Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hasselt and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Cape Town: $1,527 a month against $2,040 in Hasselt, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Hasselt, Belgium
Cape Town, South Africa
Hasselt
🇧🇪 Belgium
$2,040
/mo nomad
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,527
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,040 per month in Hasselt vs $1,527 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Hasselt $2,040
  • Cape Town $1,527

A couple spends around $3,052 per month in Hasselt vs $2,417 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Hasselt $3,052
  • Cape Town $2,417

A family of three spends $4,064 per month in Hasselt vs $3,306 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Hasselt $4,064
  • Cape Town $3,306

Hasselt costs about 34% more than Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Hasselt and Cape Town sit above the global median – Hasselt by 51%, Cape Town by 13%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hasselt
Cape Town
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.24 €19.81
$12.01 R 198
85.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$97.7 €87.0
$42.92 R 707
127.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.45 €11.98
$6.15 R 101
118.70%
Cappuccino
$3.70 €3.29
$2.37 R 39.04
56.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61 €3.21
$1.27 R 20.96
184.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 €2.76
$0.94 R 15.46
229.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.28 €4.71
$2.96 R 48.77
78.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.44 €4.84
$3.69 R 60.8
47.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hasselt
Cape Town
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.40 €1.25
$1.32 R 21.73
6.06%
White Bread (500g)
$2.55 €2.27
$1.21 R 19.87
110.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.30 €2.04
$2.20 R 36.26
4.55%
Eggs
$3.39 €3.02
$3.10 R 51.1
9.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.91 €7.04
$8.73 R 144
-9.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.76 €10.47
$6.89 R 114
70.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.90 €20.39
$9.26 R 153
147.30%
Apples (1kg)
$1.97 €1.75
$1.83 R 30.08
7.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 €1.55
$1.95 R 32.12
-10.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.61 €2.32
$1.66 R 27.32
57.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.72 €2.42
$2.14 R 35.19
27.10%
Potato (1kg)
$1.76 €1.57
$1.58 R 26.01
11.39%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.47 R 24.29
-7.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 €0.90
$1.35 R 22.18
-25.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 €0.91
$1.14 R 18.85
-10.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.91 €11.49
$3.58 R 59.0
260.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.06 €8.07
$6.05 R 99.7
49.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 €1.38
$1.39 R 22.95
11.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 €1.84
$2.18 R 35.90
-5.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Hasselt
Cape Town
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.07 €2.73
$1.40 R 23.02
119.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$33.14 €29.51
$60.8 R 1,001
-45.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.47 €4.87
$0.93 R 15.26
488.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.66 €2.37
$0.90 R 14.83
195.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$36.50 €32.50
$4.96 R 81.7
635.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.00 €1.78
$1.54 R 25.37
29.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.8K €31.9K
$35.4K R 582.8K
1.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7K €30.0K
$33.4K R 549.9K
1.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hasselt
Cape Town
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$208 €186
$117 R 1,929
78.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.75 €17.59
$25.71 R 424
-23.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.00 €42.74
$39.41 R 649
21.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hasselt
Cape Town
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$27.75 €24.71
$51.6 R 850
-46.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.72 €7.76
$11.35 R 187
-23.17%
Cinema Ticket
$15.12 €13.47
$8.89 R 146
70.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hasselt
Cape Town
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,630 €1,452
$308 R 5,069
430.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$33.8K €30.1K
$8,141 R 134.2K
315.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hasselt
Cape Town
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$117 €105
$57.4 R 946
104.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.4 €48.41
$31.75 R 523
71.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 €95.9
$116 R 1,911
-7.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$133 €119
$101 R 1,660
32.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hasselt
Cape Town
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$941 €838
$1,047 R 17.2K
-10.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$817 €728
$669 R 11.0K
22.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,437 €1,279
$1,861 R 30.7K
-22.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,212 €1,079
$1,407 R 23.2K
-13.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,483 €3,992
$2,410 R 39.7K
86.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,457 €2,187
$1,570 R 25.9K
56.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hasselt
Cape Town
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,054 €2,720
$1,630 R 26.9K
87.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.53
10.89
-67.58%

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

Last update for Hasselt: November 1, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hasselt
$817
Cape Town
$669 18.1% $148
Eating Out
Hasselt
$327
Cape Town
$174 46.8% $153
Groceries & Markets
Hasselt
$312
Cape Town
$223 28.5% $89
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hasselt
$276
Cape Town
$182 34% $94
Clothing & Footwear
Hasselt
$186
Cape Town
$138 25.9% $48
Getting Around
Hasselt
$64
Cape Town
$72 11.8% $7.6
Sport & Entertainment
Hasselt
$58
Cape Town
$69 19.6% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $941 in Hasselt 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 run about 87% higher in Hasselt. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98 in Hasselt versus $43 in Cape Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $312 vs $223 – making Cape Town the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇪 Hasselt
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🕒 Local time
10:31 10:31 AM
11:31 11:31 AM
1 h ahead of Hasselt
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,694
3,740,026 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

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
  • Hasselt Cape Town 9,520 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Hasselt
  • 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
Hasselt vs Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Hasselt or Cape Town?
Hasselt costs about 34% more than Cape Town, 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 Hasselt and in Cape Town?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,060 per month in Hasselt 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, Hasselt or Cape Town?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Hasselt, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $941 there versus $1,047 in Cape Town.
How much does it cost to live in Hasselt compared to Cape Town?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,040 in Hasselt and $1,527 in Cape Town. That makes Cape Town about 25% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Hasselt compared to Cape Town?
Public transport costs about 45% less in Hasselt. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Hasselt or in Cape Town?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,040 in Hasselt 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: Hasselt 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 $2,040 in Hasselt. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Should I move to Hasselt or to Cape Town?
If budget matters most, go with Cape Town. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hasselt makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Hasselt vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?