Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and Sheikhupura

For one person, living is cheaper in Sheikhupura: $503 a month against $1,586 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

77

Cost of Living Index in Cape Town
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Cape Town Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Sheikhupura
Learn more

Sheikhupura Living Index

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Cape Town

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,586

/mo nomad

Sheikhupura

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$503

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,586 per month in Cape Town vs $503 in Sheikhupura, rent included.

Cape Town $1,586
Sheikhupura $503

A couple spends around $2,425 per month in Cape Town vs $792 in Sheikhupura, rent included.

Cape Town $2,425
Sheikhupura $792

A family of three spends $3,263 per month in Cape Town vs $1,081 in Sheikhupura, rent included.

Cape Town $3,263
Sheikhupura $1,081

Cape Town costs about 216% more than Sheikhupura, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Cape Town sits 17% above the global median, while Sheikhupura is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 R 200

$3.60 PKR 996

237.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.34 R 747

$23.02 PKR 6,370

96.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 R 96.9

$5.45 PKR 1,508

7.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 PKR 977

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 PKR 1,870

Cappuccino

$2.50 R 41.18

$2.59 PKR 718

-3.47%

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

$1.27 R 20.94

$0.33 PKR 90.5

284.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 R 16.14

$0.23 PKR 63.8

326.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 R 49.33

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 R 61.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 R 21.40

$0.92 PKR 256

41.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 R 20.68

$0.76 PKR 210

64.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 R 36.76

$1.24 PKR 344

79.84%

Eggs

$3.11 R 51.2

$1.22 PKR 339

154.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.06 R 149

$6.11 PKR 1,692

48.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.92 R 114

$3.17 PKR 877

118.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.30 R 153

$5.51 PKR 1,526

68.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 R 30.25

$1.27 PKR 352

44.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 R 32.29

$0.86 PKR 237

127.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.45

$1.03 PKR 286

62.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 R 35.70

$0.55 PKR 153

294.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.81

$0.29 PKR 80.8

441.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.45

$0.36 PKR 98.9

311.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 R 21.41

$0.30 PKR 83.2

333.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 R 18.60

$0.42 PKR 117

169.05%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.86 PKR 515

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 PKR 347

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 656

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.60 R 59.3

$2.34 PKR 646

53.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.15 R 101

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 R 22.66

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 R 35.20

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 R 24.65

$0.18 PKR 49.84

733.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.8 R 1,001

$9.59 PKR 2,654

533.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 R 9.71

$1.23 PKR 340

-52.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 R 24.65

$0.74 PKR 205

102.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 R 84.2

$1.65 PKR 458

209.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 R 25.50

$1.37 PKR 380

13.14%

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

$36.2K R 596.5K

$22.0K PKR 6.1M

64.79%

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

$31.2K R 514.8K

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

29.94%

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

$114 R 1,883

$101 PKR 28.0K

13.11%

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

$28.91 R 476

$6.16 PKR 1,704

369.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.73 R 654

$16.82 PKR 4,654

136.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.01 R 808

$15.12 PKR 4,183

224.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.99 R 181

$8.79 PKR 2,434

25.03%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 R 151

$4.27 PKR 1,182

114.29%

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

$259 R 4,264

$74.5 PKR 20.6K

247.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,794 R 111.9K

$1,031 PKR 285.3K

558.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 R 926

$26.73 PKR 7,397

110.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.41 R 534

$34.17 PKR 9,456

-5.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 R 1,987

$96.2 PKR 26.6K

25.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 R 1,781

$40.34 PKR 11.2K

167.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,021 R 16.8K

$129 PKR 35.7K

692.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$717 R 11.8K

$68.6 PKR 19.0K

944.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 R 30.1K

$216 PKR 59.6K

746.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 R 21.9K

$143 PKR 39.6K

828.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 R 39.4K

$962 PKR 266.2K

148.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,542 R 25.4K

$534 PKR 147.7K

188.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,639 R 27.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.97

13.08

-16.13%

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

Last update for Cape Town: October 10, 2026

Last update for Sheikhupura: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cape Town

$717 45.2%

Sheikhupura

$69 13.7% 90.4% $648

Groceries & Markets

Cape Town

$225 14.2%

Sheikhupura

$104 20.6% 53.9% $121

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cape Town

$183 11.5%

Sheikhupura

$124 24.7% 32.2% $59

Eating Out

Cape Town

$176 11.1%

Sheikhupura

$78 15.6% 55.4% $98

Clothing & Footwear

Cape Town

$143 9%

Sheikhupura

$89 17.7% 37.8% $54

Getting Around

Cape Town

$75 4.7%

Sheikhupura

$15 3% 79.6% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Cape Town

$67 4.2%

Sheikhupura

$24 4.7% 64.8% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,021 in Cape Town versus $129 in Sheikhupura. 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 $45.00 in Cape Town versus $23.00 in Sheikhupura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $104 – making Sheikhupura the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇿🇦 Cape Town

🇵🇰 Sheikhupura

🕒 Local time

00:37 12:37 AM

03:37 3:37 AM

3 h ahead of Cape Town

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,740,026 Capital

473,129

💱 Currency

South African Rand ZAR R

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZAR = 6.07 USD

100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇿🇦 South African Rand (R)

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

USD to ZAR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cape Town Sheikhupura 9,330 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Cape Town
Sheikhupura

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 Sheikhupura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Town costs about 216% more than Sheikhupura, 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 $2,379 per month in Cape Town and $754 in Sheikhupura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sheikhupura, 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 $1,586 in Cape Town and $503 in Sheikhupura. That's a gap of about 216%.

Public transport costs about 533% less in Sheikhupura. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sheikhupura, where all-in costs run around $503, than in Cape Town at $1,586. In Sheikhupura 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. Sheikhupura costs $503 versus $1,586 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 Sheikhupura. 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.