500 per hectare in the Northern Cape and R30 000 per hectare in Gauteng, with every other province in between, across 3 962 registered sales of farms of 50 hectares or more over the past two years. This report shows the typical price and the middle half of sales for every province, for 44 of the country's 50 districts with enough farm sales, and for three farm sizes, because a hectare of a small farm and a hectare of a large one are not the same thing.
Also in: Afrikaans · Deutsch · Nederlands · Download the data (CSV)
▣ Key Findings
- Based on 3 962 registered farm sales of 50 hectares or more across all nine provinces, from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2026.
- The median price ranges from R2 500 per hectare in the Northern Cape to R30 000 per hectare in Gauteng.
- In the Free State the median is R13 500 per hectare; in the Northern Cape it is R2 500, because most of that province is extensive grazing.
- Smaller farms sell for more per hectare than large ones in every province with enough sales to compare.
- Every figure rests on at least 10 separate sales and is rounded; no single sale, farm or owner can be read from it.
- Free to use with acknowledgement (CC BY 4.0): cite "Africa Estate, South African Farm Price Report, Q3 2026".
Farm Prices by Province
Land is cheapest per hectare where it is driest and the farms are largest, and dearest where rainfall, irrigation, and the pull of a city meet. The middle half of sales is wide in every province: a farm's own water, soil and improvements matter more than its province.
The bar is the middle half of farm sales (25th to 75th percentile); the orange mark is the median. Registered sales of 50 ha or more, 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2026.
Logarithmic scale: each step doubles or more, so the low-priced Karoo and Kalahari land stays readable next to the Western Cape.
The figures as a table
| Province | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free State | R8 500 | R13 500 | R23 000 | 20+ |
| Northern Cape | R1 500 | R2 500 | R5 500 | 20+ |
| Eastern Cape | R5 500 | R9 500 | R20 000 | 20+ |
| Gauteng | R16 500 | R30 000 | R43 000 | 20+ |
| KwaZulu-Natal | R9 500 | R23 000 | R51 000 | 20+ |
| Limpopo | R9 500 | R16 000 | R30 000 | 20+ |
| Mpumalanga | R13 000 | R22 000 | R40 000 | 20+ |
| North West | R8 500 | R13 500 | R22 000 | 20+ |
| Western Cape | R8 000 | R27 000 | R80 000 | 20+ |
Farm Size Changes the Price per Hectare
In every province with enough sales to compare, farms of 50 to 300 ha sell for more per hectare than farms over 1 000 ha. In the Free State the median falls from R16 000 for the smallest size band to R10 000 for farms over 1 000 ha. Small farms carry their house, sheds and often water on fewer hectares and draw more buyers. Always compare a farm with farms of its own size.
| Province | 50 to 300 ha | 300 to 1 000 ha | Over 1 000 ha |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free State | R16 000 | R12 000 | R10 000 |
| Northern Cape | R71 000 | R5 000 | R2 000 |
| Eastern Cape | R25 000 | R8 000 | R6 000 |
| Gauteng | R30 000 | R26 000 | too few |
| KwaZulu-Natal | R36 000 | R15 000 | R13 000 |
| Limpopo | R28 000 | R12 000 | R9 000 |
| Mpumalanga | R25 000 | R19 000 | R16 000 |
| North West | R16 500 | R10 500 | R8 000 |
| Western Cape | R56 000 | R14 500 | R2 000 |
Farm Prices by District
Open a province to see its districts. The last three columns give the median for each farm size; "too few" means fewer than 10 sales, or one sale so large it would dominate the figure.
Irrigation shows up clearly. In the Frances Baard district of the Northern Cape, home of the Vaalharts irrigation scheme, farms of 50 to 300 ha have a median of R149 000 per hectare, against R6 000 for the district as a whole.
Free StateMedian R13 500
| District | Median | Middle half | 50 to 300 ha | 300 to 1 000 ha | Over 1 000 ha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fezile Dabi | R16 500 | R10 500 to R23 000 | R16 500 | R17 500 | R9 000 |
| Lejweleputswa | R12 500 | R8 500 to R32 000 | R17 000 | R11 000 | R10 000 |
| Mangaung * | R9 000 | R6 000 to R21 000 | R21 000 | R7 500 | too few |
| Thabo Mofutsanyana | R15 500 | R11 000 to R25 000 | R16 500 | R15 500 | R14 000 |
| Xhariep | R7 000 | R5 500 to R9 500 | R8 500 | R7 000 | R6 500 |
Northern CapeMedian R2 500
| District | Median | Middle half | 50 to 300 ha | 300 to 1 000 ha | Over 1 000 ha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frances Baard | R6 000 | R4 500 to R19 000 | R149 000 | R5 500 | R4 500 |
| John Taolo Gaetsewe | R5 000 | R4 500 to R6 000 | too few | too few | R5 000 |
| Namakwa | R1 500 | R1 000 to R2 500 | R11 500 | R2 000 | R1 000 |
| Pixley ka Seme | R2 500 | R1 500 to R3 500 | too few | too few | R2 500 |
| ZF Mgcawu | R2 000 | R1 000 to R5 500 | too few | R6 000 | R1 500 |
Eastern CapeMedian R9 500
| District | Median | Middle half | 50 to 300 ha | 300 to 1 000 ha | Over 1 000 ha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfred Nzo | R6 000 | R4 500 to R9 000 | too few | too few | too few |
| Amathole | R12 500 | R8 500 to R16 500 | R19 500 | R9 000 | R11 000 |
| Buffalo City * | R24 000 | R16 000 to R44 000 | R29 000 | too few | too few |
| Chris Hani | R6 000 | R4 000 to R8 500 | R14 000 | R6 500 | R4 500 |
| Joe Gqabi | R6 000 | R4 000 to R9 000 | too few | R6 000 | R5 000 |
| Nelson Mandela Bay * | Too few sales for a reliable figure | too few | too few | too few | |
| Sarah Baartman | R11 000 | R6 000 to R27 000 | R25 000 | R10 500 | R7 000 |
GautengMedian R30 000
| District | Median | Middle half | 50 to 300 ha | 300 to 1 000 ha | Over 1 000 ha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ekurhuleni * | Too few sales for a reliable figure | too few | too few | too few | |
| Johannesburg * | Too few sales for a reliable figure | too few | too few | too few | |
| Sedibeng | R30 000 | R18 500 to R44 000 | R30 000 | too few | too few |
| Tshwane * | R32 000 | R21 000 to R43 000 | R32 000 | too few | too few |
| West Rand | R17 000 | R10 500 to R37 000 | R25 000 | too few | too few |
KwaZulu-NatalMedian R23 000
| District | Median | Middle half | 50 to 300 ha | 300 to 1 000 ha | Over 1 000 ha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amajuba | R13 000 | R7 500 to R18 500 | R14 500 | R9 500 | too few |
| Harry Gwala | R32 000 | R18 000 to R67 000 | too few | too few | too few |
| iLembe | Too few sales for a reliable figure | too few | too few | too few | |
| King Cetshwayo | Too few sales for a reliable figure | too few | too few | too few | |
| Ugu | R24 000 | R20 000 to R40 000 | too few | too few | too few |
| uMgungundlovu | R45 000 | R31 000 to R88 000 | R46 000 | R44 000 | too few |
| uMkhanyakude | Too few sales for a reliable figure | too few | too few | too few | |
| uMzinyathi | R10 000 | R8 500 to R35 000 | R31 000 | R9 500 | too few |
| uThukela | R18 500 | R11 500 to R45 000 | R24 000 | R16 500 | too few |
| Zululand | R9 500 | R6 000 to R14 000 | R14 000 | R7 000 | too few |
LimpopoMedian R16 000
| District | Median | Middle half | 50 to 300 ha | 300 to 1 000 ha | Over 1 000 ha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capricorn | R12 000 | R7 000 to R22 000 | R24 000 | R11 000 | too few |
| Mopani | R34 000 | R14 500 to R94 000 | R77 000 | R24 000 | too few |
| Sekhukhune | R45 000 | R19 000 to R139 000 | R65 000 | too few | too few |
| Vhembe | R10 000 | R6 500 to R14 500 | R14 500 | R10 500 | R5 500 |
| Waterberg | R16 000 | R9 500 to R25 000 | R25 000 | R12 000 | R10 000 |
MpumalangaMedian R22 000
| District | Median | Middle half | 50 to 300 ha | 300 to 1 000 ha | Over 1 000 ha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ehlanzeni | R18 000 | R11 000 to R47 000 | R24 000 | R15 500 | too few |
| Gert Sibande | R21 000 | R14 000 to R34 000 | R23 000 | R18 000 | R23 000 |
| Nkangala | R30 000 | R14 000 to R50 000 | R33 000 | R21 000 | too few |
North WestMedian R13 500
| District | Median | Middle half | 50 to 300 ha | 300 to 1 000 ha | Over 1 000 ha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bojanala | R19 500 | R11 000 to R46 000 | R23 000 | R13 500 | too few |
| Dr Kenneth Kaunda | R15 500 | R10 500 to R24 000 | R16 500 | R15 000 | too few |
| Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati | R9 500 | R7 000 to R14 000 | R12 500 | R8 500 | R8 000 |
| Ngaka Modiri Molema | R12 000 | R8 000 to R21 000 | R14 000 | R10 500 | R10 000 |
Western CapeMedian R27 000
| District | Median | Middle half | 50 to 300 ha | 300 to 1 000 ha | Over 1 000 ha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Town * | R262 000 | R116 000 to R694 000 | R347 000 | too few | too few |
| Cape Winelands | R67 000 | R10 500 to R220 000 | R189 000 | R16 500 | R1 500 |
| Central Karoo | R2 500 | R1 500 to R8 500 | too few | too few | R2 000 |
| Garden Route | R22 000 | R8 500 to R52 000 | R31 000 | R12 500 | R6 000 |
| Overberg | R53 000 | R23 000 to R99 000 | R85 000 | R38 000 | too few |
| West Coast | R21 000 | R3 500 to R55 000 | R58 000 | R16 000 | R2 000 |
* Metropolitan municipality: rural land near a city, priced partly for its development potential rather than as a farm.
How We Calculate These Figures
- Source. Transfers of agricultural land registered at the Deeds Office, as compiled by a licensed property data service, for the rural area of every municipality in South Africa (292 areas; in Limpopo, the registration divisions). Asking prices are not used.
- Period. Sales dated 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2026: two full years, so that a district has enough sales to give a stable figure.
- One sale per title deed. Where one deed transfers several farm portions together, the portions are added up and counted as one sale at one price. Deeds whose portions could not all be found were left out (89 deeds).
- Farms only. Sales under 50 hectares (smallholdings) and nominal transfers under R100 000 (donations, family transfers) are left out. 3 962 sales remain.
- Median and middle half. For every group we give the median price per hectare and the 25th to 75th percentile range. We never publish an average, a lowest or a highest sale.
- Privacy floor. A figure is shown only when it rests on at least 10 separate sales and no single sale makes up more than 40% of the group's hectares. Figures are rounded to the nearest R500 per hectare below R20 000 and to the nearest R1 000 above. Sale counts are shown as bands (10 to 19, 20+). No sale, farm, owner or date can be read from this report.
- What is not separated. The registered sales do not say how the land is farmed, so irrigated, dryland, grazing and game land are mixed within each district and size band.
Using These Figures
Buying. Use the district and size figures to see whether an asking price is in the normal range, then test the specific farm against comparable registered sales of the same land type before you make an offer. Our guides on how to buy a farm in South Africa, water rights and game farms cover what moves a farm above or below the median. Buyers living overseas should read buying a South African farm from abroad and can foreigners buy farms in South Africa.
Selling. A district median is a starting point, not a price for your farm. See farm valuation in South Africa and how to sell a farm.
Quoting. Journalists, researchers and lenders may use the figures freely under CC BY 4.0. Cite as: Africa Estate, South African Farm Price Report, Q3 2026, africaestate.co.za/farms/farm-price-report. The full table is in the CSV download.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does farmland cost per hectare in South Africa?
Between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2026 the median registered sale price of farms of 50 hectares or more ranged from R2 500 per hectare in the Northern Cape to R30 000 per hectare in Gauteng. The spread inside each province is wide, so the district and farm-size tables in this report are the better guide.
What does a farm cost per hectare in the Free State?
The Free State median is R13 500 per hectare, with the middle half of sales between R8 500 and R23 000. The eastern and northern districts (Thabo Mofutsanyana, Fezile Dabi) sell higher than the dry south-west (Xhariep).
Why is land in the Northern Cape so cheap per hectare?
Most Northern Cape farms are large extensive grazing units in low-rainfall Karoo and Kalahari veld, where a farm carries few animals per hectare. Per hectare it is the cheapest farmland in the country. Small irrigated farms are the exception: in the Frances Baard district, home of the Vaalharts irrigation scheme, farms of 50 to 300 ha have a median of R149 000 per hectare.
Why do small farms cost more per hectare?
A small farm usually carries a house, buildings and often water on fewer hectares, and it attracts more buyers, including lifestyle buyers. A large extensive farm spreads its improvements over thousands of hectares of veld. Compare a farm with farms of the same size band, not with the provincial figure.
Does this report separate irrigated land, dryland and grazing?
Not yet. The registered sales do not record how the land is farmed, so each figure mixes irrigated, dryland, grazing and game land within its district and size band. A farm with registered water rights, or prime crop land, will usually sit above the median for its district.
Is this a valuation of my farm?
No. These are market totals, not a valuation of any property. A farm's value depends on its water, soil, veld, improvements and location, which a district figure cannot see. For a figure on your own farm, ask for a written market assessment.
Where do the figures come from?
From transfers of agricultural land registered at the Deeds Office, as compiled by a licensed property data service, for every rural area of every municipality in South Africa. Asking prices are not used. The method is set out in full on this page.
How often is the report updated?
Every quarter, each time over the latest 24 months. Each edition keeps its own figures, so a figure you cite stays the same.
Can I quote or reuse these figures?
Yes. The figures are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence: you may quote, chart and republish them, also commercially, provided you name the source as "Africa Estate, South African Farm Price Report, Q3 2026" with a link to this page. The full table is available as a CSV download.
Sources & Regulatory References
- Deeds Registries Act 47 of 1937. Registration of transfer of land and the public record of registered sales, kept by the Chief Registrar of Deeds.
- Local Government: Municipal Demarcation Act 27 of 1998. The district and local municipal boundaries used to group the sales, determined by the Municipal Demarcation Board.
- Property Practitioners Act 22 of 2019. Africa Estate is registered with the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority (PPRA).
- Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. The licence under which these figures may be reused: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0.
Disclaimer
This report gives aggregated market data, not a valuation of any property and not financial or investment advice. The figures describe registered sales in the stated period and can differ from current prices. A specific farm's value depends on its water, soil, veld, improvements, access and location. Africa Estate accepts no liability for decisions taken solely on these figures.
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