Paint prices range from a cheap 20 L tin of PVA to premium acrylics costing several times as much, and the cheapest tin is often not the cheapest wall. What matters is how many square metres each tin covers, how many coats it needs and how long it lasts. This page gives current price ranges for 20 litre and 5 litre tins in South Africa, explains what drives the price and shows how to work out the cost per square metre. Send one free request and paint shops near you will quote you directly, with no obligation.
Current 20 litre paint prices
- Interior wall paint: about R570 to R3,100 for 20 L and R160 to R1,100 for 5 L, from contractor grade PVA to premium washable acrylic.
- Exterior wall paint: about R850 to R2,200 for 20 L and R300 to R600 for 5 L.
- Roof paint: about R870 to R2,000 for 20 L.
- Liquid waterproofing: about R1,050 to R1,900 for 20 L.
These are shelf prices and vary by grade, colour and store. Specials come and go, so get current quotes before you buy.
What drives the price of a tin
The biggest factor is the grade. A premium paint carries more volume solids, the binder and pigment left on the wall after the water evaporates, so it hides in fewer coats and lasts longer. Contractor grade PVA has more water and filler. Tinting adds cost, and deep colours often need a dearer base. Tin size matters too: per litre, a 20 L tin is usually cheaper than four 5 L tins, but only if you will use it. Exterior, roof and specialist coatings cost more than interior PVA because of their binders and their UV and mould resistance.
How to compare: cost per square metre
Divide the tin price by the area it covers in the coats you need. Use the spread rate on the data sheet, about 8 to 12 m² per litre per coat for interior paint. A worked example with two coats:
- A budget 20 L tin at 8 m² per litre covers 160 m² once, or 80 m² of wall in two coats, and may need a third coat over a colour change.
- A premium 20 L tin at 12 m² per litre covers 240 m² once, or 120 m² of wall in two coats.
So the premium tin can cost about one and a half times as much before it is dearer per m², and it usually washes and wears better. Ask suppliers for the spread rate with every quote.
House paint prices for a whole job
To budget for a room or a house, measure the wall area, multiply by the coats and divide by the spread rate to get litres. Add primer for bare plaster, plus filler, tape, rollers and brushes. A bedroom with about 40 m² of wall needs roughly 7 to 10 litres for two coats. The quote form works out litres and tins for you. For labour as well, see painters and house painting.
What to include in your request
- Paint type and grade for each area
- Tin sizes: 20 L, 5 L or 1 L
- Colours, or white
- Total wall area in m² and coats
- Delivery address or collection
Paint Prices for different clients
- Homeowners: comparing paint prices for a room or the whole house before buying tins
- Landlords and sellers: finding the best price per m² for a quick, durable repaint between tenants
- Body corporates and estates: bulk pricing on 20 L tins for a planned repaint of every block
- Shops, offices and restaurants: budgeting paint for shops, offices and restaurants without overpaying per tin
- Factories, farms and mines: pricing large volumes of wall, roof and floor coatings for sheds and plants
- Builders and developers: pricing paint per house or per phase on a development, at trade rates
- Schools, churches and public buildings: comparing quotes for school, church and municipal repaints on a fixed budget
- Painters and contractors: trade prices on 20 L tins from several suppliers for each job
Frequently asked questions
How much is a 20 litre tin of PVA paint?
Is white paint cheaper than coloured paint?
Why is contractor grade paint so cheap?
Can I get paint prices from several shops at once?
Paint Prices by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg