Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and As-salimiyah

For one person, living is cheaper in As-salimiyah: $1,342 a month against $1,586 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

77

Cost of Living Index in Cape Town
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Cape Town Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in As-salimiyah
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As-salimiyah Living Index

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Cape Town

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,586

/mo nomad

As-salimiyah

🇰🇼 Kuwait

$1,342

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cape Town and in As-salimiyah

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 As-salimiyah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,586 per month in Cape Town vs $1,342 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

Cape Town $1,586
As-salimiyah $1,342

A couple spends around $2,425 per month in Cape Town vs $2,258 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

Cape Town $2,425
As-salimiyah $2,258

A family of three spends $3,263 per month in Cape Town vs $3,173 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

Cape Town $3,263
As-salimiyah $3,173

Cape Town costs about 18% more than As-salimiyah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Cape Town sits 17% above the global median, while As-salimiyah is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 R 200

$11.26 KWD 3.47

7.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.34 R 747

$58.5 KWD 18.03

-22.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 R 96.9

$8.65 KWD 2.67

-32.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

Cappuccino

$2.50 R 41.18

$5.05 KWD 1.56

-50.50%

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

$1.27 R 20.94

$0.74 KWD 0.23

71.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 R 16.14

$0.31 KWD 0.10

216.13%

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)

$1.30 R 21.40

$1.29 KWD 0.40

0.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 R 20.68

$0.69 KWD 0.21

81.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 R 36.76

$1.87 KWD 0.58

19.25%

Eggs

$3.11 R 51.2

$2.13 KWD 0.66

46.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.06 R 149

$4.40 KWD 1.36

105.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.92 R 114

$5.30 KWD 1.63

30.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.30 R 153

$9.78 KWD 3.01

-4.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 R 30.25

$2.12 KWD 0.65

-13.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 R 32.29

$1.56 KWD 0.48

25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.45

$1.24 KWD 0.38

34.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 R 35.70

$1.50 KWD 0.46

44.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.81

$1.31 KWD 0.40

19.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.45

$0.77 KWD 0.24

92.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 R 21.41

$1.58 KWD 0.49

-17.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 R 18.60

$0.50 KWD 0.15

126.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.23 KWD 0.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.60 R 59.3

$2.67 KWD 0.82

34.83%

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)

$1.50 R 24.65

$0.83 KWD 0.26

80.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.8 R 1,001

$47.63 KWD 14.68

27.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 R 9.71

$3.15 KWD 0.97

-81.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 R 24.65

$3.24 KWD 1.00

-53.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 R 84.2

$15.80 KWD 4.87

-67.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 R 25.50

$0.33 KWD 0.10

369.70%

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

$36.2K R 596.5K

$21.0K KWD 6,461

72.65%

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

$31.2K R 514.8K

$20.4K KWD 6,277

53.37%

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

$114 R 1,883

$31.73 KWD 9.78

260.29%

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

$28.91 R 476

$20.57 KWD 6.34

40.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.73 R 654

$29.96 KWD 9.23

32.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.01 R 808

$97.9 KWD 30.17

-49.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.99 R 181

$64.5 KWD 19.87

-82.96%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 R 151

$11.20 KWD 3.45

-18.30%

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

$259 R 4,264

$276 KWD 84.9

-6.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,794 R 111.9K

$6,239 KWD 1,922

8.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 R 926

$37.85 KWD 11.66

48.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.41 R 534

$38.85 KWD 11.97

-16.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 R 1,987

$91.0 KWD 28.04

32.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 R 1,781

$63.7 KWD 19.63

69.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,021 R 16.8K

$871 KWD 268

17.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$717 R 11.8K

$629 KWD 194

13.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 R 30.1K

$1,783 KWD 549

2.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 R 21.9K

$1,347 KWD 415

-1.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 R 39.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,542 R 25.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,639 R 27.0K

$2,752 KWD 848

-40.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.97

6.53

67.99%

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

Last update for Cape Town: October 10, 2026

Last update for As-salimiyah: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cape Town

$717 45.2%

As-salimiyah

$629 46.9% 12.2% $87

Groceries & Markets

Cape Town

$225 14.2%

As-salimiyah

$155 11.6% 31% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cape Town

$183 11.5%

As-salimiyah

$82 6.1% 55% $101

Eating Out

Cape Town

$176 11.1%

As-salimiyah

$181 13.5% 2.7% $4.7

Clothing & Footwear

Cape Town

$143 9%

As-salimiyah

$104 7.8% 27.1% $39

Getting Around

Cape Town

$75 4.7%

As-salimiyah

$70 5.2% 6% $4.5

Sport & Entertainment

Cape Town

$67 4.2%

As-salimiyah

$120 9% 78.7% $53

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,021 in Cape Town versus $871 in As-salimiyah. 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 68% higher in As-salimiyah, 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 $45.00 in Cape Town versus $59.0 in As-salimiyah. Groceries tell a different story – $225 in Cape Town vs $155 in As-salimiyah – so As-salimiyah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇿🇦 Cape Town

🇰🇼 As-salimiyah

🕒 Local time

10:01 10:01 AM

11:01 11:01 AM

1 h ahead of Cape Town

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,740,026 Capital

147,649

💱 Currency

South African Rand ZAR R

Kuwaiti Dinar KWD د.ك

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZAR = 6.07 USD

100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR

1 KWD = 3.25 USD

1 KWD = 2.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇿🇦 South African Rand (R)

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).

Kuwaiti Dinar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.308 KWD (1 KWD = 3.25 USD). 1 EUR = 0.346 KWD (1 KWD = 2.89 EUR).

USD to ZAR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cape Town As-salimiyah 7,690 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Cape Town
As-salimiyah

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 As-salimiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cape Town is pricier by about 18%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,379 per month in Cape Town and $2,014 in As-salimiyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in As-salimiyah, 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 $1,586 in Cape Town and $1,342 in As-salimiyah. That's a gap of about 18%.

Public transport costs about 28% less in As-salimiyah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in As-salimiyah, where all-in costs run around $1,342, than in Cape Town at $1,586. In As-salimiyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cape Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward As-salimiyah – 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 As-salimiyah. 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.