Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and Centurion Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and Centurion

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,273 per month in Cape Town vs $1,139 in Centurion, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,983 per month in Cape Town vs $1,860 in Centurion, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,693 per month in Cape Town vs $2,580 in Centurion, rent included.

Cape Town costs about 12% more than Centurion, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Cape Town and Centurion are more affordable than the global median – Cape Town 5% lower, Centurion 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 R 179

$10.55 R 171

4.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.99 R 731

$33.64 R 547

33.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 R 79.8

$4.79 R 77.8

2.51%

Cappuccino

$2.00 R 32.49

$2.03 R 33.03

-1.48%

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

$1.10 R 17.94

$1.02 R 16.59

7.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R 13.43

$0.81 R 13.13

2.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.87 R 46.56

$2.22 R 36.14

29.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R 40.35

$2.48 R 40.32

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 18.61

$1.19 R 19.34

-3.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 R 17.59

$1.06 R 17.19

1.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 R 30.38

$1.66 R 26.98

12.65%

Eggs

$2.47 R 40.11

$2.43 R 39.47

1.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 R 139

$8.14 R 132

5.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 R 83.5

$4.84 R 78.7

6.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.66 R 124

$6.66 R 108

15.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.24

$1.62 R 26.37

-8.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.26

$1.48 R 24.06

0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.28

$1.62 R 26.26

-8.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.85

$1.64 R 26.71

-3.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 R 17.54

$1.34 R 21.75

-19.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R 20.16

$1.45 R 23.59

-14.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 R 17.83

$1.09 R 17.79

0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.57

$1.07 R 17.36

-10.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 R 49.33

$3.06 R 49.69

-0.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.18 R 100

$6.17 R 100

0.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 R 22.97

$1.44 R 23.47

-2.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 R 27.23

$1.72 R 28.00

-2.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R 15.17

$2.18 R 35.50

-57.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.91 R 779

$91.0 R 1,479

-47.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 R 22.43

$1.13 R 18.39

22.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 R 15.14

$1.07 R 17.31

-13.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 R 70.9

$4.04 R 65.7

7.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.33

$1.31 R 21.25

-4.58%

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

$21.3K R 346.9K

$22.8K R 370.1K

-6.29%

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

$24.5K R 397.5K

$24.3K R 395.1K

0.59%

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

$98.3 R 1,598

$120 R 1,951

-18.13%

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

$33.19 R 539

$37.25 R 605

-10.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.75 R 662

$42.33 R 688

-3.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.68 R 677

$41.89 R 681

-0.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.15 R 133

$0.93 R 15.13

776.34%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 R 107

$7.71 R 125

-15.05%

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

$211 R 3,435

$209 R 3,392

1.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,300 R 86.1K

$4,282 R 69.6K

23.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 R 906

$49.86 R 810

11.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.78 R 533

$32.17 R 523

1.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 R 1,869

$86.5 R 1,406

32.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.5 R 1,374

$88.2 R 1,433

-4.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$765 R 12.4K

$319 R 5,179

140.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$520 R 8,453

$329 R 5,352

57.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 R 23.2K

$527 R 8,567

171.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 R 16.5K

$803 R 13.1K

26.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,344 R 38.1K

$522 R 8,489

348.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,506 R 24.5K

$591 R 9,611

154.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,683 R 27.4K

$2,129 R 34.6K

-20.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.77

11.69

0.68%

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

Last update for Cape Town: June 1, 2026

Last update for Centurion: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $765 in Cape Town versus $319 in Centurion. 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 27% higher in Centurion, 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 $34.00 in Centurion. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $189 vs $186 – making Centurion the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Centurion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Town costs about 12% more than Centurion, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,909 per month in Cape Town and $1,709 in Centurion. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Centurion, 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 $1,273 in Cape Town and $1,139 in Centurion. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 90% less in Centurion. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Centurion, where all-in costs run around $1,139, than in Cape Town at $1,273. In Centurion it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cape Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Centurion costs $1,139 versus $1,273 in Cape Town. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Centurion. 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.