Rent increased by only R1 in one South African province

• The average rent in the Free State province of South Africa increased by R1 between Q4 2025 and Q1 2026.
• The Free State province remained the cheapest for renters in South Africa, with an average monthly rent of R7,501 in Q1 2026, and rental growth slowed to 0.6% year-on-year.
• The province's rental market is expected to remain sluggish, with PayProp warning that inflation, consumer debt, and interest rates may continue to put pressure on the rental market.