We investigate differences in subjective well-being (life satisfaction) within the
household using matched data on co-resident couples drawn from the 2008
National Income Dynamics Study for South Africa. The majority of men and
women in co-resident partnerships report different levels of subjective wellbeing.
We use regression analysis first to explore the correlates of subjective
well-being among women, and among men, who are married or cohabiting.
We then estimate the predictors of within-couple differences in life satisfaction.
Our results suggest that a number of correlates, related particularly to the roles
and responsibilities of women and men in the household, differ by gender and
also predict differences in subjective well-being within couples. For example,
access to piped water on site increases the subjective well-being of women
in comparison both to other married or cohabiting women and to the woman’s
partner, but it does not account for differences in subjective well-being among
married or cohabiting men. In contrast, the presence of young children in the
household lowers the subjective well-being of women, while there is no such
relationship for men. Furthermore, within couples, women’s relative satisfaction
falls with the presence of young children in the household.