Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and Jonkoping

For one person, living is cheaper in Cape Town: $1,527 a month against $1,813 in Jonkoping, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Cape Town
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Cape Town Living Index
87

Cost of Living Index in Jonkoping
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Jonkoping Living Index

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Cape Town

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,527

/mo nomad

Jonkoping

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,813

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,527 per month in Cape Town vs $1,813 in Jonkoping, rent included.

Cape Town $1,527
Jonkoping $1,813

A couple spends around $2,417 per month in Cape Town vs $2,792 in Jonkoping, rent included.

Cape Town $2,417
Jonkoping $2,792

A family of three spends $3,306 per month in Cape Town vs $3,771 in Jonkoping, rent included.

Cape Town $3,306
Jonkoping $3,771

Cape Town is about 16% cheaper than Jonkoping, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Cape Town and Jonkoping sit above the global median – Cape Town by 13%, Jonkoping by 34%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.01 R 197

$13.53 SEK 132

-11.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.92 R 703

$91.6 SEK 895

-53.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 R 101

$12.28 SEK 120

-49.92%

Cappuccino

$2.37 R 38.81

$4.51 SEK 44.10

-47.45%

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

$1.27 R 20.84

$2.14 SEK 20.96

-40.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.37

$1.99 SEK 19.44

-52.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 R 48.48

$8.23 SEK 80.4

-64.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 R 60.5

$7.21 SEK 70.5

-48.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 R 21.61

$1.73 SEK 16.87

-23.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 R 19.75

$2.49 SEK 24.31

-51.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 R 36.05

$2.68 SEK 26.17

-17.91%

Eggs

$3.10 R 50.8

$3.79 SEK 37.01

-18.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.73 R 143

$12.86 SEK 126

-32.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 R 113

$11.67 SEK 114

-40.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.26 R 152

$15.99 SEK 156

-42.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.90

$2.91 SEK 28.43

-37.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 R 31.94

$2.49 SEK 24.30

-21.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 R 27.16

$2.80 SEK 27.34

-40.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 R 34.99

$4.36 SEK 42.57

-50.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.86

$1.57 SEK 15.38

0.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.15

$1.47 SEK 14.38

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 R 22.05

$1.85 SEK 18.06

-27.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 R 18.75

$0.99 SEK 9.66

15.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.58 R 58.6

$7.85 SEK 76.7

-54.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.05 R 99.2

$11.46 SEK 112

-47.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 22.82

$1.78 SEK 17.38

-21.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 R 35.69

$2.25 SEK 21.96

-3.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 R 22.88

$4.02 SEK 39.27

-65.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.8 R 995

$41.63 SEK 407

45.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 R 15.18

$5.21 SEK 50.9

-82.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R 14.75

$1.13 SEK 11.03

-20.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 R 81.3

$41.61 SEK 407

-88.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 R 25.23

$1.80 SEK 17.57

-14.44%

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

$35.4K R 579.4K

$33.2K SEK 324.6K

6.47%

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

$33.4K R 546.7K

$33.8K SEK 329.9K

-1.14%

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

$117 R 1,918

$80.1 SEK 783

46.14%

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

$25.71 R 421

$28.02 SEK 274

-8.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.41 R 646

$42.50 SEK 415

-7.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 R 846

$36.60 SEK 358

41.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.35 R 186

$31.05 SEK 303

-63.45%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 R 146

$12.14 SEK 119

-26.77%

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

$308 R 5,040

$158 SEK 1,545

94.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,141 R 133.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.4 R 940

$82.5 SEK 806

-30.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.75 R 520

$25.20 SEK 246

25.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 R 1,900

$103 SEK 1,006

12.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 R 1,650

$124 SEK 1,209

-18.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 R 17.1K

$952 SEK 9,306

9.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 R 11.0K

$772 SEK 7,547

-13.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,861 R 30.5K

$1,559 SEK 15.2K

19.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 R 23.1K

$1,181 SEK 11.5K

19.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,410 R 39.5K

$4,060 SEK 39.7K

-40.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,570 R 25.7K

$2,746 SEK 26.8K

-42.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,630 R 26.7K

$2,926 SEK 28.6K

-44.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.89

3.27

233.03%

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

Last update for Cape Town: November 2, 2026

Last update for Jonkoping: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cape Town

$669 43.8%

Jonkoping

$772 42.6% 15.4% $103

Groceries & Markets

Cape Town

$223 14.6%

Jonkoping

$339 18.7% 51.7% $115

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cape Town

$182 11.9%

Jonkoping

$151 8.3% 17.3% $32

Eating Out

Cape Town

$174 11.4%

Jonkoping

$271 15% 55.9% $97

Clothing & Footwear

Cape Town

$138 9%

Jonkoping

$150 8.3% 9.3% $13

Getting Around

Cape Town

$72 4.7%

Jonkoping

$69 3.8% 4.5% $3.2

Sport & Entertainment

Cape Town

$69 4.5%

Jonkoping

$61 3.4% 12.3% $8.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,047 in Cape Town versus $952 in Jonkoping. 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 80% higher in Jonkoping. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Cape Town versus $92 in Jonkoping. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $339 – making Cape Town the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇿🇦 Cape Town

🇸🇪 Jonkoping

🕒 Local time

23:00 11:00 PM

22:00 10:00 PM

1 h behind Cape Town

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,740,026 Capital

84,423

💱 Currency

South African Rand ZAR R

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZAR = 6.1 USD

100 ZAR = 5.44 EUR

100 SEK = 10.23 USD

100 SEK = 9.12 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇿🇦 South African Rand (R)

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).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 9.77 SEK (1 SEK = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.97 SEK (100 SEK = 9.12 EUR).

USD to ZAR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cape Town Jonkoping 10,210 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Cape Town
Jonkoping

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 Jonkoping: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jonkoping costs about 19% more than Cape Town, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,291 per month in Cape Town and $2,719 in Jonkoping. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,047 in Cape Town and $952 in Jonkoping. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,527 in Cape Town and $1,813 in Jonkoping. That makes Cape Town about 16% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 31% less in Jonkoping. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,527 in Cape Town and $1,813 in Jonkoping. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Cape Town has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,527 in Cape Town to $1,813 in Jonkoping. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Cape Town. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jonkoping makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.