Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and Barysaw

For one person, living is cheaper in Barysaw: $776 a month against $1,568 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,568
/mo nomad
Barysaw
🇧🇾 Belarus
$776
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,568 in Cape Town versus $776 in Barysaw.

  • Cape Town $1,568
  • Barysaw $776

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,438 in Cape Town versus $1,249 in Barysaw.

  • Cape Town $2,438
  • Barysaw $1,249

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,307 in Cape Town versus $1,723 in Barysaw.

  • Cape Town $3,307
  • Barysaw $1,723

Living in Cape Town is roughly 102% more expensive than in Barysaw, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cape Town is 17% above, Barysaw is 42% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cape Town
Barysaw
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.78 R 195
$6.38 BYN 19.39
84.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.55 R 772
$29.03 BYN 88.3
60.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.96 R 98.9
$4.32 BYN 13.12
37.96%
Cappuccino
$2.47 R 41.01
$1.56 BYN 4.76
58.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 R 22.03
$0.57 BYN 1.73
133.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 R 17.08
$0.35 BYN 1.05
194.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.01 R 49.98
$1.17 BYN 3.56
157.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 R 60.8
$2.51 BYN 7.63
45.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cape Town
Barysaw
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 R 23.08
$0.69 BYN 2.10
101.45%
White Bread (500g)
$1.19 R 19.70
$0.61 BYN 1.86
95.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.11 R 35.02
$1.12 BYN 3.41
88.39%
Eggs
$3.01 R 49.84
$1.39 BYN 4.24
116.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.96 R 149
$6.81 BYN 20.69
31.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.65 R 110
$4.13 BYN 12.56
61.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.29 R 154
$6.13 BYN 18.63
51.55%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 R 30.28
$1.20 BYN 3.64
52.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 R 31.47
$1.83 BYN 5.57
3.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.75 R 28.98
$1.83 BYN 5.56
-4.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 R 34.59
$1.76 BYN 5.36
18.75%
Potato (1kg)
$1.55 R 25.78
$0.38 BYN 1.17
307.89%
Onion (1kg)
$1.49 R 24.65
$0.59 BYN 1.80
152.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 R 21.53
$1.00 BYN 3.05
30.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 R 19.29
$0.46 BYN 1.41
152.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.71 R 61.5
$2.01 BYN 6.12
84.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.06 R 101
$7.81 BYN 23.73
-22.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 R 22.97
$1.49 BYN 4.54
-6.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 R 36.51
$2.02 BYN 6.14
8.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Cape Town
Barysaw
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.51 R 25.11
$0.32 BYN 0.96
371.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$61.0 R 1,011
$14.67 BYN 44.60
315.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.63 R 10.38
$0.72 BYN 2.20
-12.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.53 R 25.42
$0.53 BYN 1.61
188.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.81 R 79.8
$9.75 BYN 29.63
-50.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.58 R 26.22
$0.91 BYN 2.76
73.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.5K R 588.7K
$19.3K BYN 58.8K
83.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K R 526.6K
$19.6K BYN 59.7K
61.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Town
Barysaw
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$116 R 1,930
$68.8 BYN 209
69.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.37 R 471
$7.48 BYN 22.75
279.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.69 R 675
$11.27 BYN 34.26
261.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cape Town
Barysaw
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.85 R 810
$31.43 BYN 95.6
55.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.13 R 185
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.83 R 146
$3.29 BYN 10.00
168.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cape Town
Barysaw
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$261 R 4,336
$329 BYN 999
-20.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,702 R 111.2K
$9,764 BYN 29.7K
-31.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cape Town
Barysaw
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 R 919
$45.39 BYN 138
22.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.27 R 535
$47.19 BYN 143
-31.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 R 1,949
$87.5 BYN 266
34.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 R 1,775
$105 BYN 320
1.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cape Town
Barysaw
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,015 R 16.8K
$314 BYN 955
222.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$715 R 11.9K
$257 BYN 783
177.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,801 R 29.9K
$575 BYN 1,748
213.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,330 R 22.1K
$493 BYN 1,498
169.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,331 R 38.7K
$1,094 BYN 3,327
112.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,513 R 25.1K
$878 BYN 2,669
72.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cape Town
Barysaw
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,636 R 27.1K
$629 BYN 1,912
160.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.97
14
-21.64%

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

Last update for Cape Town: October 4, 2026

Last update for Barysaw: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cape Town
$715
Barysaw
$257 64% $458
Groceries & Markets
Cape Town
$222
Barysaw
$155 30.5% $68
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Town
$185
Barysaw
$88 52.8% $98
Eating Out
Cape Town
$174
Barysaw
$97 44% $76
Clothing & Footwear
Cape Town
$141
Barysaw
$128 8.6% $12
Getting Around
Cape Town
$75
Barysaw
$19 74.4% $56
Sport & Entertainment
Cape Town
$67
Barysaw
$38 42.9% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,015 in Cape Town and $314 in Barysaw. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cape Town pays 160% 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: $47.00 in Cape Town vs $29.00 in Barysaw for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $155 per month, with Barysaw cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🇧🇾 Barysaw
🕒 Local time
10:28 10:28 AM
11:28 11:28 AM
1 h ahead of Cape Town
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,740,026 Capital
143,051
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 16.59 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.03 USD). 1 EUR = 18.6 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.38 EUR).

Belarusian Ruble exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.04 BYN (1 BYN = 0.329 USD). 1 EUR = 3.41 BYN (1 BYN = 0.293 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cape Town Barysaw 9,850 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cape Town
  • Barysaw

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 Barysaw: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Barysaw cheaper than Cape Town?
Barysaw is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cape Town or Barysaw?
Average pay runs 160% 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 Barysaw?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,015 in Cape Town versus $314 in Barysaw. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Cape Town and in Barysaw?
All in, you'll spend $1,568 per month in Cape Town versus $776 in Barysaw – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Barysaw runs roughly 316% less than in Cape Town. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cape Town or in Barysaw?
At $776 in Barysaw versus $1,568 in Cape Town, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Barysaw but tight or insufficient in Cape Town. The gap between the two cities makes Barysaw the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cape Town or Barysaw more family-friendly?
For families, Barysaw 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 Barysaw?
Safety-wise, Cape Town and Barysaw 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 Barysaw gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% 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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