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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,288 per month in Cape Town vs $804 in Stilbaai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,011 per month in Cape Town vs $1,309 in Stilbaai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,735 per month in Cape Town vs $1,814 in Stilbaai, rent included.

Cape Town costs about 60% more than Stilbaai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cape Town and Stilbaai are more affordable than the global median – Cape Town 3% lower, Stilbaai 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.97 R 183

$5.72 R 95.3

91.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.62 R 760

$44.69 R 745

2.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.10 R 84.9

$4.40 R 73.3

15.91%

Cappuccino

$2.08 R 34.57

$1.37 R 22.78

51.82%

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

$1.10 R 18.40

$0.54 R 9.04

103.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.52

$0.57 R 9.51

52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 R 47.54

$2.83 R 47.10

0.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 R 42.97

$1.67 R 27.76

54.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R 18.55

$0.76 R 12.68

46.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 R 18.06

$0.50 R 8.40

116.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 R 30.59

$1.65 R 27.55

11.52%

Eggs

$2.41 R 40.16

$2.41 R 40.08

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 R 141

$4.35 R 72.5

94.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 R 88.0

$4.41 R 73.5

19.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 R 128

$7.65 R 128

0.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.80

$1.21 R 20.21

23.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.47

$0.81 R 13.52

81.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 R 24.12

$1.15 R 19.15

26.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.31

$1.26 R 20.91

20.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 R 18.02

$0.35 R 5.85

208.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R 20.67

$1.24 R 20.60

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 R 17.56

$0.86 R 14.25

22.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 R 16.80

$0.58 R 9.73

74.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 R 50.1

$3.05 R 50.9

-1.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.05 R 101

$4.65 R 77.4

30.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 R 23.40

$0.81 R 13.57

72.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 R 28.04

$1.15 R 19.08

46.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 R 16.01

$1.67 R 27.80

-42.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.42 R 807

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 R 23.00

$1.38 R 22.92

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 R 16.75

$0.28 R 4.71

260.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 R 73.5

$4.53 R 75.5

-2.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.77

$1.24 R 20.60

-4.03%

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

$21.7K R 360.7K

$16.7K R 278.1K

29.70%

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

$24.1K R 401.3K

$16.8K R 279.2K

43.76%

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

$98.2 R 1,635

$51.2 R 853

91.59%

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

$33.13 R 552

$32.58 R 543

1.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.84 R 680

$27.49 R 458

48.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.19 R 703

$31.46 R 524

34.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.90 R 132

Cinema Ticket

$6.90 R 115

$4.98 R 83.0

38.55%

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

$213 R 3,544

$216 R 3,590

-1.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,327 R 88.7K

$1,125 R 18.7K

373.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 R 908

$28.33 R 472

92.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.40 R 556

$17.13 R 285

94.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 R 1,919

$55.2 R 920

108.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 R 1,407

$55.7 R 927

51.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 R 12.5K

$369 R 6,145

103.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 R 8,695

$340 R 5,663

53.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,411 R 23.5K

$674 R 11.2K

109.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 R 17.1K

$680 R 11.3K

50.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,304 R 38.4K

$797 R 13.3K

188.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,476 R 24.6K

$564 R 9,401

161.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,593 R 26.5K

$2,391 R 39.8K

-33.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.77

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

Last update for Cape Town: July 25, 2026

Last update for Stilbaai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $750 in Cape Town versus $369 in Stilbaai. 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 50% higher in Stilbaai, 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 $46.00 in Cape Town versus $45.00 in Stilbaai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $138 – making Stilbaai 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 Stilbaai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Town costs about 60% more than Stilbaai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,205 in Stilbaai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stilbaai, 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 $804 in Stilbaai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $213 per month in Cape Town and $216 in Stilbaai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Stilbaai, where all-in costs run around $804, than in Cape Town at $1,288. In Stilbaai 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. Stilbaai costs $804 versus $1,288 in Cape Town. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Stilbaai. 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.