Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,274 per month in Cape Town vs $1,167 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,011 per month in Cape Town vs $1,849 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,747 per month in Cape Town vs $2,532 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

Cape Town costs about 9% more than Port Elizabeth, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Cape Town and Port Elizabeth are more affordable than the global median – Cape Town 5% lower, Port Elizabeth 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.87 R 179

$8.89 R 146

22.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.99 R 740

$44.06 R 724

2.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.17 R 84.9

$5.36 R 88.2

-3.54%

Cappuccino

$1.99 R 32.64

$2.14 R 35.22

-7.01%

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

$1.15 R 18.85

$1.14 R 18.70

0.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.43

$1.00 R 16.38

-12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.87 R 47.24

$2.56 R 42.11

12.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 R 40.27

$3.02 R 49.69

-18.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 19.13

$1.12 R 18.40

3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 R 18.10

$0.95 R 15.67

15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 R 31.19

$1.50 R 24.63

26.67%

Eggs

$2.47 R 40.63

$2.45 R 40.30

0.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.55 R 141

$7.79 R 128

9.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 R 82.8

$4.74 R 78.0

6.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 R 123

$8.03 R 132

-6.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.91

$1.64 R 26.89

-7.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.32

$1.42 R 23.40

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 R 24.01

$1.63 R 26.82

-10.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.40

$1.63 R 26.72

-5.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 R 18.44

$1.55 R 25.55

-27.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R 20.39

$1.12 R 18.45

10.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.87

$1.17 R 19.29

-6.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.73

$1.01 R 16.57

-4.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 R 49.58

$2.95 R 48.41

2.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 R 99.0

$4.86 R 79.8

23.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 22.87

$1.10 R 18.09

26.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 R 27.44

$1.72 R 28.20

-2.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R 15.94

$1.13 R 18.61

-14.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.18 R 775

$34.27 R 563

37.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 R 23.58

$2.67 R 43.87

-46.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 R 15.35

$0.45 R 7.42

106.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 R 73.4

$7.95 R 131

-43.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.57

$1.27 R 20.83

-6.30%

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

$21.2K R 348.8K

$23.9K R 393.4K

-11.32%

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

$23.9K R 392.8K

$25.8K R 423.5K

-7.25%

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

$99.4 R 1,635

$114 R 1,879

-12.99%

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

$33.36 R 548

$31.86 R 524

4.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.88 R 672

$44.72 R 735

-8.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.96 R 690

$29.14 R 479

43.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.18 R 135

$21.28 R 350

-61.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 R 113

$9.73 R 160

-29.39%

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

$210 R 3,453

$168 R 2,763

24.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,351 R 88.0K

$4,835 R 79.5K

10.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 R 917

$67.2 R 1,105

-17.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.54 R 551

$37.20 R 612

-9.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 R 1,860

$96.6 R 1,588

17.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R 1,407

$89.0 R 1,462

-3.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 R 12.6K

$584 R 9,602

31.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 R 8,597

$438 R 7,192

19.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 R 23.9K

$1,097 R 18.0K

32.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 R 17.2K

$870 R 14.3K

19.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,329 R 38.3K

$772 R 12.7K

201.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,509 R 24.8K

$525 R 8,636

187.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,600 R 26.3K

$1,623 R 26.7K

-1.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.77

12.04

-2.24%

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

Last update for Cape Town: July 14, 2026

Last update for Port Elizabeth: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $768 in Cape Town versus $584 in Port Elizabeth. 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 1% higher in Port Elizabeth, 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 $44.00 in Port Elizabeth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $181 – making Port Elizabeth 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 Port Elizabeth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Town costs about 9% more than Port Elizabeth, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,911 per month in Cape Town and $1,750 in Port Elizabeth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Elizabeth, 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 $1,274 in Cape Town and $1,167 in Port Elizabeth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 38% less in Port Elizabeth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Elizabeth, where all-in costs run around $1,167, than in Cape Town at $1,274. In Port Elizabeth 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. Port Elizabeth costs $1,167 versus $1,274 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 Port Elizabeth. 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.