Despite South Africa's significant progress in electrification, evidence shows that even when electricity is available, certain low-income households continue to depend on biomass as their primary source of cooking energy. This study uses the 2022 General Household Survey to investigate factors that explain variations in cooking energy choices between rural and urban households. The findings indicate that rural households are less inclined to adopt clean energy compared to their urban households, with substantial provincial disparities. Households in Limpopo and Mpumalanga exhibit the lowest likelihood of using clean energy, highlighting persistent energy access challenges. Access to water supply was associated with a lower likelihood of households using clean energy, raising questions about the role of infrastructure in facilitating the transition to clean energy. Households that pay for electricity were more inclined to adopt clean energy, although the relationship was statistically insignificant. Compared to homeowners, renters showed a higher tendency to adopt clean energy, whereas households residing in traditional or informal dwellings were less likely to use clean energy. The findings offer targeted, evidence-based insights to assist policymakers and stakeholders in promoting the transition from traditional energy sources to cleaner cooking alternatives.