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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,058 per month in George vs $1,288 in Cape Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,752 per month in George vs $2,011 in Cape Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,445 per month in George vs $2,735 in Cape Town, rent included.

George is about 18% cheaper than Cape Town, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both George and Cape Town are more affordable than the global median – George 21% lower, Cape Town 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.39 R 188

$10.97 R 181

3.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.28 R 633

$45.62 R 755

-16.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 R 82.2

$5.10 R 84.3

-2.55%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R 32.50

$2.08 R 34.33

-5.77%

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

$1.50 R 24.78

$1.10 R 18.27

36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 19.25

$0.87 R 14.42

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 R 42.57

$2.85 R 47.21

-9.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 R 49.69

$2.58 R 42.67

16.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 19.17

$1.11 R 18.42

4.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 R 17.66

$1.08 R 17.93

-0.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.32

$1.84 R 30.38

-10.33%

Eggs

$2.90 R 47.90

$2.41 R 39.88

20.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 R 154

$8.48 R 140

9.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 R 78.6

$5.28 R 87.4

-10.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 R 124

$7.70 R 127

-2.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 R 29.09

$1.49 R 24.63

18.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.64

$1.47 R 24.30

13.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.50

$1.45 R 23.96

-2.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.60

$1.52 R 25.13

5.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.40

$1.08 R 17.89

42.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.62

$1.24 R 20.53

34.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 R 21.14

$1.05 R 17.44

21.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 R 15.72

$1.01 R 16.69

-5.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 R 52.5

$3.01 R 49.77

5.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.69 R 77.6

$6.05 R 100

-22.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R 19.99

$1.40 R 23.24

-13.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 R 25.97

$1.68 R 27.85

-6.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 R 12.73

$0.96 R 15.90

-19.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.56 R 423

$48.42 R 801

-47.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R 19.01

$1.38 R 22.84

-16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R 15.88

$1.01 R 16.63

-4.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 R 64.8

$4.41 R 73.0

-11.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.68

$1.19 R 19.64

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

$21.3K R 351.8K

$21.7K R 358.2K

-1.79%

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

$21.1K R 348.5K

$24.1K R 398.6K

-12.57%

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

$126 R 2,084

$98.2 R 1,624

28.34%

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

$16.00 R 265

$33.13 R 548

-51.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 R 851

$40.84 R 676

26.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.54 R 456

$42.19 R 698

-34.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.38 R 188

$7.90 R 131

44.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.47 R 90.6

$6.90 R 114

-20.72%

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

$128 R 2,114

$213 R 3,519

-39.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,782 R 79.1K

$5,327 R 88.1K

-10.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.9 R 1,223

$54.5 R 902

35.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.24 R 533

$33.40 R 553

-3.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 R 1,621

$115 R 1,906

-14.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 R 1,448

$84.4 R 1,397

3.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 R 6,672

$750 R 12.4K

-46.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 R 5,370

$522 R 8,635

-37.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 R 11.7K

$1,411 R 23.3K

-49.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$808 R 13.4K

$1,024 R 16.9K

-21.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$352 R 5,830

$2,304 R 38.1K

-84.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$240 R 3,977

$1,476 R 24.4K

-83.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,311 R 21.7K

$1,593 R 26.3K

-17.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.88

11.77

-7.56%

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

Last update for George: July 26, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $403 in George versus $750 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 22% 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 $38.00 in George versus $46.00 in Cape Town. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in George vs $188 in Cape Town – so Cape Town 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

George vs Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Town costs about 22% more than George, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,587 per month in George and $1,932 in Cape Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in George, 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 $1,058 in George and $1,288 in Cape Town. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 89% less in George. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in George, where all-in costs run around $1,058, than in Cape Town at $1,288. In George 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. George costs $1,058 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 George. 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.