Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamra and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Hamra: $1,000 a month against $1,586 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cape Town outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Hamra
🇱🇧 Lebanon
$1,000
/mo nomad
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,586
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,000 per month in Hamra vs $1,586 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Hamra $1,000
  • Cape Town $1,586

A couple spends around $1,601 per month in Hamra vs $2,425 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Hamra $1,601
  • Cape Town $2,425

A family of three spends $2,203 per month in Hamra vs $3,263 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Hamra $2,203
  • Cape Town $3,263

Hamra is about 37% cheaper than Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Hamra sits 26% below the global median, while Cape Town is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hamra
Cape Town
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.04 LBP 1.1M
$12.14 R 200
-0.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.8 LBP 6.2M
$45.34 R 747
51.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.89 LBP 884.8K
$5.88 R 96.9
68.20%
Cappuccino
$4.51 LBP 403.9K
$2.50 R 41.18
80.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 LBP 203.2K
$1.27 R 20.94
78.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 LBP 80.7K
$0.98 R 16.14
-8.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.88 LBP 436.6K
$2.99 R 49.33
63.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.81 LBP 430.7K
$3.72 R 61.4
29.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hamra
Cape Town
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.98 LBP 177.2K
$1.30 R 21.40
52.31%
White Bread (500g)
$0.89 LBP 79.9K
$1.25 R 20.68
-28.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 LBP 200.2K
$2.23 R 36.76
0.45%
Eggs
$3.52 LBP 315.3K
$3.11 R 51.2
13.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.22 LBP 1.0M
$9.06 R 149
23.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.58 LBP 946.6K
$6.92 R 114
52.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.75 LBP 1.3M
$9.30 R 153
58.60%
Apples (1kg)
$2.99 LBP 268.0K
$1.84 R 30.25
62.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.71 LBP 153.1K
$1.96 R 32.29
-12.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.69 LBP 150.9K
$1.67 R 27.45
1.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.46 LBP 131.1K
$2.17 R 35.70
-32.72%
Potato (1kg)
$1.26 LBP 112.6K
$1.57 R 25.81
-19.75%
Onion (1kg)
$1.55 LBP 138.4K
$1.48 R 24.45
4.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 LBP 104.6K
$1.30 R 21.41
-10.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.69 LBP 61.6K
$1.13 R 18.60
-38.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.08 LBP 275.5K
$3.60 R 59.3
-14.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.83 LBP 968.9K
$6.15 R 101
76.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.33 LBP 119.0K
$1.38 R 22.66
-3.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 LBP 231.1K
$2.14 R 35.20
20.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Hamra
Cape Town
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.50 R 24.65
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$60.8 R 1,001
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.98 LBP 445.7K
$0.59 R 9.71
744.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.31 LBP 206.9K
$1.50 R 24.65
54.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.69 LBP 2.0M
$5.11 R 84.2
344.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.06 LBP 94.7K
$1.55 R 25.50
-31.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$52.9K LBP 4.7B
$36.2K R 596.5K
46.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.5K LBP 2.9B
$31.2K R 514.8K
4.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hamra
Cape Town
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$233 LBP 20.9M
$114 R 1,883
103.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.40 LBP 2.0M
$28.91 R 476
-22.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.66 LBP 3.4M
$39.73 R 654
-5.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hamra
Cape Town
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$49.01 R 808
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.99 R 181
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.96 LBP 891.0K
$9.15 R 151
8.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hamra
Cape Town
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$690 LBP 61.8M
$259 R 4,264
166.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K LBP 956.8M
$6,794 R 111.9K
57.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hamra
Cape Town
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 LBP 6.1M
$56.2 R 926
21.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.41 LBP 4.3M
$32.41 R 534
49.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$137 LBP 12.3M
$121 R 1,987
13.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 LBP 10.7M
$108 R 1,781
10.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hamra
Cape Town
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,021 R 16.8K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$717 R 11.8K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,824 R 30.1K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,327 R 21.9K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,391 R 39.4K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,542 R 25.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hamra
Cape Town
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,639 R 27.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11
10.97
0.27%

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

Last update for Hamra: October 12, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hamra
$293
Cape Town
$183 37.6% $110
Groceries & Markets
Hamra
$275
Cape Town
$225 18.3% $50
Eating Out
Hamra
$227
Cape Town
$176 22.3% $51
Clothing & Footwear
Hamra
$168
Cape Town
$143 15% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Hamra
$20 *
Cape Town
$67 238% $47
Getting Around
Hamra
$17 *
Cape Town
$75 352% $58
Accommodation & Living
Hamra
- *
Cape Town
$717

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Hamra versus $45.00 in Cape Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $225 – making Cape Town the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇱🇧 Hamra
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🕒 Local time
19:32 7:32 PM
18:32 6:32 PM
1 h behind Hamra
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,251,739
3,740,026 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to LBP – Lebanese Pound Converter

Lebanese Pound exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 89,500 LBP (100,000 LBP = 1.12 USD). 1 EUR = 100,630 LBP (1,000,000 LBP = 9.94 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 17, 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
  • Hamra Cape Town 7,750 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Hamra
  • 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
Hamra vs Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Hamra or Cape Town?
Cape Town costs about 59% more than Hamra, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. 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 Hamra and in Cape Town?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,499 per month in Hamra and $2,379 in Cape Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does it cost to live in Hamra compared to Cape Town?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,000 in Hamra and $1,586 in Cape Town. That's a gap of about 59%.
How do childcare costs compare in Hamra and in Cape Town?
Kindergarten costs $690 per month in Hamra and $259 in Cape Town. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Hamra or in Cape Town?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hamra, where all-in costs run around $1,000, than in Cape Town at $1,586. In Hamra 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, Hamra or Cape Town?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hamra costs $1,000 versus $1,586 in Cape Town. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Hamra or to Cape Town?
If budget matters most, go with Hamra. 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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