Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and Marsaxlokk

For one person, living is cheaper in Cape Town: $1,527 a month against $1,951 in Marsaxlokk, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cape Town, South Africa
Marsaxlokk, Malta
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,527
/mo nomad
Marsaxlokk
🇲🇹 Malta
$1,951
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,527 per month in Cape Town vs $1,951 in Marsaxlokk, rent included.

  • Cape Town $1,527
  • Marsaxlokk $1,951

A couple spends around $2,417 per month in Cape Town vs $2,983 in Marsaxlokk, rent included.

  • Cape Town $2,417
  • Marsaxlokk $2,983

A family of three spends $3,306 per month in Cape Town vs $4,015 in Marsaxlokk, rent included.

  • Cape Town $3,306
  • Marsaxlokk $4,015

Cape Town is about 22% cheaper than Marsaxlokk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Cape Town and Marsaxlokk sit above the global median – Cape Town by 13%, Marsaxlokk by 44%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cape Town
Marsaxlokk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.01 R 198
$19.78 €17.75
-39.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.92 R 709
$87.9 €78.8
-51.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.15 R 102
$13.30 €11.93
-53.76%
Cappuccino
$2.37 R 39.13
$2.78 €2.50
-14.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 R 21.01
$3.00 €2.69
-57.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 R 15.49
$2.27 €2.04
-58.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.96 R 48.88
$4.62 €4.14
-35.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.69 R 61.0
$5.22 €4.68
-29.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cape Town
Marsaxlokk
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 R 21.78
$1.39 €1.24
-5.04%
White Bread (500g)
$1.21 R 19.91
$1.31 €1.17
-7.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 R 36.34
$4.27 €3.83
-48.48%
Eggs
$3.10 R 51.3
$4.32 €3.87
-28.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.73 R 144
$8.16 €7.32
6.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.89 R 114
$10.34 €9.28
-33.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.26 R 153
$18.53 €16.63
-50.03%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 R 30.15
$4.08 €3.66
-55.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 R 32.20
$2.68 €2.41
-27.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 R 27.38
$3.51 €3.15
-52.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 R 35.27
$3.42 €3.07
-37.43%
Potato (1kg)
$1.58 R 26.07
$2.20 €1.98
-28.18%
Onion (1kg)
$1.47 R 24.35
$1.83 €1.64
-19.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 R 22.23
$2.25 €2.02
-40.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 R 18.90
$1.29 €1.15
-11.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.58 R 59.1
$6.89 €6.18
-48.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.05 R 100.0
$8.32 €7.47
-27.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 R 23.00
$1.66 €1.49
-16.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 R 35.98
$2.33 €2.09
-6.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Cape Town
Marsaxlokk
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.40 R 23.07
$2.18 €1.96
-35.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$60.8 R 1,003
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.93 R 15.30
$5.56 €4.99
-83.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.90 R 14.87
$2.20 €1.97
-59.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.96 R 81.9
$27.18 €24.39
-81.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 R 25.43
$1.47 €1.32
4.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K R 584.1K
$37.6K €33.8K
-6.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K R 551.2K
$39.7K €35.6K
-15.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Town
Marsaxlokk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$117 R 1,934
$101 €90.7
15.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.71 R 425
$25.07 €22.50
2.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.41 R 651
$42.28 €37.94
-6.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cape Town
Marsaxlokk
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 R 852
$64.1 €57.6
-19.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.35 R 187
$27.50 €24.68
-58.73%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89 R 147
$9.99 €8.97
-11.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cape Town
Marsaxlokk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 R 5,081
$371 €333
-17.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,141 R 134.5K
$11.1K €9,943
-26.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cape Town
Marsaxlokk
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.4 R 948
$85.9 €77.1
-33.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.75 R 524
$40.29 €36.15
-21.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 R 1,915
$98.1 €88.0
18.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101 R 1,663
$78.6 €70.6
28.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cape Town
Marsaxlokk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,047 R 17.3K
$1,144 €1,027
-8.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$669 R 11.1K
$925 €830
-27.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,861 R 30.7K
$1,780 €1,598
4.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,407 R 23.2K
$1,487 €1,334
-5.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,410 R 39.8K
$3,983 €3,574
-39.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,570 R 25.9K
$2,916 €2,617
-46.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cape Town
Marsaxlokk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,630 R 26.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.89
2.9
275.52%

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

Last update for Cape Town: November 2, 2026

Last update for Marsaxlokk: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cape Town
$669
Marsaxlokk
$925 38.3% $256
Groceries & Markets
Cape Town
$223
Marsaxlokk
$325 45.6% $102
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Town
$182
Marsaxlokk
$168 7.6% $14
Eating Out
Cape Town
$174
Marsaxlokk
$286 64.4% $112
Clothing & Footwear
Cape Town
$138
Marsaxlokk
$136 1% $1.3
Getting Around
Cape Town
$72
Marsaxlokk
$25 * 64.8% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Cape Town
$69
Marsaxlokk
$84 21.2% $15

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,047 in Cape Town versus $1,144 in Marsaxlokk. 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 $88 in Marsaxlokk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $325 – making Cape Town the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🇲🇹 Marsaxlokk
🕒 Local time
04:59 4:59 AM
03:59 3:59 AM
1 h behind Cape Town
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,740,026 Capital
3,500
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to ZAR – South African Rand Converter

South African Rand exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 16.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.05 USD). 1 EUR = 18.46 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.42 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 0.897 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cape Town Marsaxlokk 7,770 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cape Town
  • Marsaxlokk

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 Marsaxlokk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cape Town or Marsaxlokk?
Marsaxlokk costs about 28% 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 Marsaxlokk?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,291 per month in Cape Town and $2,926 in Marsaxlokk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Cape Town compared to Marsaxlokk?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,047 in Cape Town and $1,144 in Marsaxlokk. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
How much does it cost to live in Cape Town compared to Marsaxlokk?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,527 in Cape Town and $1,951 in Marsaxlokk. That makes Cape Town about 22% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Cape Town and in Marsaxlokk?
Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Cape Town and $371 in Marsaxlokk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Cape Town or in Marsaxlokk?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,527 in Cape Town and $1,951 in Marsaxlokk. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Cape Town – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Cape Town vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?