Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and Mallorca

For one person, living is cheaper in Cape Town: $1,527 a month against $1,624 in Mallorca, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Cape Town, South Africa
Mallorca, Spain
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,527
/mo nomad
Mallorca
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,624
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,527 per month in Cape Town vs $1,624 in Mallorca, rent included.

  • Cape Town $1,527
  • Mallorca $1,624

A couple spends around $2,417 per month in Cape Town vs $2,384 in Mallorca, rent included.

  • Cape Town $2,417
  • Mallorca $2,384

A family of three spends $3,306 per month in Cape Town vs $3,143 in Mallorca, rent included.

  • Cape Town $3,306
  • Mallorca $3,143

Cape Town is about 6% cheaper than Mallorca, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Cape Town and Mallorca sit above the global median – Cape Town by 13%, Mallorca by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cape Town
Mallorca
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.01 R 197
$15.35 €13.67
-21.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.92 R 703
$57.0 €50.8
-24.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.15 R 101
$10.60 €9.45
-41.98%
Cappuccino
$2.37 R 38.81
$2.20 €1.96
7.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 R 20.84
$2.38 €2.12
-46.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 R 15.37
$1.77 €1.58
-46.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.96 R 48.48
$3.34 €2.98
-11.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.69 R 60.5
$3.54 €3.16
4.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cape Town
Mallorca
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 R 21.61
$1.19 €1.06
10.92%
White Bread (500g)
$1.21 R 19.75
$1.42 €1.27
-14.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 R 36.05
$1.68 €1.50
30.95%
Eggs
$3.10 R 50.8
$2.93 €2.61
5.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.73 R 143
$13.86 €12.35
-37.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.89 R 113
$8.16 €7.27
-15.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.26 R 152
$15.14 €13.48
-38.84%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 R 29.90
$2.42 €2.15
-24.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 R 31.94
$1.99 €1.77
-2.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 R 27.16
$2.00 €1.78
-17.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 R 34.99
$2.59 €2.31
-17.37%
Potato (1kg)
$1.58 R 25.86
$1.78 €1.59
-11.24%
Onion (1kg)
$1.47 R 24.15
$1.95 €1.73
-24.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 R 22.05
$1.30 €1.16
3.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 R 18.75
$0.72 €0.64
58.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.58 R 58.6
$6.15 €5.48
-41.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.05 R 99.2
$5.81 €5.17
4.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 R 22.82
$1.20 €1.07
15.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 R 35.69
$2.13 €1.90
2.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Cape Town
Mallorca
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.40 R 22.88
$1.69 €1.51
-17.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$60.8 R 995
$34.44 €30.68
76.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.93 R 15.18
$4.01 €3.57
-76.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.90 R 14.75
$1.20 €1.07
-25.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.96 R 81.3
$25.17 €22.42
-80.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 R 25.23
$1.82 €1.62
-15.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K R 579.4K
$39.4K €35.1K
-10.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K R 546.7K
$29.7K €26.4K
12.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Town
Mallorca
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$117 R 1,918
$135 €120
-13.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.71 R 421
$21.10 €18.79
21.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.41 R 646
$31.26 €27.85
26.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cape Town
Mallorca
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 R 846
$47.82 €42.60
7.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.35 R 186
$14.95 €13.32
-24.08%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89 R 146
$9.39 €8.36
-5.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cape Town
Mallorca
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 R 5,040
$400 €357
-23.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,141 R 133.4K
$8,171 €7,279
-0.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cape Town
Mallorca
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.4 R 940
$86.0 €76.6
-33.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.75 R 520
$35.57 €31.69
-10.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 R 1,900
$88.9 €79.2
30.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101 R 1,650
$107 €95.0
-5.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cape Town
Mallorca
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,047 R 17.1K
$856 €762
22.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$669 R 11.0K
$693 €617
-3.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,861 R 30.5K
$1,319 €1,175
41.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,407 R 23.1K
$1,008 €898
39.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,410 R 39.5K
$3,380 €3,011
-28.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,570 R 25.7K
$2,318 €2,065
-32.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cape Town
Mallorca
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,630 R 26.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.89
3.5
211.14%

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

Last update for Cape Town: November 2, 2026

Last update for Mallorca: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cape Town
$669
Mallorca
$693 3.5% $23
Groceries & Markets
Cape Town
$223
Mallorca
$262 17.5% $39
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Town
$182
Mallorca
$188 3% $5.4
Eating Out
Cape Town
$174
Mallorca
$221 27.3% $47
Clothing & Footwear
Cape Town
$138
Mallorca
$143 3.7% $5.1
Getting Around
Cape Town
$72
Mallorca
$51 28.6% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Cape Town
$69
Mallorca
$67 4% $2.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,047 in Cape Town versus $856 in Mallorca. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Cape Town versus $57 in Mallorca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $262 – making Cape Town the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🇪🇸 Mallorca
🕒 Local time
03:06 3:06 AM
02:06 2:06 AM
1 h behind Cape Town
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,740,026 Capital
940,332
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to ZAR – South African Rand Converter

South African Rand exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 16.38 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.1 USD). 1 EUR = 18.39 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.44 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.891 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cape Town Mallorca 8,340 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cape Town
  • Mallorca

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 Mallorca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cape Town or Mallorca?
Mallorca costs about 6% more than Cape Town, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. 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 Mallorca?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,291 per month in Cape Town and $2,436 in Mallorca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Cape Town or Mallorca?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mallorca, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $856 there versus $1,047 in Cape Town.
How much does it cost to live in Cape Town compared to Mallorca?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,527 in Cape Town and $1,624 in Mallorca. That makes Cape Town about 6% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Cape Town compared to Mallorca?
Public transport costs about 43% less in Mallorca. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Cape Town or in Mallorca?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,527 in Cape Town and $1,624 in Mallorca. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Cape Town or Mallorca?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cape Town costs $1,527 versus $1,624 in Mallorca. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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