Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Abha and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Abha: $1,060 a month against $1,586 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

51

Cost of Living Index in Abha
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Abha Living Index
77

Cost of Living Index in Cape Town
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Cape Town Living Index

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Abha

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,060

/mo nomad

Cape Town

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,586

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Abha and in Cape Town

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Abha and in Cape Town actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,060 per month in Abha vs $1,586 in Cape Town, rent included.

Abha $1,060
Cape Town $1,586

A couple spends around $1,757 per month in Abha vs $2,425 in Cape Town, rent included.

Abha $1,757
Cape Town $2,425

A family of three spends $2,454 per month in Abha vs $3,263 in Cape Town, rent included.

Abha $2,454
Cape Town $3,263

Abha is about 33% cheaper than Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Abha sits 21% below the global median, while Cape Town is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.46 SAR 20.50

$12.14 R 200

-55.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 SAR 188

$45.34 R 747

10.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 SAR 27.43

$5.88 R 96.9

24.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

Cappuccino

$3.18 SAR 11.92

$2.50 R 41.18

27.20%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.27 R 20.94

-50.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.90

$0.98 R 16.14

-75.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 R 49.33

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 R 61.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$1.30 R 21.40

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$1.25 R 20.68

-48.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 SAR 7.12

$2.23 R 36.76

-14.80%

Eggs

$3.21 SAR 12.06

$3.11 R 51.2

3.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.57 SAR 17.15

$9.06 R 149

-49.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 SAR 27.90

$6.92 R 114

7.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.32 SAR 68.8

$9.30 R 153

96.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 SAR 7.88

$1.84 R 30.25

14.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 SAR 7.36

$1.96 R 32.29

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.91

$1.67 R 27.45

-5.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$2.17 R 35.70

-28.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.46

$1.57 R 25.81

43.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.77

$1.48 R 24.45

-14.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 SAR 1.25

$1.30 R 21.41

-74.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 SAR 1.78

$1.13 R 18.60

-58.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.44 SAR 16.65

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 SAR 4.41

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.58 SAR 35.95

$3.60 R 59.3

166.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.15 R 101

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 R 22.66

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 R 35.20

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 SAR 3.24

$1.50 R 24.65

-42.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.13 SAR 139

$60.8 R 1,001

-38.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 SAR 10.85

$0.59 R 9.71

389.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 SAR 9.74

$1.50 R 24.65

72.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.67 SAR 51.3

$5.11 R 84.2

167.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$1.55 R 25.50

-61.94%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$45.2K SAR 169.5K

$36.2K R 596.5K

24.74%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$19.2K SAR 71.9K

$31.2K R 514.8K

-38.66%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$89.1 SAR 334

$114 R 1,883

-22.07%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$37.23 SAR 140

$28.91 R 476

28.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.8 SAR 284

$39.73 R 654

90.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.6 SAR 348

$49.01 R 808

89.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.68 SAR 168

$10.99 R 181

306.55%

Cinema Ticket

$15.72 SAR 59.0

$9.15 R 151

71.80%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$213 SAR 797

$259 R 4,264

-17.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,189 SAR 15.7K

$6,794 R 111.9K

-38.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.21 SAR 117

$56.2 R 926

-44.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.2 SAR 263

$32.41 R 534

116.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 SAR 360

$121 R 1,987

-20.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.5 SAR 250

$108 R 1,781

-38.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$316 SAR 1,185

$1,021 R 16.8K

-69.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 SAR 941

$717 R 11.8K

-65.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$528 SAR 1,983

$1,824 R 30.1K

-71.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 SAR 2,148

$1,327 R 21.9K

-56.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$932 SAR 3,497

$2,391 R 39.4K

-61.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,343 SAR 5,040

$1,542 R 25.4K

-12.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,229 SAR 8,366

$1,639 R 27.0K

36.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.97

-45.31%

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

Last update for Abha: October 11, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Abha

$251 23.7%

Cape Town

$717 45.2% 186% $466

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Abha

$202 19.1%

Cape Town

$183 11.5% 9.5% $19

Groceries & Markets

Abha

$201 19%

Cape Town

$225 14.2% 11.9% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Abha

$124 11.7%

Cape Town

$67 4.2% 45.7% $57

Clothing & Footwear

Abha

$119 11.2%

Cape Town

$143 9% 20.3% $24

Eating Out

Abha

$107 10.1%

Cape Town

$176 11.1% 64.2% $69

Getting Around

Abha

$56 5.3%

Cape Town

$75 4.7% 32.5% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $316 in Abha versus $1,021 in Cape Town. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 36% higher in Abha, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Abha versus $45.00 in Cape Town. Groceries tell a different story – $201 in Abha vs $225 in Cape Town – so Abha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇸🇦 Abha

🇿🇦 Cape Town

🕒 Local time

03:48 3:48 AM

02:48 2:48 AM

1 h behind Abha

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

236,157

3,740,026 Capital

💱 Currency

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

South African Rand ZAR R

📈 Exchange rate

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

100 ZAR = 6.07 USD

100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to SAR – Saudi Riyal Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇦 Saudi Riyal (ر.س)

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

USD to SAR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Abha Cape Town 6,340 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Abha
Cape Town

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Abha vs Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Town costs about 50% more than Abha, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,591 per month in Abha and $2,379 in Cape Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Cape Town, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Abha and $45.00 in Cape Town. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Abha, where all-in costs run around $1,060, than in Cape Town at $1,586. In Abha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cape Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Abha costs $1,060 versus $1,586 in Cape Town. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Abha. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cape Town makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.