Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fredrikstad and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Cape Town: $1,527 a month against $3,013 in Fredrikstad, rent and utilities included – about $17,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Fredrikstad, Norway
Cape Town, South Africa
Fredrikstad
🇳🇴 Norway
$3,013
/mo nomad
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,527
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,013 per month in Fredrikstad vs $1,527 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Fredrikstad $3,013
  • Cape Town $1,527

A couple spends around $4,412 per month in Fredrikstad vs $2,417 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Fredrikstad $4,412
  • Cape Town $2,417

A family of three spends $5,811 per month in Fredrikstad vs $3,306 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Fredrikstad $5,811
  • Cape Town $3,306

Fredrikstad costs about 97% more than Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Fredrikstad and Cape Town sit above the global median – Fredrikstad by 123%, Cape Town by 13%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fredrikstad
Cape Town
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.34 NOK 217
$12.01 R 198
94.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$134 NOK 1,243
$42.92 R 707
211.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$17.21 NOK 160
$6.15 R 101
179.84%
Cappuccino
$7.01 NOK 65.2
$2.37 R 39.04
195.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.10 NOK 56.7
$1.27 R 20.96
380.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.23 NOK 48.62
$0.94 R 15.46
456.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$12.15 NOK 113
$2.96 R 48.77
310.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.60 NOK 89.3
$3.69 R 60.8
160.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fredrikstad
Cape Town
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.37 NOK 22.09
$1.32 R 21.73
79.55%
White Bread (500g)
$4.51 NOK 41.95
$1.21 R 19.87
272.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.65 NOK 33.91
$2.20 R 36.26
65.91%
Eggs
$6.23 NOK 57.9
$3.10 R 51.1
100.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.15 NOK 122
$8.73 R 144
50.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.69 NOK 174
$6.89 R 114
171.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$35.58 NOK 331
$9.26 R 153
284.23%
Apples (1kg)
$3.39 NOK 31.54
$1.83 R 30.08
85.25%
Banana (1kg)
$3.62 NOK 33.67
$1.95 R 32.12
85.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.36 NOK 40.54
$1.66 R 27.32
162.65%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.32 NOK 49.48
$2.14 R 35.19
148.60%
Potato (1kg)
$2.65 NOK 24.65
$1.58 R 26.01
67.72%
Onion (1kg)
$2.78 NOK 25.85
$1.47 R 24.29
89.12%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.99 NOK 27.77
$1.35 R 22.18
121.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.43 NOK 22.59
$1.14 R 18.85
113.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.71 NOK 146
$3.58 R 59.0
338.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.34 NOK 208
$6.05 R 99.7
269.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.52 NOK 32.74
$1.39 R 22.95
153.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.30 NOK 40.00
$2.18 R 35.90
97.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Fredrikstad
Cape Town
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.19 NOK 38.93
$1.40 R 23.02
199.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.4 NOK 627
$60.8 R 1,001
10.96%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$13.09 NOK 122
$0.93 R 15.26
1307.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.65 NOK 15.39
$0.90 R 14.83
83.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$72.6 NOK 675
$4.96 R 81.7
1363.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.46 NOK 22.90
$1.54 R 25.37
59.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$55.2K NOK 513.7K
$35.4K R 582.8K
56.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.9K NOK 390.1K
$33.4K R 549.9K
25.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fredrikstad
Cape Town
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$331 NOK 3,076
$117 R 1,929
182.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$46.54 NOK 433
$25.71 R 424
81.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.8 NOK 631
$39.41 R 649
72.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fredrikstad
Cape Town
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$59.4 NOK 552
$51.6 R 850
15.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$42.67 NOK 397
$11.35 R 187
275.95%
Cinema Ticket
$20.04 NOK 186
$8.89 R 146
125.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fredrikstad
Cape Town
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$171 NOK 1,588
$308 R 5,069
-44.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.4K NOK 115.3K
$8,141 R 134.2K
52.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fredrikstad
Cape Town
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$160 NOK 1,488
$57.4 R 946
178.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$81.6 NOK 759
$31.75 R 523
157.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$145 NOK 1,350
$116 R 1,911
25.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114 NOK 1,060
$101 R 1,660
13.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fredrikstad
Cape Town
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,374 NOK 12.8K
$1,047 R 17.2K
31.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,134 NOK 10.5K
$669 R 11.0K
69.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,896 NOK 17.6K
$1,861 R 30.7K
1.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,524 NOK 14.2K
$1,407 R 23.2K
8.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,564 NOK 61.1K
$2,410 R 39.7K
172.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,243 NOK 39.5K
$1,570 R 25.9K
170.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fredrikstad
Cape Town
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,390 NOK 31.5K
$1,630 R 26.9K
108.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.95
10.89
-54.55%

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

Last update for Fredrikstad: 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
Fredrikstad
$1.1K
Cape Town
$669 41% $464
Groceries & Markets
Fredrikstad
$556
Cape Town
$223 59.9% $333
Eating Out
Fredrikstad
$448
Cape Town
$174 61.1% $274
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fredrikstad
$445
Cape Town
$182 59.1% $263
Clothing & Footwear
Fredrikstad
$225
Cape Town
$138 38.9% $88
Getting Around
Fredrikstad
$106
Cape Town
$72 32% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Fredrikstad
$99
Cape Town
$69 30.2% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,374 in Fredrikstad 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 Fredrikstad are about 2.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $134 in Fredrikstad versus $43 in Cape Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $556 vs $223 – making Cape Town the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇴 Fredrikstad
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🕒 Local time
11:17 11:17 AM
12:17 12:17 PM
1 h ahead of Fredrikstad
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
85,267
3,740,026 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to NOK – Norwegian Krone Converter

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 9.3 NOK (1 NOK = 0.108 USD). 1 EUR = 10.45 NOK (100 NOK = 9.57 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.51 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Fredrikstad Cape Town 10,380 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Fredrikstad
  • 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
Fredrikstad vs Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Fredrikstad or Cape Town?
Fredrikstad costs about 97% 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 Fredrikstad and in Cape Town?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,519 per month in Fredrikstad 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, Fredrikstad or Cape Town?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cape Town, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,047 there versus $1,374 in Fredrikstad.
How much does it cost to live in Fredrikstad compared to Cape Town?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,013 in Fredrikstad and $1,527 in Cape Town. That makes Cape Town about 49% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Fredrikstad compared to Cape Town?
Public transport costs about 10% 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 Fredrikstad or in Cape Town?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,013 in Fredrikstad and $1,527 in Cape Town. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Fredrikstad or Cape Town?
It depends on your priorities. Cape Town has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,527 in Cape Town to $3,013 in Fredrikstad. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Should I move to Fredrikstad or to Cape Town?
If budget matters most, go with Cape Town. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fredrikstad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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