Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and East London Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and East London

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,643 per month in Cape Town vs $1,042 in East London, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,522 per month in Cape Town vs $1,680 in East London, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,400 per month in Cape Town vs $2,319 in East London, rent included.

Cape Town costs about 58% more than East London, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cape Town sits 19% above the global median, while East London is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.65 R 204

$9.64 R 155

31.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.67 R 800

$39.29 R 633

26.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 R 93.2

$5.88 R 94.7

-1.53%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R 41.44

$2.24 R 36.04

14.73%

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

$1.41 R 22.77

$1.09 R 17.54

29.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 R 16.19

$0.80 R 12.91

26.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.11 R 50.2

$2.84 R 45.79

9.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 R 59.0

$3.31 R 53.3

10.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 R 22.39

$1.17 R 18.81

18.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 R 20.67

$0.93 R 14.99

37.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 R 34.90

$1.50 R 24.18

44.67%

Eggs

$3.19 R 51.3

$2.34 R 37.62

36.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 R 142

$8.81 R 142

-0.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.30 R 117

$5.49 R 88.5

32.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 R 154

$8.67 R 140

10.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 R 31.57

$1.59 R 25.53

23.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 R 32.39

$1.60 R 25.84

25.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 R 28.81

$1.71 R 27.46

4.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 R 35.06

$1.62 R 26.15

34.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.08

$1.73 R 27.80

-9.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.72

$1.46 R 23.56

5.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 R 21.75

$1.22 R 19.57

10.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R 19.15

$0.94 R 15.09

26.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 R 60.6

$2.95 R 47.57

27.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 R 100

$5.07 R 81.6

22.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 R 23.06

$1.31 R 21.14

9.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 R 36.20

$1.79 R 28.85

25.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 R 24.42

$1.54 R 24.77

-1.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.1 R 1,000

$49.11 R 791

26.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 R 9.68

$1.29 R 20.71

-53.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 R 25.56

$0.48 R 7.78

231.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 R 83.8

$8.91 R 144

-41.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 R 25.38

$1.36 R 21.86

16.18%

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

$37.5K R 604.2K

$36.8K R 592.6K

1.97%

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

$33.3K R 536.3K

$29.4K R 473.2K

13.32%

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

$122 R 1,967

$127 R 2,047

-3.91%

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

$31.30 R 504

$34.25 R 552

-8.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.49 R 636

$44.53 R 717

-11.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 R 815

$40.73 R 656

24.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 R 191

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 R 147

$4.99 R 80.3

82.36%

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

$275 R 4,434

$183 R 2,945

50.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,638 R 106.9K

$5,563 R 89.6K

19.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 R 950

$59.8 R 962

-1.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.23 R 551

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 R 2,009

$74.6 R 1,201

67.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 R 1,760

$98.9 R 1,593

10.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 R 17.1K

$295 R 4,748

260.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 R 11.9K

$263 R 4,243

180.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,866 R 30.0K

$570 R 9,183

227.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 R 22.0K

$663 R 10.7K

106.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,415 R 38.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,564 R 25.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,637 R 26.4K

$1,689 R 27.2K

-3.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.02

0.18%

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

Last update for Cape Town: September 8, 2026

Last update for East London: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Cape Town versus $295 in East London. 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 3% higher in East London, 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 $50.0 in Cape Town versus $39.00 in East London. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $193 – making East London 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 East London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Town costs about 58% more than East London, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,464 per month in Cape Town and $1,562 in East London. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in East London, 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 $1,643 in Cape Town and $1,042 in East London. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 26% less in East London. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in East London, where all-in costs run around $1,042, than in Cape Town at $1,643. In East London 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. East London costs $1,042 versus $1,643 in Cape Town. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with East London. 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.