From 63C petrol to r3,790 cars: what life cost in South Africa in the 1980s

A viral Instagram post by Vibe compared South African prices from the 1980s to 2026, leaving thousands stunned
The carousel showed everyday items like fuel, a Toyota Corolla and a four-bedroom house at prices that seem almost unbelievable today
South Africans flooded the comments with mixed reactions, with some questioning whether the comparisons were even fair

A South African media page has stopped thousands of people mid-scroll with a side-by-side look at how drastically prices have changed over four decades.

On 12 October 2026, Instagram account @vibe_pta posted a carousel under the caption:

"Chat, are we cooked? 40 years of inflation shows how much things have gotten expensive." The post racked up 4,200 likes and 144 comments within a day.

The slides laid out some striking comparisons. A litre of fuel cost 63 cents in the 1980s. By 2026, it had climbed to over R29,40. A Black Label beer, once 50 cents a bottle, now sells for around R23. A Toyota Corolla that retailed for R3,790 in the 1980s costs upwards of R590,000 today. A four-bedroom home that went for roughly R67,500 now carries a price tag of R900,000 or more.

40 years of the rand losing ground

The numbers on the Instagram post reflect a broader economic reality. South Africa's annual inflation rate peaked above 20% in the mid-1980s before gradually easing. In 2025, it tracked at 3.21%, with rates hovering around 4.4% through mid-2026. Electricity tariffs have surged by over 900% since 2007, and transport costs have risen by more than 273% since January 2008.

Vibe noted in the post that money losing its value over time is a function of money supply growth and a broader expanding economy, though that explanation did little to soften the reaction from followers.

Mzansi reacts to the price comparisons

South Africans had plenty to say in the comments section on the Instagram page:

@diewies.za:

"4 bedroom house 900k 😂"

@lisa_olivier_jesus_is_king:

"How is a 4-bedroom house 900k? Lies. It's more like 5 million."

@phuzlee:

"I see you comparing. But remember in the 80s whatever amount of those goods was, it was still expensive for an average household."

@xolile_mhlanga:

"My only crime was being too young for the 80's economy."

@sdu.rango:

"What was the monthly salary for an entry-level job?"

@diktatorkillian:

"Why are we comparing these 2? The difference between 2010 and now is enough, and we can point exactly where all the money went."

@facil_rsa:

"So 45 years from now prices will be 15x what they are currently 🙈"

@lutho_all_mina999:

"Can we go back, is it possible 🤔?"

The comment from @phuzlee captured what many economists have long argued: that nominal prices in the 1980s were also out of reach for ordinary South Africans, particularly those excluded from economic participation under apartheid. The debate in the comments reflected that tension, with some mourning the "cheaper" past and others questioning whether the comparison tells the full story.

From 63C petrol to r3,790 cars: what life cost in South Africa in the 1980s

40 years of the rand losing ground

Mzansi reacts to the price comparisons

More on the rising cost of living in South Africa