Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and Annaba

For one person, living is cheaper in Annaba: $600 a month against $1,586 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,586
/mo nomad
Annaba
🇩🇿 Algeria
$600
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Annaba actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,586 in Cape Town versus $600 in Annaba.

  • Cape Town $1,586
  • Annaba $600

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,425 in Cape Town versus $978 in Annaba.

  • Cape Town $2,425
  • Annaba $978

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,263 in Cape Town versus $1,356 in Annaba.

  • Cape Town $3,263
  • Annaba $1,356

Living in Cape Town is roughly 164% more expensive than in Annaba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cape Town is 17% above, Annaba is 56% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cape Town
Annaba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.14 R 200
$2.84 DZD 380
327.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.34 R 747
$31.75 DZD 4,250
42.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.88 R 96.9
$6.26 DZD 838
-6.07%
Cappuccino
$2.50 R 41.18
$0.67 DZD 90.2
273.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 R 20.94
$0.76 DZD 102
67.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98 R 16.14
$0.26 DZD 34.88
276.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.99 R 49.33
$1.67 DZD 224
79.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 R 61.4
$2.48 DZD 332
50.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cape Town
Annaba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.30 R 21.40
$0.89 DZD 119
46.07%
White Bread (500g)
$1.25 R 20.68
$0.25 DZD 33.43
400.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.23 R 36.76
$1.56 DZD 209
42.95%
Eggs
$3.11 R 51.2
$1.89 DZD 253
64.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.06 R 149
$6.11 DZD 819
48.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.92 R 114
$4.81 DZD 643
43.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.30 R 153
$19.77 DZD 2,647
-52.96%
Apples (1kg)
$1.84 R 30.25
$2.02 DZD 271
-8.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.96 R 32.29
$3.30 DZD 441
-40.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.67 R 27.45
$1.12 DZD 150
49.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.17 R 35.70
$0.70 DZD 94.4
210.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.57 R 25.81
$0.65 DZD 87.3
141.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 R 24.45
$0.40 DZD 53.4
270.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 R 21.41
$0.50 DZD 66.6
160.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 R 18.60
$0.36 DZD 47.65
213.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.60 R 59.3
$2.96 DZD 397
21.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.15 R 101
$6.22 DZD 833
-1.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.38 R 22.66
$1.28 DZD 172
7.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 R 35.20
$1.96 DZD 263
9.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Cape Town
Annaba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.50 R 24.65
$0.15 DZD 20.52
900.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$60.8 R 1,001
$6.64 DZD 889
814.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.59 R 9.71
$0.55 DZD 73.8
7.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.50 R 24.65
$0.38 DZD 51.1
294.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.11 R 84.2
$5.37 DZD 719
-4.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 R 25.50
$0.36 DZD 48.40
330.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.2K R 596.5K
$31.3K DZD 4.2M
15.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K R 514.8K
$33.6K DZD 4.5M
-6.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Town
Annaba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$114 R 1,883
$49.21 DZD 6,588
132.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.91 R 476
$8.55 DZD 1,145
238.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.73 R 654
$20.22 DZD 2,708
96.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cape Town
Annaba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.01 R 808
$21.18 DZD 2,835
131.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.99 R 181
$4.59 DZD 614
139.43%
Cinema Ticket
$9.15 R 151
$6.22 DZD 833
47.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cape Town
Annaba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$259 R 4,264
$37.38 DZD 5,005
592.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,794 R 111.9K
$4,801 DZD 642.8K
41.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cape Town
Annaba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.2 R 926
$31.86 DZD 4,265
76.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.41 R 534
$40.11 DZD 5,370
-19.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 R 1,987
$67.1 DZD 8,977
79.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 R 1,781
$82.2 DZD 11.0K
31.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cape Town
Annaba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,021 R 16.8K
$165 DZD 22.1K
517.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$717 R 11.8K
$116 DZD 15.5K
518.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,824 R 30.1K
$285 DZD 38.2K
540.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,327 R 21.9K
$199 DZD 26.6K
568.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,391 R 39.4K
$891 DZD 119.3K
168.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,542 R 25.4K
$601 DZD 80.4K
156.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cape Town
Annaba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,639 R 27.0K
$301 DZD 40.3K
444.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.97
5.75
90.78%

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

Last update for Cape Town: October 10, 2026

Last update for Annaba: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cape Town
$717
Annaba
$116 83.8% $601
Groceries & Markets
Cape Town
$225
Annaba
$197 12.6% $28
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Town
$183
Annaba
$78 57.4% $105
Eating Out
Cape Town
$176
Annaba
$67 62% $109
Clothing & Footwear
Cape Town
$143
Annaba
$100 30.3% $43
Getting Around
Cape Town
$75
Annaba
$9.7 87% $65
Sport & Entertainment
Cape Town
$67
Annaba
$34 50.1% $34

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,021 in Cape Town and $165 in Annaba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cape Town pays 445% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Cape Town vs $32.00 in Annaba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $197 per month, with Annaba cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🇩🇿 Annaba
🕒 Local time
03:35 3:35 AM
02:35 2:35 AM
1 h behind Cape Town
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,740,026 Capital
257,359
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

DZD, USD, EUR to ZAR – South African Rand Converter

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

Algerian Dinar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 134 DZD (1,000 DZD = 7.47 USD). 1 EUR = 151 DZD (1,000 DZD = 6.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cape Town Annaba 7,950 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cape Town
  • Annaba

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 Annaba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Annaba cheaper than Cape Town?
Annaba is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 164% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cape Town or Annaba?
Average pay runs 445% higher in Cape Town, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Cape Town and Annaba?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,021 in Cape Town versus $165 in Annaba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Annaba runs roughly 815% less than in Cape Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $259 in Cape Town versus $37.38 in Annaba. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cape Town or in Annaba?
At $600 in Annaba versus $1,586 in Cape Town, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Annaba but tight or insufficient in Cape Town. The gap between the two cities makes Annaba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cape Town or Annaba more family-friendly?
For families, Annaba 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, Cape Town or Annaba?
Safety-wise, Cape Town and Annaba 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 Annaba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 164% less than in Cape Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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