Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and Bregenz

For one person, living is cheaper in Cape Town: $1,527 a month against $1,948 in Bregenz, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Cape Town, South Africa
Bregenz, Austria
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,527
/mo nomad
Bregenz
🇦🇹 Austria
$1,948
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,527 in Cape Town versus $1,948 in Bregenz.

  • Cape Town $1,527
  • Bregenz $1,948

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,417 in Cape Town versus $2,974 in Bregenz.

  • Cape Town $2,417
  • Bregenz $2,974

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,306 in Cape Town versus $4,000 in Bregenz.

  • Cape Town $3,306
  • Bregenz $4,000

Living in Cape Town costs roughly 22% less than in Bregenz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cape Town 13% above, Bregenz 44% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cape Town
Bregenz
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.01 R 197
$19.33 €17.22
-37.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.92 R 703
$76.9 €68.5
-44.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.15 R 101
$12.42 €11.06
-50.48%
Cappuccino
$2.37 R 38.81
$4.67 €4.16
-49.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 R 20.84
$4.22 €3.76
-69.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 R 15.37
$3.80 €3.38
-75.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.96 R 48.48
$5.58 €4.97
-46.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.69 R 60.5
$4.42 €3.94
-16.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cape Town
Bregenz
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 R 21.61
$1.77 €1.58
-25.42%
White Bread (500g)
$1.21 R 19.75
$3.43 €3.06
-64.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 R 36.05
$1.71 €1.52
28.65%
Eggs
$3.10 R 50.8
$4.44 €3.95
-30.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.73 R 143
$15.95 €14.21
-45.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.89 R 113
$14.43 €12.85
-52.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.26 R 152
$20.87 €18.59
-55.63%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 R 29.90
$2.49 €2.22
-26.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 R 31.94
$1.86 €1.66
4.84%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 R 27.16
$2.29 €2.04
-27.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 R 34.99
$3.85 €3.43
-44.42%
Potato (1kg)
$1.58 R 25.86
$1.80 €1.60
-12.22%
Onion (1kg)
$1.47 R 24.15
$1.32 €1.17
11.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 R 22.05
$1.84 €1.64
-26.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 R 18.75
$0.27 €0.24
322.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.58 R 58.6
$6.62 €5.90
-45.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.05 R 99.2
$7.86 €7.00
-23.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 R 22.82
$1.47 €1.31
-5.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 R 35.69
$1.26 €1.12
73.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Cape Town
Bregenz
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.40 R 22.88
$2.83 €2.52
-50.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$60.8 R 995
$44.05 €39.24
37.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.93 R 15.18
$4.60 €4.10
-79.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.90 R 14.75
$2.37 €2.11
-62.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.96 R 81.3
$51.0 €45.38
-90.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 R 25.23
$1.66 €1.48
-7.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K R 579.4K
$29.6K €26.4K
19.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K R 546.7K
$32.5K €29.0K
2.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Town
Bregenz
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$117 R 1,918
$265 €236
-55.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.71 R 421
$15.79 €14.06
62.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.41 R 646
$30.88 €27.51
27.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cape Town
Bregenz
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 R 846
$66.9 €59.6
-22.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.35 R 186
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.89 R 146
$8.88 €7.91
0.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cape Town
Bregenz
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 R 5,040
$874 €779
-64.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,141 R 133.4K
$12.4K €11.0K
-34.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cape Town
Bregenz
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.4 R 940
$154 €137
-62.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.75 R 520
$16.48 €14.68
92.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 R 1,900
$55.0 €48.98
110.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101 R 1,650
$55.8 €49.71
80.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cape Town
Bregenz
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,047 R 17.1K
$933 €831
12.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$669 R 11.0K
$681 €607
-1.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,861 R 30.5K
$1,474 €1,313
26.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,407 R 23.1K
$1,211 €1,078
16.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,410 R 39.5K
$7,030 €6,262
-65.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,570 R 25.7K
$5,717 €5,092
-72.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cape Town
Bregenz
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,630 R 26.7K
$3,033 €2,702
-46.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.89
3.57
205.04%

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

Last update for Cape Town: November 2, 2026

Last update for Bregenz: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cape Town
$669
Bregenz
$681 1.8% $12
Groceries & Markets
Cape Town
$223
Bregenz
$355 59.2% $132
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Town
$182
Bregenz
$311 70.8% $129
Eating Out
Cape Town
$174
Bregenz
$317 82% $143
Clothing & Footwear
Cape Town
$138
Bregenz
$127 8.1% $11
Getting Around
Cape Town
$72
Bregenz
$72 0.1% $0.1
Sport & Entertainment
Cape Town
$69
Bregenz
$85 22% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,047 in Cape Town and $933 in Bregenz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bregenz pays 86% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $43 in Cape Town vs $77 in Bregenz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $355 per month, with Cape Town cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🇦🇹 Bregenz
🕒 Local time
00:20 12:20 AM
23:20 11:20 PM
1 h behind Cape Town
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,740,026 Capital
29,620
💱 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 Bregenz 9,100 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cape Town
  • Bregenz

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 Bregenz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Cape Town and in Bregenz?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,527 in Cape Town and $1,948 in Bregenz, so Cape Town is about 22% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 46% lower in Cape Town. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Cape Town and in Bregenz?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,047 in Cape Town versus $933 in Bregenz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Cape Town – a meal for two runs $43 versus $77 in Bregenz. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Cape Town or Bregenz?
All in, you’ll spend $1,527 per month in Cape Town versus $1,948 in Bregenz – Cape Town is about 22% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is feasible on a $1,000 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Cape Town is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Cape Town and Bregenz?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How do I decide between Cape Town and Bregenz?
It comes down to priorities – Cape Town wins on affordability, Bregenz on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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