Lawyer Salary in South Africa
Lawyers advise and represent clients on legal rights, disputes, and transactions. The South Africa median is $56,504 per year. Pick a city below for a local breakdown.
Showing amounts in USD (USD default; source data is ZAR). FX as of Mon, 13 Jul 2026 00:02:31 +0000. Convert currencies
National median
$56,504
per year
Monthly (national)
$4,709
per month, before tax
Highest-paying city
$56,504
Cape Town, ZA
Hourly (national)
$27.17
varies by city
Lawyer salary by city in South Africa
| City | Per year | Per month | vs. national |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Town, ZA | $56,504 | $4,709 | 0% |
| Durban, ZA | $56,504 | $4,709 | 0% |
| Pretoria, ZA | $56,504 | $4,709 | 0% |
| Gqeberha, ZA | $56,504 | $4,709 | 0% |
| Pietermaritzburg, ZA | $56,504 | $4,709 | 0% |
| Bloemfontein, ZA | $56,504 | $4,709 | 0% |
| East London, ZA | $56,504 | $4,709 | 0% |
| Vereeniging, ZA | $56,504 | $4,709 | 0% |
| Welkom, ZA | $56,504 | $4,709 | 0% |
| Newcastle, ZA | $56,504 | $4,709 | 0% |
| Krugersdorp, ZA | $56,504 | $4,709 | 0% |
| Johannesburg, ZA | $39,565 | $3,296 | -30% |
Lawyer salary in other countries
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Israel
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ColombiaRelated Legal salaries in South Africa
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a lawyer make in South Africa?
- The national median lawyer salary in South Africa is about R 924 000 per year (R 77 000 per month). Across 12 cities, pay ranges from about R 647 000 to R 924 000.
- Which South Africa city pays lawyers the most?
- Cape Town, ZA pays the most at about R 924 000 per year.
- Which South Africa city pays lawyers the least?
- Among cities we cover, Johannesburg, ZA is on the lower end at about R 647 000 per year for a lawyer.
- What is the typical salary range for a lawyer in South Africa?
- Across South Africa cities we cover, lawyer pay commonly spans from about R 387 000 at the entry end in lower-paying markets up to about R 1 432 200 for senior pay in higher-paying cities. Open a city page for the full local percentile band.
- How many South Africa cities have lawyer salary data?
- Pay by Role publishes lawyer pay for 12 cities in South Africa, all shown in ZAR.
- Is lawyer in demand in South Africa?
- Employment for this role is projected to change by about +8% over the next decade. Related legal roles on Pay by Role include Paralegal, Corporate Attorney.