Alberton, South Africa

Living costs run significantly lower than Johannesburg proper, but that comes with a 45-minute commute for the majority who work in the city. This sprawling suburban town, 11km southeast of Johannesburg's CBD, serves primarily as a bedroom community for South Africa's economic hub.

Home to 121,536 residents (excluding the adjacent Thokoza township's 105,827 people), Alberton spans 77 square kilometers across 19 suburbs at an elevation of 1,570 meters. The town's industrial backbone is concentrated in Alrode, established in 1943, while residential growth has pushed outward from the original northern core. Major transport arteries include the R59 freeway bisecting west and east, plus easy access to the N12, N17, and N3 - critical for the daily exodus of workers to surrounding business districts.