Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and Stenungsund

For one person, living is cheaper in Cape Town: $1,556 a month against $1,887 in Stenungsund, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. The total is higher in Stenungsund despite lower rent and utilities.

Cape Town, South Africa
Stenungsund, Sweden
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,556
/mo nomad
Stenungsund
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,887
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,556 per month in Cape Town vs $1,887 in Stenungsund, rent included.

  • Cape Town $1,556
  • Stenungsund $1,887

A couple spends around $2,432 per month in Cape Town vs $2,880 in Stenungsund, rent included.

  • Cape Town $2,432
  • Stenungsund $2,880

A family of three spends $3,307 per month in Cape Town vs $3,872 in Stenungsund, rent included.

  • Cape Town $3,307
  • Stenungsund $3,872

Cape Town is about 18% cheaper than Stenungsund, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Cape Town and Stenungsund sit above the global median – Cape Town by 14%, Stenungsund by 39%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cape Town
Stenungsund
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.09 R 202
$14.02 SEK 139
-13.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.34 R 739
$66.8 SEK 664
-33.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.15 R 102
$8.64 SEK 85.8
-28.82%
Cappuccino
$2.36 R 39.30
$4.40 SEK 43.67
-46.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26 R 21.06
$1.47 SEK 14.60
-14.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00 R 16.59
$2.22 SEK 22.03
-54.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.08 R 51.3
$7.03 SEK 69.9
-56.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.70 R 61.6
$6.89 SEK 68.5
-46.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cape Town
Stenungsund
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.34 R 22.41
$1.43 SEK 14.21
-6.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.19 R 19.89
$3.15 SEK 31.26
-62.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.10 R 35.01
$5.60 SEK 55.7
-62.50%
Eggs
$3.05 R 50.8
$5.23 SEK 51.9
-41.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.73 R 146
$13.62 SEK 135
-35.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.97 R 116
$13.38 SEK 133
-47.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.39 R 157
$16.96 SEK 168
-44.63%
Apples (1kg)
$1.89 R 31.44
$3.24 SEK 32.14
-41.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.88 R 31.32
$2.67 SEK 26.49
-29.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.69 R 28.08
$2.05 SEK 20.39
-17.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.04 R 34.07
$4.62 SEK 45.91
-55.84%
Potato (1kg)
$1.57 R 26.12
$1.43 SEK 14.19
9.79%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 R 24.65
$1.74 SEK 17.32
-14.94%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 R 21.36
$2.26 SEK 22.44
-43.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 R 19.81
$1.82 SEK 18.04
-34.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.63 R 60.5
$7.35 SEK 73.0
-50.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.17 R 103
$8.14 SEK 80.8
-24.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 R 23.14
$2.00 SEK 19.89
-30.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 R 36.33
$2.21 SEK 21.93
-1.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Cape Town
Stenungsund
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 R 22.83
$2.57 SEK 25.52
-46.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$61.3 R 1,021
$77.9 SEK 773
-21.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.57 R 9.58
$13.37 SEK 133
-95.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 R 24.62
$2.05 SEK 20.41
-27.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 R 81.6
$81.3 SEK 808
-93.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.58 R 26.29
$1.76 SEK 17.48
-10.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.7K R 578.4K
$32.7K SEK 324.5K
6.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K R 568.2K
$33.8K SEK 335.9K
0.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Town
Stenungsund
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$117 R 1,948
$178 SEK 1,768
-34.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.35 R 472
$28.89 SEK 287
-1.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.58 R 676
$47.61 SEK 473
-14.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cape Town
Stenungsund
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.54 R 809
$37.19 SEK 369
30.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.80 R 180
$26.84 SEK 267
-59.76%
Cinema Ticket
$9.11 R 152
$17.15 SEK 170
-46.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cape Town
Stenungsund
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$302 R 5,032
$219 SEK 2,176
37.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,720 R 112.0K
$5,035 SEK 50.0K
33.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cape Town
Stenungsund
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.2 R 920
$98.0 SEK 973
-43.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.70 R 545
$53.0 SEK 527
-38.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 R 1,964
$95.1 SEK 944
23.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 R 1,731
$218 SEK 2,169
-52.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cape Town
Stenungsund
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,041 R 17.3K
$813 SEK 8,071
28.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$691 R 11.5K
$606 SEK 6,014
14.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,981 R 33.0K
$1,378 SEK 13.7K
43.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,388 R 23.1K
$1,002 SEK 9,947
38.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,420 R 40.3K
$3,961 SEK 39.3K
-38.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,552 R 25.9K
$2,832 SEK 28.1K
-45.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cape Town
Stenungsund
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,576 R 26.3K
$1,935 SEK 19.2K
-18.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.97
2.8
291.79%

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

Last update for Cape Town: October 24, 2026

Last update for Stenungsund: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cape Town
$691
Stenungsund
$606 12.4% $85
Groceries & Markets
Cape Town
$224
Stenungsund
$381 70.2% $157
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Town
$186
Stenungsund
$254 36.9% $69
Eating Out
Cape Town
$175
Stenungsund
$255 45.2% $79
Clothing & Footwear
Cape Town
$139
Stenungsund
$209 50% $70
Getting Around
Cape Town
$75
Stenungsund
$112 49.6% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Cape Town
$67
Stenungsund
$72 7.1% $4.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,041 in Cape Town versus $813 in Stenungsund. 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 23% higher in Stenungsund. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Cape Town versus $67 in Stenungsund. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $224 vs $381 – making Cape Town the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🇸🇪 Stenungsund
🕒 Local time
16:49 4:49 PM
15:49 3:49 PM
1 h behind Cape Town
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,740,026 Capital
27,842
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 16.66 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6 USD). 1 EUR = 18.55 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.39 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 9.93 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.05 SEK (100 SEK = 9.05 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cape Town Stenungsund 10,250 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cape Town
  • Stenungsund

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 Stenungsund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cape Town or Stenungsund?
Stenungsund costs about 21% more than Cape Town, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Cape Town and in Stenungsund?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,335 per month in Cape Town and $2,831 in Stenungsund. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Cape Town or Stenungsund?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Stenungsund, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $813 there versus $1,041 in Cape Town.
How much does it cost to live in Cape Town compared to Stenungsund?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,556 in Cape Town and $1,887 in Stenungsund. That’s a gap of about 21%.
How expensive is transport in Cape Town compared to Stenungsund?
Public transport costs about 21% less in Cape Town. 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 Stenungsund?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,556 in Cape Town and $1,887 in Stenungsund. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Cape Town or Stenungsund?
It depends on your priorities. Cape Town has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,556 in Cape Town to $1,887 in Stenungsund. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Should I move to Cape Town or to Stenungsund?
If budget matters most, go with Cape Town. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Stenungsund makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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