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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,273 per month in Cape Town vs $1,033 in Hiroshima, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,983 per month in Cape Town vs $1,639 in Hiroshima, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,693 per month in Cape Town vs $2,244 in Hiroshima, rent included.

Cape Town costs about 23% more than Hiroshima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cape Town and Hiroshima are more affordable than the global median – Cape Town 5% lower, Hiroshima 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 R 180

$6.10 ¥976

80.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.99 R 736

$34.44 ¥5,508

30.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 R 80.3

$4.76 ¥762

3.15%

Cappuccino

$2.00 R 32.68

$2.98 ¥477

-32.89%

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

$1.10 R 18.05

$1.11 ¥177

-0.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R 13.51

$0.75 ¥120

10.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.87 R 46.84

$2.78 ¥445

3.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R 40.59

$4.21 ¥673

-41.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 18.72

$1.51 ¥242

-23.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 R 17.69

$1.42 ¥227

-23.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 R 30.56

$4.65 ¥745

-59.78%

Eggs

$2.47 R 40.35

$2.18 ¥349

13.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 R 140

$5.57 ¥890

53.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 R 84.0

$6.38 ¥1,021

-19.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.66 R 125

$12.10 ¥1,935

-36.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.38

$3.55 ¥568

-58.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.41

$2.16 ¥346

-31.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.42

$4.18 ¥669

-64.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 26.00

$4.24 ¥679

-62.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 R 17.64

$1.65 ¥264

-34.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R 20.28

$3.97 ¥635

-68.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 R 17.93

$1.34 ¥214

-17.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.66

$0.82 ¥132

17.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 R 49.62

$3.84 ¥614

-20.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.18 R 101

$7.66 ¥1,225

-19.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 R 23.10

$2.03 ¥325

-30.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 R 27.39

$2.60 ¥417

-35.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R 15.26

$2.12 ¥339

-56.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.91 R 783

$24.20 ¥3,871

97.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 R 22.56

$4.60 ¥736

-70.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 R 15.23

$1.28 ¥205

-27.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 R 71.4

$23.22 ¥3,714

-81.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.45

$1.19 ¥191

5.04%

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

$21.3K R 348.9K

$23.3K ¥3.7M

-8.49%

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

$24.5K R 399.8K

$17.1K ¥2.7M

43.43%

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

$98.3 R 1,607

$132 ¥21.2K

-25.67%

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

$33.19 R 543

$26.82 ¥4,290

23.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.75 R 666

$30.18 ¥4,828

35.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.68 R 681

$55.2 ¥8,821

-24.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.15 R 133

$5.61 ¥898

45.28%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 R 107

$12.29 ¥1,966

-46.70%

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

$211 R 3,456

$175 ¥28.0K

20.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,300 R 86.6K

$3,684 ¥589.3K

43.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 R 911

$30.65 ¥4,902

81.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.78 R 536

$27.85 ¥4,454

17.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 R 1,880

$52.4 ¥8,387

119.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.5 R 1,382

$67.9 ¥10.9K

24.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$765 R 12.5K

$352 ¥56.3K

117.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$520 R 8,503

$243 ¥38.9K

113.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 R 23.4K

$768 ¥122.8K

86.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 R 16.6K

$541 ¥86.5K

87.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,344 R 38.3K

$1,959 ¥313.4K

19.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,506 R 24.6K

$1,643 ¥262.7K

-8.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,683 R 27.5K

$2,415 ¥386.3K

-30.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.77

1.81

550.28%

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

Last update for Cape Town: June 1, 2026

Last update for Hiroshima: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $765 in Cape Town versus $352 in Hiroshima. 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 43% higher in Hiroshima, 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 Hiroshima. Groceries tell a different story – $189 in Cape Town vs $269 in Hiroshima – so Cape Town wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Hiroshima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Town costs about 23% more than Hiroshima, 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 $1,909 per month in Cape Town and $1,550 in Hiroshima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hiroshima, 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 $1,033 in Hiroshima. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 98% less in Hiroshima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hiroshima, where all-in costs run around $1,033, than in Cape Town at $1,273. In Hiroshima 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. Hiroshima costs $1,033 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 Hiroshima. 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.