Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Foz do Iguaçu and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Foz do Iguaçu: $846 a month against $1,527 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
Cape Town, South Africa
Foz do Iguaçu
🇧🇷 Brazil
$846
/mo nomad
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,527
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Foz do Iguaçu 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 Foz do Iguaçu and in Cape Town actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $846 per month in Foz do Iguaçu vs $1,527 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Foz do Iguaçu $846
  • Cape Town $1,527

A couple spends around $1,285 per month in Foz do Iguaçu vs $2,417 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Foz do Iguaçu $1,285
  • Cape Town $2,417

A family of three spends $1,724 per month in Foz do Iguaçu vs $3,306 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Foz do Iguaçu $1,724
  • Cape Town $3,306

Foz do Iguaçu is about 45% cheaper than Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Foz do Iguaçu sits 37% below the global median, while Cape Town is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Foz do Iguaçu
Cape Town
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.53 R$30.44
$12.01 R 199
-53.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.68 R$202
$42.92 R 709
-14.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.33 R$40.33
$6.15 R 102
19.19%
Cappuccino
$1.79 R$9.85
$2.37 R 39.16
-24.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 R$7.50
$1.27 R 21.03
7.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 R$3.44
$0.94 R 15.50
-34.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.87 R$10.32
$2.96 R 48.92
-36.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34 R$18.37
$3.69 R 61.0
-9.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Foz do Iguaçu
Cape Town
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.90 R$4.95
$1.32 R 21.80
-31.82%
White Bread (500g)
$1.32 R$7.25
$1.21 R 19.93
9.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.03 R$5.68
$2.20 R 36.37
-53.18%
Eggs
$2.91 R$16.02
$3.10 R 51.3
-6.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.30 R$45.69
$8.73 R 144
-4.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.34 R$18.38
$6.89 R 114
-51.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.67 R$47.71
$9.26 R 153
-6.37%
Apples (1kg)
$1.61 R$8.87
$1.83 R 30.17
-12.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.00 R$5.52
$1.95 R 32.22
-48.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.98 R$5.41
$1.66 R 27.40
-40.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.03 R$5.66
$2.14 R 35.30
-51.87%
Potato (1kg)
$0.90 R$4.96
$1.58 R 26.09
-43.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.00 R$5.50
$1.47 R 24.37
-31.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.78 R$4.27
$1.35 R 22.25
-42.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 R$5.22
$1.14 R 18.91
-16.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.20 R$17.60
$3.58 R 59.1
-10.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.00 R$49.55
$6.05 R 100
48.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 R$8.94
$1.39 R 23.02
16.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 R$14.68
$2.18 R 36.01
22.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Foz do Iguaçu
Cape Town
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 R$5.15
$1.40 R 23.09
-32.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$47.26 R$260
$60.8 R 1,004
-22.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.91 R$4.99
$0.93 R 15.31
-2.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.32 R$7.24
$0.90 R 14.88
46.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$4.96 R 82.0
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 R$6.39
$1.54 R 25.45
-24.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.3K R$100.9K
$35.4K R 584.6K
-48.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$33.4K R 551.6K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Foz do Iguaçu
Cape Town
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$77.9 R$429
$117 R 1,935
-33.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.99 R$99.0
$25.71 R 425
-30.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.91 R$98.6
$39.41 R 651
-54.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Foz do Iguaçu
Cape Town
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$15.67 R$86.3
$51.6 R 853
-69.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.60 R$30.85
$11.35 R 188
-50.66%
Cinema Ticket
$8.05 R$44.30
$8.89 R 147
-9.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Foz do Iguaçu
Cape Town
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$225 R$1,240
$308 R 5,085
-26.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$8,141 R 134.6K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Foz do Iguaçu
Cape Town
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.72 R$197
$57.4 R 948
-37.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$16.48 R$90.7
$31.75 R 525
-48.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$42.31 R$233
$116 R 1,917
-63.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$30.00 R$165
$101 R 1,665
-70.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Foz do Iguaçu
Cape Town
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$353 R$1,945
$1,047 R 17.3K
-66.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$295 R$1,622
$669 R 11.1K
-55.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$697 R$3,835
$1,861 R 30.8K
-62.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$469 R$2,583
$1,407 R 23.3K
-66.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,198 R$6,595
$2,410 R 39.8K
-50.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$822 R$4,524
$1,570 R 25.9K
-47.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Foz do Iguaçu
Cape Town
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$376 R$2,069
$1,630 R 26.9K
-76.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.16
10.89
-25.07%

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

Last update for Foz do Iguaçu: November 2, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Foz do Iguaçu
$295
Cape Town
$669 127% $375
Groceries & Markets
Foz do Iguaçu
$179
Cape Town
$223 24.5% $44
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Foz do Iguaçu
$114
Cape Town
$182 60.1% $68
Eating Out
Foz do Iguaçu
$112
Cape Town
$174 55.8% $62
Getting Around
Foz do Iguaçu
$58
Cape Town
$72 22.7% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Foz do Iguaçu
$56
Cape Town
$138 146% $82
Sport & Entertainment
Foz do Iguaçu
$32
Cape Town
$69 118% $38

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $353 in Foz do Iguaçu versus $1,047 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 in Cape Town are about 4.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Foz do Iguaçu versus $43 in Cape Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $223 – making Foz do Iguaçu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Foz do Iguaçu
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🕒 Local time
12:32 12:32 PM
17:32 5:32 PM
5 h ahead of Foz do Iguaçu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
285,415
3,740,026 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 5.5 BRL (1 BRL = 0.182 USD). 1 EUR = 6.18 BRL (1 BRL = 0.162 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 16.53 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.05 USD). 1 EUR = 18.56 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.39 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Foz do Iguaçu Cape Town 6,970 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Foz do Iguaçu
  • 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
Foz do Iguaçu vs Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Foz do Iguaçu or Cape Town?
Cape Town costs about 81% more than Foz do Iguaçu, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. 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 Foz do Iguaçu and in Cape Town?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,269 per month in Foz do Iguaçu and $2,291 in Cape Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Foz do Iguaçu or Cape Town?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Foz do Iguaçu, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $353 there versus $1,047 in Cape Town.
How much does it cost to live in Foz do Iguaçu compared to Cape Town?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $846 in Foz do Iguaçu and $1,527 in Cape Town. That makes Foz do Iguaçu about 45% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Foz do Iguaçu compared to Cape Town?
Public transport costs about 22% less in Foz do Iguaçu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Foz do Iguaçu or in Cape Town?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Foz do Iguaçu, where all-in costs run around $846, than in Cape Town at $1,527. In Foz do Iguaçu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cape Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Foz do Iguaçu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Foz do Iguaçu or to Cape Town?
If budget matters most, go with Foz do Iguaçu. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cape Town makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Foz do Iguaçu vs other spots: cost of living compared

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