Braais are a favourite South African pastime, bringing friends and family together over the grill and cold drinks.
While the tradition remains a highlight of gatherings, the cost of a typical braai has been steadily increasing. How much pricier depends on your tastes.
What makes a braai so special is its variety: from juicy steaks to fresh salads, the possibilities are endless. Stats SA’s inflation basket tracks many braai related items, and a closer look at ten favourites reveals how much heat has landed on the braai budget. A three-year overview, from 2022 to 2025, highlights some interesting seasonal patterns.
First, the bad news. Beef rump steak recorded the sharpest price increase over this period. The average price for a kilogram of rump steak was R166,01 during the festive season in 2022.
For a time, the price shifted lower before rising again in 2025. In December 2025, a rump steak sizzling on the grill would have set you back an average of R214,45. That is an eye-watering rise of 29% over the three years.
Maize meal (used to make pap) recorded the second highest increase (+20%), followed by tomato sauce (+16%) and pork chops (+13%).
On the brighter side, beer (330 ml), onions and lettuce were cheaper in December 2025 compared to December 2022. However, note the seasonal price fluctuations for onions and lettuce. Prices for onions generally dip early in the year and peak in June/July. Lettuce, on the other hand, is generally more expensive in the first half of the year.
Meat prices climbed:
• Rump steak rose from R166,01 per kilogram in 2022 to R214,45 in 2025.
• Pork chops fluctuated but ended up slightly higher, moving from R90,73 to R102,88 per kilogram.
• Sausages went from R101,37, dipped in early 2025 (R87,90) but then jumped to nearly R109,91 per kilogram by December.
Side staples also went up:
• Bread rolls increased modestly, from R18,52 for six rolls to R20,59.
• Maize meal rose from R35,19 to R42,35 for a 2,5 kg bag.
• Tomato sauce climbed from R34,67 to R40,05 for a 700 ml bottle.
Beer and extras showed mixed trends:
• Beer went from R17,29, peaked at R19,06 in April 2025 but settled at R17,26 by December.
• Salt and onions fluctuated, with onions actually dropping back down to R20,26 after spiking mid-2025.
• Lettuce followed a similar pattern, rising to R23 in March 2025 but falling back to R18 by year-end.
Braai connoisseurs will immediately notice a glaring omission above, bordering on the criminal. What about boerewors? This must-have item does appear in the data but was previously categorised with sausages. It was then reclassified into its own category during the 2025 update of the inflation basket.
Each person handles a braai slightly differently, so the analysis may not exactly reflect your own preference. These figures provide a useful snapshot of how prices have evolved for some of South Africa’s favourite braai staples.
For those planning their next gathering, understanding these trends can help manage the budget without taking the fun out of the braai.
Detailed price data for a wider range of items are available from Stats SA for readers who want to explore further.