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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,288 per month in Cape Town vs $979 in Rustenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,011 per month in Cape Town vs $1,499 in Rustenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,735 per month in Cape Town vs $2,018 in Rustenburg, rent included.

Cape Town costs about 32% more than Rustenburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cape Town and Rustenburg are more affordable than the global median – Cape Town 3% lower, Rustenburg 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.97 R 181

$11.06 R 183

-0.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.62 R 755

$44.98 R 744

1.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.10 R 84.3

$3.94 R 65.2

29.44%

Cappuccino

$2.08 R 34.33

$1.95 R 32.19

6.67%

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

$1.10 R 18.27

$0.90 R 14.82

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.42

$0.45 R 7.49

93.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 R 47.21

$1.44 R 23.75

97.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 R 42.67

$2.03 R 33.56

27.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R 18.42

$1.07 R 17.62

3.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 R 17.93

$0.88 R 14.59

22.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 R 30.38

$1.71 R 28.30

7.60%

Eggs

$2.41 R 39.88

$1.92 R 31.79

25.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 R 140

$5.66 R 93.6

49.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 R 87.4

$4.29 R 70.9

23.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 R 127

$6.68 R 111

15.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.63

$1.61 R 26.67

-7.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.30

$1.33 R 22.01

10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 R 23.96

$1.29 R 21.40

12.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.13

$1.56 R 25.73

-2.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 R 17.89

$0.79 R 13.05

36.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R 20.53

$0.76 R 12.55

63.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 R 17.44

$1.05 R 17.42

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 R 16.69

$0.95 R 15.72

6.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 R 49.77

$2.49 R 41.25

20.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.05 R 100

$4.53 R 75.0

33.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 R 23.24

$1.14 R 18.89

22.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 R 27.85

$1.10 R 18.18

52.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 R 15.90

$1.14 R 18.91

-15.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.42 R 801

$45.51 R 753

6.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 R 22.84

$0.94 R 15.50

46.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 R 16.63

$0.96 R 15.91

5.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 R 73.0

$3.95 R 65.4

11.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.64

$1.21 R 20.07

-1.65%

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

$21.7K R 358.2K

$22.6K R 373.2K

-4.02%

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

$24.1K R 398.6K

$23.6K R 390.8K

2.00%

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

$98.2 R 1,624

$68.9 R 1,139

42.56%

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

$33.13 R 548

$12.47 R 206

165.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.84 R 676

$43.62 R 722

-6.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.19 R 698

$23.59 R 390

78.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.90 R 131

$5.71 R 94.5

38.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.90 R 114

$4.45 R 73.7

55.06%

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

$213 R 3,519

$102 R 1,693

107.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,327 R 88.1K

$5,010 R 82.9K

6.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 R 902

$50.1 R 828

8.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.40 R 553

$33.16 R 549

0.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 R 1,906

$88.3 R 1,460

30.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 R 1,397

$79.7 R 1,319

5.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 R 12.4K

$302 R 5,004

148.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 R 8,635

$336 R 5,553

55.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,411 R 23.3K

$665 R 11.0K

112.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 R 16.9K

$565 R 9,347

81.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,304 R 38.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,476 R 24.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,593 R 26.3K

$1,309 R 21.7K

21.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.77

9.9

18.89%

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

Last update for Cape Town: July 25, 2026

Last update for Rustenburg: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $750 in Cape Town versus $302 in Rustenburg. 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 22% higher in Cape Town, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Cape Town versus $45.00 in Rustenburg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $158 – making Rustenburg 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 Rustenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Town costs about 32% more than Rustenburg, 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 $1,932 per month in Cape Town and $1,468 in Rustenburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rustenburg, 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 $1,288 in Cape Town and $979 in Rustenburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Rustenburg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rustenburg, where all-in costs run around $979, than in Cape Town at $1,288. In Rustenburg 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. Rustenburg costs $979 versus $1,288 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 Rustenburg. 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.