Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and Amalfi

For one person, living is cheaper in Cape Town: $1,527 a month against $1,709 in Amalfi, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Cape Town, South Africa
Amalfi, Italy
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,527
/mo nomad
Amalfi
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,709
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,527 per month in Cape Town vs $1,709 in Amalfi, rent included.

  • Cape Town $1,527
  • Amalfi $1,709

A couple spends around $2,417 per month in Cape Town vs $2,592 in Amalfi, rent included.

  • Cape Town $2,417
  • Amalfi $2,592

A family of three spends $3,306 per month in Cape Town vs $3,475 in Amalfi, rent included.

  • Cape Town $3,306
  • Amalfi $3,475

Cape Town is about 11% cheaper than Amalfi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Cape Town and Amalfi sit above the global median – Cape Town by 13%, Amalfi by 26%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cape Town
Amalfi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.01 R 197
$16.79 €14.95
-28.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.92 R 703
$73.4 €65.4
-41.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.15 R 101
$11.06 €9.85
-44.39%
Cappuccino
$2.37 R 38.81
$2.01 €1.79
17.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 R 20.84
$2.98 €2.66
-57.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 R 15.37
$1.43 €1.28
-34.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.96 R 48.48
$5.74 €5.12
-48.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.69 R 60.5
$5.12 €4.56
-27.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cape Town
Amalfi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 R 21.61
$1.57 €1.40
-15.92%
White Bread (500g)
$1.21 R 19.75
$2.28 €2.03
-46.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 R 36.05
$2.85 €2.54
-22.81%
Eggs
$3.10 R 50.8
$4.05 €3.61
-23.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.73 R 143
$16.36 €14.57
-46.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.89 R 113
$12.41 €11.06
-44.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.26 R 152
$20.06 €17.87
-53.84%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 R 29.90
$2.53 €2.25
-27.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 R 31.94
$2.16 €1.92
-9.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 R 27.16
$2.64 €2.35
-37.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 R 34.99
$3.14 €2.80
-31.85%
Potato (1kg)
$1.58 R 25.86
$1.92 €1.71
-17.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.47 R 24.15
$1.73 €1.54
-15.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 R 22.05
$1.49 €1.33
-9.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 R 18.75
$0.55 €0.49
107.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.58 R 58.6
$6.58 €5.86
-45.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.05 R 99.2
$7.07 €6.29
-14.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 R 22.82
$1.65 €1.47
-15.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 R 35.69
$2.26 €2.01
-3.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Cape Town
Amalfi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.40 R 22.88
$1.69 €1.51
-17.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$60.8 R 995
$42.07 €37.47
44.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.93 R 15.18
$5.73 €5.10
-83.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.90 R 14.75
$1.69 €1.51
-46.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.96 R 81.3
$31.00 €27.62
-84.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 R 25.23
$2.10 €1.87
-26.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K R 579.4K
$35.7K €31.8K
-1.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K R 546.7K
$36.3K €32.3K
-8.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Town
Amalfi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$117 R 1,918
$209 €186
-43.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.71 R 421
$10.39 €9.26
147.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.41 R 646
$30.21 €26.91
30.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cape Town
Amalfi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 R 846
$55.0 €48.96
-6.11%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.35 R 186
$23.35 €20.80
-51.39%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89 R 146
$10.17 €9.06
-12.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cape Town
Amalfi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 R 5,040
$551 €491
-44.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,141 R 133.4K
$10.2K €9,109
-20.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cape Town
Amalfi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.4 R 940
$88.0 €78.4
-34.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.75 R 520
$36.53 €32.54
-13.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 R 1,900
$95.7 €85.2
21.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101 R 1,650
$126 €112
-20.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cape Town
Amalfi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,047 R 17.1K
$740 €660
41.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$669 R 11.0K
$579 €516
15.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,861 R 30.5K
$1,169 €1,042
59.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,407 R 23.1K
$898 €800
56.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,410 R 39.5K
$2,867 €2,554
-15.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,570 R 25.7K
$2,074 €1,848
-24.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cape Town
Amalfi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,630 R 26.7K
$1,684 €1,500
-3.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.89
3.32
228.01%

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

Last update for Cape Town: November 2, 2026

Last update for Amalfi: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cape Town
$669
Amalfi
$579 13.4% $90
Groceries & Markets
Cape Town
$223
Amalfi
$338 51.4% $115
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Town
$182
Amalfi
$249 36.9% $67
Eating Out
Cape Town
$174
Amalfi
$248 42.6% $74
Clothing & Footwear
Cape Town
$138
Amalfi
$156 13.3% $18
Getting Around
Cape Town
$72
Amalfi
$63 12.2% $8.7
Sport & Entertainment
Cape Town
$69
Amalfi
$75 8.5% $5.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,047 in Cape Town versus $740 in Amalfi. 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 3% higher in Amalfi, 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 $43 in Cape Town versus $73 in Amalfi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $338 – making Cape Town the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🇮🇹 Amalfi
🕒 Local time
01:36 1:36 AM
00:36 12:36 AM
1 h behind Cape Town
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,740,026 Capital
5,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to ZAR – South African Rand Converter

South African Rand exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 16.38 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.1 USD). 1 EUR = 18.39 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.44 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.891 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cape Town Amalfi 8,300 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cape Town
  • Amalfi

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
Cape Town vs Amalfi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cape Town cheaper than Amalfi?
Yes – Amalfi is pricier by about 12%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,291 per month in Cape Town and $2,564 in Amalfi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Amalfi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $740 there versus $1,047 in Cape Town.
Is eating out cheaper in Cape Town or in Amalfi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Cape Town and $73 in Amalfi. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Cape Town and in Amalfi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,527 in Cape Town and $1,709 in Amalfi. That makes Cape Town about 11% cheaper.
Is $1,000 enough to cover costs in Cape Town or in Amalfi?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,527 in Cape Town and $1,709 in Amalfi. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Cape Town or in Amalfi?
It depends on your priorities. Cape Town has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,527 in Cape Town to $1,709 in Amalfi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Cape Town. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Amalfi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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