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 $1,252 per month in Cape Town vs $806 in Stilbaai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,964 per month in Cape Town vs $1,311 in Stilbaai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,676 per month in Cape Town vs $1,816 in Stilbaai, rent included.

Cape Town costs about 55% more than Stilbaai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cape Town and Stilbaai are more affordable than the global median – Cape Town 7% lower, Stilbaai 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.94 R 177

$5.70 R 92.1

91.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.43 R 718

$45.14 R 730

-1.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 R 83.4

$4.53 R 73.3

13.91%

Cappuccino

$1.98 R 32.09

$1.44 R 23.30

37.50%

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

$1.10 R 17.84

$0.58 R 9.40

89.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.24

$0.54 R 8.77

51.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 R 45.75

$2.87 R 46.33

-1.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 R 41.81

$1.69 R 27.39

53.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 18.64

$0.80 R 12.94

43.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 R 16.98

$0.54 R 8.79

94.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 R 29.75

$1.66 R 26.77

10.84%

Eggs

$2.46 R 39.79

$2.40 R 38.83

2.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.50 R 137

$4.60 R 74.3

84.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.09 R 82.2

$4.60 R 74.4

10.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.61 R 123

$7.37 R 119

3.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.46

$1.26 R 20.39

19.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 R 23.81

$0.86 R 13.86

70.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 R 23.54

$1.10 R 17.75

32.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.49

$1.25 R 20.28

20.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 R 18.17

$0.33 R 5.31

239.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 R 19.17

$1.18 R 19.04

0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.64

$0.85 R 13.82

28.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 15.08

$0.54 R 8.79

72.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 R 50.6

$3.06 R 49.51

2.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.10 R 98.6

$4.89 R 79.1

24.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R 21.78

$0.82 R 13.21

64.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 R 28.02

$1.14 R 18.44

51.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R 15.08

$1.61 R 26.02

-42.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.64 R 770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 R 22.93

$1.42 R 22.89

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 R 15.11

$0.26 R 4.16

257.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 R 70.5

$4.37 R 70.6

-0.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 R 19.91

$1.24 R 20.11

-0.81%

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

$21.2K R 343.2K

$16.7K R 269.7K

27.23%

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

$24.1K R 389.6K

$16.6K R 268.5K

45.09%

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

$99.9 R 1,615

$52.4 R 847

90.60%

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

$33.35 R 539

$32.39 R 524

2.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.86 R 661

$27.76 R 449

47.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.50 R 687

$31.43 R 508

35.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.95 R 129

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 R 111

$5.02 R 81.1

36.85%

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

$213 R 3,450

$210 R 3,397

1.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,342 R 86.4K

$1,125 R 18.2K

374.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 R 905

$28.38 R 459

97.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.52 R 526

$16.70 R 270

94.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 R 1,849

$56.3 R 910

103.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 R 1,350

$55.8 R 902

49.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 R 12.4K

$358 R 5,781

113.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 R 8,452

$338 R 5,458

54.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 R 22.7K

$684 R 11.1K

105.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,025 R 16.6K

$701 R 11.3K

46.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,343 R 37.9K

$984 R 15.9K

138.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,488 R 24.1K

$604 R 9,757

146.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,641 R 26.5K

$2,470 R 39.9K

-33.55%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Stilbaai: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $764 in Cape Town versus $358 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 $44.00 in Cape Town versus $45.00 in Stilbaai. Groceries tell a different story – $187 in Cape Town vs $140 in Stilbaai – so Stilbaai wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 55% 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 $1,878 per month in Cape Town and $1,209 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 $1,252 in Cape Town and $806 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 $210 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 $806, than in Cape Town at $1,252. 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 $806 versus $1,252 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.