CityCost App
Cost of living in 8000+ cities on the go.

Cost of Living in Cape Town - Updated Prices & Insights

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $659 (excluding rent), and $1,285 including rent.
Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $1,576 (excluding rent), and $2,737 including rent.
Currency
Do you live in Cape Town? Add cost details
🍽 Eating Out
Cost
Range
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.83 R 178
$6.66 R 109
$16.67 R 273
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.28 R 743
$28.31 R 464
$67.9 R 1,114
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.09 R 83.5
$4.24 R 69.6
$5.66 R 92.8
Cappuccino
$2.01 R 33.02
$1.55 R 25.41
$2.76 R 45.32
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 R 18.18
$0.82 R 13.52
$1.65 R 27.03
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 R 13.26
$0.53 R 8.73
$1.60 R 26.20
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.78 R 45.63
$1.95 R 31.94
$3.34 R 54.8
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45 R 40.14
$1.63 R 26.76
$3.81 R 62.5
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cost
Range
Milk (1 liter)
$1.10 R 18.08
$0.82 R 13.44
$1.64 R 26.88
White Bread (500g)
$1.10 R 17.96
$0.72 R 11.75
$1.61 R 26.35
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.86 R 30.57
$1.05 R 17.24
$2.89 R 47.32
Eggs
$2.49 R 40.87
$1.37 R 22.44
$3.67 R 60.1
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.39 R 138
$5.51 R 90.3
$11.01 R 181
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.28 R 86.6
$2.85 R 46.73
$7.41 R 121
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.33 R 120
$4.91 R 80.5
$9.28 R 152
Apples (1kg)
$1.58 R 25.83
$0.98 R 16.04
$2.31 R 37.82
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 R 23.99
$0.91 R 14.89
$2.37 R 38.87
Oranges (1kg)
$1.46 R 24.02
$0.72 R 11.85
$3.28 R 53.7
Tomato (1kg)
$1.53 R 25.10
$0.99 R 16.25
$1.86 R 30.57
Potato (1kg)
$1.07 R 17.56
$0.54 R 8.94
$1.63 R 26.81
Onion (1kg)
$1.22 R 20.07
$0.74 R 12.11
$1.70 R 27.86
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 R 17.87
$0.86 R 14.03
$1.43 R 23.39
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 R 15.15
$0.70 R 11.40
$1.33 R 21.86
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.14 R 51.5
$2.57 R 42.13
$3.71 R 60.9
Wine (Bottle)
$6.57 R 108
$4.28 R 70.2
$12.22 R 200
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.40 R 22.96
$0.85 R 13.98
$2.56 R 41.93
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76 R 28.92
$0.86 R 14.13
$3.45 R 56.5
🚌 Getting Around
Cost
Range
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.96 R 15.80
$0.68 R 11.14
$1.70 R 27.94
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$48.51 R 796
$22.83 R 374
$57.1 R 936
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.43 R 23.40
$0.74 R 12.20
$2.85 R 46.80
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.93 R 15.27
$0.62 R 10.23
$1.56 R 25.50
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.47 R 73.3
$2.68 R 43.98
$5.58 R 91.6
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 R 20.23
$1.19 R 19.57
$1.36 R 22.23
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K R 345.0K
$19.1K R 312.4K
$24.9K R 408.6K
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.3K R 398.8K
$20.1K R 330.1K
$30.8K R 504.4K
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cost
Range
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$101 R 1,659
$64.4 R 1,055
$199 R 3,259
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.32 R 530
$16.50 R 271
$55.0 R 902
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.08 R 690
$31.37 R 515
$57.1 R 936
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cost
Range
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.35 R 678
$22.15 R 363
$66.4 R 1,090
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.36 R 137
$2.88 R 47.28
$17.31 R 284
Cinema Ticket
$6.63 R 109
$4.42 R 72.4
$10.21 R 168
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cost
Range
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$214 R 3,513
$113 R 1,851
$329 R 5,399
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,334 R 87.5K
$2,032 R 33.3K
$9,032 R 148.1K
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cost
Range
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.0 R 902
$41.98 R 689
$67.2 R 1,102
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.11 R 543
$19.73 R 324
$50.7 R 832
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 R 1,846
$67.0 R 1,098
$140 R 2,288
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.2 R 1,381
$50.2 R 823
$139 R 2,287
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cost
Range
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$771 R 12.6K
$570 R 9,348
$1,026 R 16.8K
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$516 R 8,457
$390 R 6,400
$669 R 11.0K
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,439 R 23.6K
$1,124 R 18.4K
$2,248 R 36.9K
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,013 R 16.6K
$831 R 13.6K
$1,385 R 22.7K
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,093 R 34.3K
$1,500 R 24.6K
$2,820 R 46.2K
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,420 R 23.3K
$917 R 15.0K
$2,202 R 36.1K
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cost
Range
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,685 R 27.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.77
11
13.75

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update: January 13, 2026

Cape Town Median Internet Speeds (Updated December 2025)

Mobile

Download
271
Mbps
Upload
16
Mbps
Latency
25
ms

Fixed Broadband

Download
80
Mbps
Upload
65
Mbps
Latency
6
ms
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
City tags:
Cost of Living in Cape Town - Frequently Asked Questions
How affordable is Cape Town for travelers, expats, and digital nomads?
Cape Town offers a balanced feel of value and lifestyle for travelers, expats, and digital nomads. For many, the Cost of Living in Cape Town comes with a comfortable baseline that supports a coastal, outdoors-friendly schedule without the price tag of global megacities. You may find good value in longer stays in neighborhoods with character and easier access to markets, parks, and coworking spaces, while prime waterfront areas or trendy central pockets tend to push costs up. Food from local markets and casual dining can stretch a budget when you balance splurges with street food and casual cafes. Tip: Align your lease length with your work needs to maximize discounts and flexibility.
What does daily life look like for housing, food, transport, and errands in Cape Town?
In daily life, you can shape expenses around neighborhoods that balance space, safety, and access to transit. Look for furnished or flexible leases in areas like Observatory, Woodstock, Green Point, or Constantia to match your pace and budget, rather than chasing peak downtown fixes. Shopping is doable at vibrant markets and mid-range groceries, with restaurants offering affordable options on weekdays and nicer spots for weekends. Transport options range from reliable buses and rideshares to car-sharing, while coworking spaces provide short-term passes. Cape Town living cost shows up in small decisions – location, lease length, and how often you eat out. Tip: build a weekly plan that prioritizes essential needs and drop-in workdays.
What strategies help balance quality of life, budgeting, seasonality, and neighborhood fit in Cape Town?
A practical approach pairs a simple monthly budgeting framework with neighborhood scouting and seasonal awareness. Define essentials (housing, utilities, groceries) and flexible costs (eating out, entertainment) and revisit every few weeks to stay aligned with changing work rhythms. Choose a neighborhood that matches your mix of safety, Wi-Fi, and outdoor access – whether you want mountain hikes nearby, coastal views, or a vibrant coffee culture. Seasonal crowds influence pricing and availability, so prefer shoulder periods for longer bookings or shorter leases. Tip: set up a co-working routine, search for long-stay discounts, and use public transport or shared rides to trim ongoing costs.

Similar cities

Join the CityCost newsletter – low traffic, no spam, and easy to unsubscribe. Your email stays private.