Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandar Abbas and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Bandar Abbas: $573 a month against $1,586 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

28

Cost of Living Index in Bandar Abbas
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Bandar Abbas Living Index
77

Cost of Living Index in Cape Town
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Cape Town Living Index

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Bandar Abbas

🇮🇷 Iran

$573

/mo nomad

Cape Town

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,586

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $573 per month in Bandar Abbas vs $1,586 in Cape Town, rent included.

Bandar Abbas $573
Cape Town $1,586

A couple spends around $889 per month in Bandar Abbas vs $2,425 in Cape Town, rent included.

Bandar Abbas $889
Cape Town $2,425

A family of three spends $1,204 per month in Bandar Abbas vs $3,263 in Cape Town, rent included.

Bandar Abbas $1,204
Cape Town $3,263

Bandar Abbas is about 64% cheaper than Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Bandar Abbas sits 58% below the global median, while Cape Town is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 $3.01

$12.14 R 200

-75.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.68 $16.68

$45.34 R 747

-63.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 $4.09

$5.88 R 96.9

-30.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 $0.69

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 $1.21

Cappuccino

$1.13 $1.13

$2.50 R 41.18

-54.80%

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

$0.48 $0.48

$1.27 R 20.94

-62.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.98 R 16.14

10.20%

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)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.30 R 21.40

-46.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 $0.49

$1.25 R 20.68

-60.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.23 R 36.76

-6.28%

Eggs

$1.25 $1.25

$3.11 R 51.2

-59.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$9.06 R 149

-51.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$6.92 R 114

-52.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.10 $10.10

$9.30 R 153

8.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.84 R 30.25

-45.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.96 R 32.29

-21.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.67 R 27.45

-47.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 $0.60

$2.17 R 35.70

-72.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 $0.55

$1.57 R 25.81

-64.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$1.48 R 24.45

-68.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 $0.57

$1.30 R 21.41

-56.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.26 $0.26

$1.13 R 18.60

-76.99%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.85 $0.85

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 $0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 $1.32

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.60 R 59.3

-32.50%

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)

$0.17 $0.17

$1.50 R 24.65

-88.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.41 $9.41

$60.8 R 1,001

-84.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 $0.41

$0.59 R 9.71

-30.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 $0.29

$1.50 R 24.65

-80.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 $2.64

$5.11 R 84.2

-48.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.09 $0.09

$1.55 R 25.50

-94.19%

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

$56.9K $56.9K

$36.2K R 596.5K

57.14%

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

$45.2K $45.2K

$31.2K R 514.8K

44.68%

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

$13.18 $13.18

$114 R 1,883

-88.47%

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

$1.62 $1.62

$28.91 R 476

-94.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$3.68 $3.68

$39.73 R 654

-90.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.57 $18.57

$49.01 R 808

-62.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.99 R 181

20.02%

Cinema Ticket

$1.95 $1.95

$9.15 R 151

-78.69%

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

$106 $106

$259 R 4,264

-59.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,365 $2,365

$6,794 R 111.9K

-65.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.39 $22.39

$56.2 R 926

-60.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.50 $28.50

$32.41 R 534

-12.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 $95.7

$121 R 1,987

-20.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.7 $72.7

$108 R 1,781

-32.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 $340

$1,021 R 16.8K

-66.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 $251

$717 R 11.8K

-64.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$793 $793

$1,824 R 30.1K

-56.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 $409

$1,327 R 21.9K

-69.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,018 $1,018

$2,391 R 39.4K

-57.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 $545

$1,542 R 25.4K

-64.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$178 $178

$1,639 R 27.0K

-89.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.3

10.97

121.51%

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

Last update for Bandar Abbas: 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

Bandar Abbas

$251 43.9%

Cape Town

$717 45.2% 185% $466

Groceries & Markets

Bandar Abbas

$114 19.9%

Cape Town

$225 14.2% 97.7% $111

Clothing & Footwear

Bandar Abbas

$99 17.2%

Cape Town

$143 9% 44.7% $44

Eating Out

Bandar Abbas

$56 9.8%

Cape Town

$176 11.1% 213% $120

Sport & Entertainment

Bandar Abbas

$22 3.9%

Cape Town

$67 4.2% 199% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bandar Abbas

$18 3.2%

Cape Town

$183 11.5% 890% $164

Getting Around

Bandar Abbas

$12 2.1%

Cape Town

$75 4.7% 526% $63

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $340 in Bandar Abbas 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 819% higher in Cape Town, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Bandar Abbas versus $45.00 in Cape Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $114 vs $225 – making Bandar Abbas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇷 Bandar Abbas

🇿🇦 Cape Town

🕒 Local time

21:23 9:23 PM

19:53 7:53 PM

1 h 30 min behind Bandar Abbas

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

526,648

3,740,026 Capital

💱 Currency

USD USD

South African Rand ZAR R

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

100 ZAR = 6.07 USD

100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, EUR to USD – USD Converter

🇿🇦 South African Rand (R)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

USD exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

ZAR to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Bandar Abbas Cape Town 7,880 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Bandar Abbas
Cape Town

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

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

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

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bandar Abbas vs Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cape Town is pricier by about 177%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $859 per month in Bandar Abbas 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 Bandar Abbas, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $573 in Bandar Abbas and $1,586 in Cape Town. That's a gap of about 177%.

Public transport costs about 546% less in Bandar Abbas. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bandar Abbas, where all-in costs run around $573, than in Cape Town at $1,586. In Bandar Abbas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cape Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bandar Abbas – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Bandar Abbas. 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.