If your goal is to build a home, the best way to save on costs is to find affordable land.
A handful of small towns in South Africa offer the chance to buy land for less than R50 000.
These are those towns.
Buy Land for R50 000 in These Towns
Unless you know where to look or have links to the sellers, you may not know where to start.
You can try searching in these towns for affordable land.
Hobhouse, Free State
This farming town in the Free State near the border of Lesotho has land for sale starting at R45 000.
The average selling price for land is R200 000.
The town has a court, a clinic, and a police station, despite having a crime rate of 1.63%.
But the nearest major retailer is in neighbouring Wepener, which is 38.5 kilometres away.
To access services like hospitals, dentists, optometrists, and larger shopping malls, residents must drive to the nearest major city: Bloemfontein.
It’s 123 kilometres away, about a 1 hour 20 minute drive.
Springfontein, Free State
As of August 2026, the average sale price in Springfontein is R50 000.
The town has one major retailer, a municipal clinic, a police station, and an Engen filling station nearby in Williamsville.
There’s a primary and high school in the area.
Residents can also access Xabiso, an adult basic education and training (ABET) centre.
Most buyers in the area are between 36 and 49 years old.
Like Hobhouse, residents will have to travel to Bloemfontein for major retailers and other services.
Atteridgeville, Pretoria
Finding affordable land in Atteridgeville is rare but not impossible.
Typically, homes in this Pretoria township sell for above R450 000.
Currently, the most affordable plot available is a serviced 600-square-metre stand.
Atteridgeville has every modern convenience within driving distance, including Nkomo Village and Atteridgeville Stadium.
Alicedale, Eastern Cape
Alicedale in the Eastern Cape is a 53-minute drive from Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown).
The town was once a hub of activity.
In its heyday, students would stop in the town on the train route from Bloemfontein to Grahamstown.
Now it is a warning about what can make land affordable.
The Bushman Sands Golf Estate, set to revive the town, is defunct.
Before launch, plots sold for R495 000.
Now, serviced plots in the same estate are listed for R199 000.
Despite an average sale price of R30 000, Alicedale is struggling to find buyers.
So far, only one property has sold this year.
Other Towns with R50 000 Land
In some towns, it makes sense to buy because there’s enough economic activity and municipal services.
In others, unfortunately, the land may not be worth the R50 000 plus rates and taxes.
