Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and Diyarbakir

For one person, living is cheaper in Diyarbakir: $1,035 a month against $1,556 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cape Town, South Africa
Diyarbakir, Turkey
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,556
/mo nomad
Diyarbakir
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,035
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,556 per month in Cape Town vs $1,035 in Diyarbakir, rent included.

  • Cape Town $1,556
  • Diyarbakir $1,035

A couple spends around $2,432 per month in Cape Town vs $1,533 in Diyarbakir, rent included.

  • Cape Town $2,432
  • Diyarbakir $1,533

A family of three spends $3,307 per month in Cape Town vs $2,031 in Diyarbakir, rent included.

  • Cape Town $3,307
  • Diyarbakir $2,031

Cape Town costs about 50% more than Diyarbakir, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Cape Town sits 14% above the global median, while Diyarbakir is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cape Town
Diyarbakir
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.09 R 202
$4.64 ₺231
160.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.34 R 739
$19.95 ₺994
122.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.15 R 102
$8.70 ₺434
-29.31%
Cappuccino
$2.36 R 39.30
$3.39 ₺169
-30.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26 R 21.06
$1.09 ₺54.3
15.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00 R 16.59
$0.32 ₺15.93
212.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.08 R 51.3
$2.98 ₺149
3.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.70 R 61.6
$3.56 ₺177
3.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cape Town
Diyarbakir
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.34 R 22.41
$0.90 ₺44.62
48.89%
White Bread (500g)
$1.19 R 19.89
$0.62 ₺30.94
91.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.10 R 35.01
$0.99 ₺49.21
112.12%
Eggs
$3.05 R 50.8
$1.83 ₺91.2
66.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.73 R 146
$6.78 ₺338
28.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.97 R 116
$5.76 ₺287
21.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.39 R 157
$15.95 ₺795
-41.13%
Apples (1kg)
$1.89 R 31.44
$1.31 ₺65.5
44.27%
Banana (1kg)
$1.88 R 31.32
$1.52 ₺75.6
23.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.69 R 28.08
$0.76 ₺38.05
122.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.04 R 34.07
$1.01 ₺50.3
101.98%
Potato (1kg)
$1.57 R 26.12
$0.55 ₺27.32
185.45%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 R 24.65
$0.45 ₺22.42
228.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 R 21.36
$0.77 ₺38.22
66.23%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 R 19.81
$0.52 ₺26.10
128.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.63 R 60.5
$2.17 ₺108
67.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.17 R 103
$5.94 ₺296
3.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 R 23.14
$2.18 ₺109
-36.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 R 36.33
$3.64 ₺181
-40.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Cape Town
Diyarbakir
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 R 22.83
$0.48 ₺24.09
185.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$61.3 R 1,021
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.57 R 9.58
$0.70 ₺34.81
-18.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 R 24.62
$0.58 ₺29.12
155.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 R 81.6
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.58 R 26.29
$1.30 ₺64.9
21.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.7K R 578.4K
$41.8K ₺2.1M
-16.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K R 568.2K
$38.2K ₺1.9M
-10.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Town
Diyarbakir
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$117 R 1,948
$90.7 ₺4,521
28.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.35 R 472
$10.08 ₺503
181.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.58 R 676
$15.85 ₺790
156.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cape Town
Diyarbakir
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.54 R 809
$78.9 ₺3,932
-38.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.80 R 180
$40.59 ₺2,023
-73.39%
Cinema Ticket
$9.11 R 152
$5.38 ₺268
69.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cape Town
Diyarbakir
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$302 R 5,032
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,720 R 112.0K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cape Town
Diyarbakir
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.2 R 920
$54.7 ₺2,726
0.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.70 R 545
$49.78 ₺2,481
-34.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 R 1,964
$96.5 ₺4,808
22.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 R 1,731
$107 ₺5,335
-2.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cape Town
Diyarbakir
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,041 R 17.3K
$406 ₺20.2K
156.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$691 R 11.5K
$364 ₺18.1K
89.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,981 R 33.0K
$696 ₺34.7K
184.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,388 R 23.1K
$570 ₺28.4K
143.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,420 R 40.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,552 R 25.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cape Town
Diyarbakir
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,576 R 26.3K
$822 ₺41.0K
91.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.97
29
-62.17%

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

Last update for Cape Town: October 24, 2026

Last update for Diyarbakir: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cape Town
$691
Diyarbakir
$364 47.3% $327
Groceries & Markets
Cape Town
$224
Diyarbakir
$189 15.4% $34
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Town
$186
Diyarbakir
$117 37.2% $69
Eating Out
Cape Town
$175
Diyarbakir
$132 24.9% $44
Clothing & Footwear
Cape Town
$139
Diyarbakir
$139 0.5% $0.8
Getting Around
Cape Town
$75
Diyarbakir
$5.6 * 92.6% $69
Sport & Entertainment
Cape Town
$67
Diyarbakir
$90 34.3% $23

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,041 in Cape Town versus $406 in Diyarbakir. 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 92% higher in Cape Town. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Cape Town versus $20 in Diyarbakir. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $224 vs $189 – making Diyarbakir the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🇹🇷 Diyarbakir
🕒 Local time
23:33 11:33 PM
00:33 12:33 AM
1 h ahead of Cape Town
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,740,026 Capital
1,804,880
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 16.66 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6 USD). 1 EUR = 18.55 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.39 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 49.83 TRY (100 TRY = 2.01 USD). 1 EUR = 55.48 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cape Town Diyarbakir 8,300 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cape Town
  • Diyarbakir

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 Diyarbakir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cape Town or Diyarbakir?
Cape Town costs about 50% more than Diyarbakir, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Cape Town and in Diyarbakir?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,335 per month in Cape Town and $1,553 in Diyarbakir. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Cape Town or Diyarbakir?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Diyarbakir, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $406 there versus $1,041 in Cape Town.
How much does it cost to live in Cape Town compared to Diyarbakir?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,556 in Cape Town and $1,035 in Diyarbakir. That makes Diyarbakir about 33% cheaper.
Are groceries more expensive in Cape Town or in Diyarbakir?
Groceries cost about 18% more in Cape Town, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Cape Town or in Diyarbakir?
$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,556 in Cape Town and $1,035 in Diyarbakir, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Cape Town or Diyarbakir?
It depends on your priorities. Cape Town has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,035 in Diyarbakir to $1,556 in Cape Town. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Should I move to Cape Town or to Diyarbakir?
If budget matters most, go with Diyarbakir. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cape Town makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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