Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Adam and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Adam: $958 a month against $1,586 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cape Town outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Adam
🇴🇲 Oman
$958
/mo nomad
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,586
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Adam 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 Adam and in Cape Town actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $958 in Adam versus $1,586 in Cape Town.

  • Adam $958
  • Cape Town $1,586

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,438 in Adam versus $2,425 in Cape Town.

  • Adam $1,438
  • Cape Town $2,425

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,918 in Adam versus $3,263 in Cape Town.

  • Adam $1,918
  • Cape Town $3,263

Living in Adam costs roughly 40% less than in Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Adam is 29% below, Cape Town is 17% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Adam
Cape Town
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.30 OMR 2.04
$12.14 R 200
-56.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.15 OMR 15.07
$45.34 R 747
-13.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.89 OMR 3.04
$5.88 R 96.9
34.18%
Cappuccino
$4.99 OMR 1.92
$2.50 R 41.18
99.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 OMR 0.32
$1.27 R 20.94
-33.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 OMR 0.10
$0.98 R 16.14
-72.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$12.81 OMR 4.93
$2.99 R 49.33
328.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$12.90 OMR 4.97
$3.72 R 61.4
246.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Adam
Cape Town
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.37 OMR 0.91
$1.30 R 21.40
82.31%
White Bread (500g)
$1.18 OMR 0.46
$1.25 R 20.68
-5.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.90 OMR 0.73
$2.23 R 36.76
-14.80%
Eggs
$2.93 OMR 1.13
$3.11 R 51.2
-5.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 OMR 2.80
$9.06 R 149
-19.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.99 OMR 2.69
$6.92 R 114
1.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.83 OMR 4.17
$9.30 R 153
16.45%
Apples (1kg)
$3.54 OMR 1.36
$1.84 R 30.25
92.39%
Banana (1kg)
$2.00 OMR 0.77
$1.96 R 32.29
2.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.40 OMR 0.92
$1.67 R 27.45
43.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.26 OMR 0.48
$2.17 R 35.70
-41.94%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 OMR 0.47
$1.57 R 25.81
-22.93%
Onion (1kg)
$1.23 OMR 0.47
$1.48 R 24.45
-16.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.84 OMR 0.71
$1.30 R 21.41
41.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 OMR 0.25
$1.13 R 18.60
-41.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.61 OMR 2.54
$3.60 R 59.3
83.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.74 OMR 6.06
$6.15 R 101
155.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$6.03 OMR 2.32
$1.38 R 22.66
336.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.34 OMR 3.98
$2.14 R 35.20
383.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Adam
Cape Town
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.50 R 24.65
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$60.8 R 1,001
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.17 OMR 1.22
$0.59 R 9.71
437.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.53 OMR 0.98
$1.50 R 24.65
68.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.64 OMR 2.94
$5.11 R 84.2
49.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.59 OMR 0.23
$1.55 R 25.50
-61.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.4K OMR 9,789
$36.2K R 596.5K
-29.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.2K OMR 8,560
$31.2K R 514.8K
-28.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Adam
Cape Town
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$181 OMR 69.6
$114 R 1,883
58.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.28 OMR 12.04
$28.91 R 476
8.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.2 OMR 27.03
$39.73 R 654
76.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Adam
Cape Town
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$49.01 R 808
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.99 R 181
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.46 OMR 4.03
$9.15 R 151
14.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Adam
Cape Town
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$290 OMR 112
$259 R 4,264
12.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K OMR 4,116
$6,794 R 111.9K
57.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Adam
Cape Town
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.7 OMR 21.82
$56.2 R 926
0.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.92 OMR 16.52
$32.41 R 534
32.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.4 OMR 34.81
$121 R 1,987
-25.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1 OMR 33.93
$108 R 1,781
-18.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Adam
Cape Town
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,021 R 16.8K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$717 R 11.8K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$259 OMR 99.7
$1,824 R 30.1K
-85.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,327 R 21.9K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,391 R 39.4K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,542 R 25.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Adam
Cape Town
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,569 OMR 989
$1,639 R 27.0K
56.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.25
10.97
-52.14%

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

Last update for Adam: October 12, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Adam
$293
Cape Town
$225 23.4% $69
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Adam
$282
Cape Town
$183 35.2% $99
Eating Out
Adam
$220
Cape Town
$176 20% $44
Clothing & Footwear
Adam
$125
Cape Town
$143 14.1% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Adam
$21 *
Cape Town
$67 222% $46
Getting Around
Adam
$16 *
Cape Town
$75 372% $59
Accommodation & Living
Adam
- *
Cape Town
$717

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Adam pays 57% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Adam vs $45.00 in Cape Town. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $225, with Cape Town cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇴🇲 Adam
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🕒 Local time
13:09 1:09 PM
11:09 11:09 AM
2 h behind Adam
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
18,515
3,740,026 Capital
💱 Currency
Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.
Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to OMR – Omani Rial Converter

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.433 OMR (1 OMR = 2.31 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Adam Cape Town 7,500 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Adam
  • 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
Adam vs Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cape Town cheaper than Adam?
Adam is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, leisure, and transport. The 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Adam or Cape Town?
Average pay runs 57% higher in Adam, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $290 in Adam versus $259 in Cape Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Adam or in Cape Town?
Dining out is cheaper in Adam – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $45.00 in Cape Town. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Adam or in Cape Town?
At $958 in Adam versus $1,586 in Cape Town, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Adam but tight or insufficient in Cape Town. The gap between the two cities makes Adam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Adam or Cape Town more family-friendly?
For families, Adam is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cape Town, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Adam or Cape Town?
Safety-wise, Adam and Cape Town are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Adam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Cape Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Adam vs other spots: cost of living compared

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