Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Casablanca and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Casablanca: $984 a month against $1,586 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Casablanca
🇲🇦 Morocco
$984
/mo nomad
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,586
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Casablanca and in Cape Town actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $984 per month in Casablanca vs $1,586 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Casablanca $984
  • Cape Town $1,586

A couple spends around $1,534 per month in Casablanca vs $2,425 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Casablanca $1,534
  • Cape Town $2,425

A family of three spends $2,084 per month in Casablanca vs $3,263 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Casablanca $2,084
  • Cape Town $3,263

Casablanca is about 38% cheaper than Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Casablanca sits 27% below the global median, while Cape Town is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Casablanca
Cape Town
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63 MAD 45.13
$12.14 R 200
-61.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.69 MAD 319
$45.34 R 747
-27.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.14 MAD 79.4
$5.88 R 96.9
38.44%
Cappuccino
$2.04 MAD 19.86
$2.50 R 41.18
-18.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 MAD 10.62
$1.27 R 20.94
-14.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.61 MAD 5.99
$0.98 R 16.14
-37.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.10 MAD 39.99
$2.99 R 49.33
37.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 MAD 55.5
$3.72 R 61.4
53.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Casablanca
Cape Town
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.91 MAD 8.87
$1.30 R 21.40
-30.00%
White Bread (500g)
$0.89 MAD 8.67
$1.25 R 20.68
-28.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.91 MAD 18.61
$2.23 R 36.76
-14.35%
Eggs
$1.85 MAD 18.06
$3.11 R 51.2
-40.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.93 MAD 107
$9.06 R 149
20.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.28 MAD 71.0
$6.92 R 114
5.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.25 MAD 119
$9.30 R 153
31.72%
Apples (1kg)
$1.62 MAD 15.75
$1.84 R 30.25
-11.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 MAD 15.44
$1.96 R 32.29
-19.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.85 MAD 8.26
$1.67 R 27.45
-49.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.70 MAD 6.80
$2.17 R 35.70
-67.74%
Potato (1kg)
$0.61 MAD 5.92
$1.57 R 25.81
-61.15%
Onion (1kg)
$0.69 MAD 6.73
$1.48 R 24.45
-53.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.46 MAD 4.46
$1.30 R 21.41
-64.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 MAD 5.35
$1.13 R 18.60
-51.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.01 MAD 39.12
$3.60 R 59.3
11.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.52 MAD 83.0
$6.15 R 101
38.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.29 MAD 22.37
$1.38 R 22.66
65.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 MAD 29.69
$2.14 R 35.20
42.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Casablanca
Cape Town
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.81 MAD 7.85
$1.50 R 24.65
-46.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.88 MAD 252
$60.8 R 1,001
-57.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.82 MAD 7.95
$0.59 R 9.71
38.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.30 MAD 2.91
$1.50 R 24.65
-80.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.71 MAD 45.95
$5.11 R 84.2
-7.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MAD 14.83
$1.55 R 25.50
-1.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.5K MAD 297.5K
$36.2K R 596.5K
-15.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.4K MAD 296.7K
$31.2K R 514.8K
-2.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Casablanca
Cape Town
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$52.2 MAD 509
$114 R 1,883
-54.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.17 MAD 99.1
$28.91 R 476
-64.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.61 MAD 406
$39.73 R 654
4.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Casablanca
Cape Town
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.20 MAD 314
$49.01 R 808
-34.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.37 MAD 208
$10.99 R 181
94.45%
Cinema Ticket
$7.63 MAD 74.4
$9.15 R 151
-16.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Casablanca
Cape Town
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$589 MAD 5,744
$259 R 4,264
127.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,573 MAD 54.3K
$6,794 R 111.9K
-17.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Casablanca
Cape Town
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.1 MAD 576
$56.2 R 926
5.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.20 MAD 450
$32.41 R 534
42.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.6 MAD 922
$121 R 1,987
-21.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$61.3 MAD 598
$108 R 1,781
-43.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Casablanca
Cape Town
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$619 MAD 6,031
$1,021 R 16.8K
-39.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$350 MAD 3,411
$717 R 11.8K
-51.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,125 MAD 11.0K
$1,824 R 30.1K
-38.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$647 MAD 6,306
$1,327 R 21.9K
-51.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,238 MAD 21.8K
$2,391 R 39.4K
-6.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,266 MAD 12.3K
$1,542 R 25.4K
-17.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Casablanca
Cape Town
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$676 MAD 6,595
$1,639 R 27.0K
-58.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.83
10.97
-55.97%

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

Last update for Casablanca: October 11, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Casablanca
$350
Cape Town
$717 105% $367
Groceries & Markets
Casablanca
$210
Cape Town
$225 7.3% $15
Eating Out
Casablanca
$125
Cape Town
$176 41.3% $52
Clothing & Footwear
Casablanca
$118
Cape Town
$143 21.5% $25
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Casablanca
$104
Cape Town
$183 76% $79
Sport & Entertainment
Casablanca
$47
Cape Town
$67 41.8% $20
Getting Around
Casablanca
$31
Cape Town
$75 138% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Casablanca versus $1,021 in Cape Town. 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 142% 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 $33.00 in Casablanca versus $45.00 in Cape Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $225 – making Casablanca the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇦 Casablanca
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🕒 Local time
06:19 6:19 AM
07:19 7:19 AM
1 h ahead of Casablanca
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,215,935
3,740,026 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to MAD – Moroccan Dirham Converter

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 9.75 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Casablanca Cape Town 7,980 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Casablanca
  • Cape Town

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
Casablanca vs Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Casablanca or Cape Town?
Cape Town costs about 61% more than Casablanca, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. 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 Casablanca and in Cape Town?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,477 per month in Casablanca and $2,379 in Cape Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Casablanca or Cape Town?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Casablanca, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Casablanca compared to Cape Town?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $984 in Casablanca and $1,586 in Cape Town. That's a gap of about 61%.
How expensive is transport in Casablanca compared to Cape Town?
Public transport costs about 135% less in Casablanca. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Casablanca or in Cape Town?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Casablanca, where all-in costs run around $984, than in Cape Town at $1,586. In Casablanca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cape Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Casablanca or Cape Town?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Casablanca costs $984 versus $1,586 in Cape Town. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Casablanca compared to Cape Town?
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.
Should I move to Casablanca or to Cape Town?
If budget matters most, go with Casablanca. 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.

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