Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kempton Park and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Kempton Park: $1,229 a month against $1,599 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kempton Park
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,229
/mo nomad
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,599
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,229 per month in Kempton Park vs $1,599 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Kempton Park $1,229
  • Cape Town $1,599

A couple spends around $1,885 per month in Kempton Park vs $2,460 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Kempton Park $1,885
  • Cape Town $2,460

A family of three spends $2,542 per month in Kempton Park vs $3,320 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Kempton Park $2,542
  • Cape Town $3,320

Kempton Park is about 23% cheaper than Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Kempton Park sits 9% below the global median, while Cape Town is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kempton Park
Cape Town
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.40 R 155
$12.07 R 199
-22.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.91 R 608
$46.65 R 769
-20.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.95 R 98.1
$6.20 R 102
-4.03%
Cappuccino
$2.56 R 42.13
$2.50 R 41.13
2.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.07 R 17.70
$1.35 R 22.28
-20.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 R 14.32
$1.00 R 16.47
-13.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.39 R 39.32
$3.06 R 50.4
-21.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 R 44.26
$3.67 R 60.5
-26.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kempton Park
Cape Town
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 R 22.91
$1.30 R 21.45
6.92%
White Bread (500g)
$1.15 R 19.00
$1.27 R 20.89
-9.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.79 R 29.51
$2.17 R 35.68
-17.51%
Eggs
$2.57 R 42.28
$3.09 R 50.9
-16.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.44 R 139
$8.98 R 148
-6.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.26 R 86.7
$6.99 R 115
-24.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.81 R 145
$9.67 R 159
-8.89%
Apples (1kg)
$1.97 R 32.39
$1.87 R 30.78
5.35%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 R 27.18
$1.93 R 31.72
-14.51%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.75 R 28.77
$1.77 R 29.13
-1.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.05 R 33.70
$2.18 R 35.86
-5.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.66 R 27.28
$1.52 R 25.07
9.21%
Onion (1kg)
$1.70 R 28.00
$1.56 R 25.63
8.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 R 19.41
$1.32 R 21.74
-10.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.35 R 22.16
$1.15 R 18.97
17.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.26 R 53.7
$3.72 R 61.4
-12.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.31 R 87.5
$6.01 R 99.0
-11.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 R 26.92
$1.34 R 22.13
21.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32 R 38.24
$2.13 R 35.11
8.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Kempton Park
Cape Town
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 R 24.54
$1.55 R 25.53
-3.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$59.8 R 985
$61.3 R 1,010
-2.46%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.31 R 5.13
$0.60 R 9.85
-48.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.77 R 12.63
$1.54 R 25.36
-50.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.69 R 242
$5.01 R 82.5
193.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 R 24.82
$1.60 R 26.33
-5.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.7K R 588.2K
$35.4K R 583.4K
0.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.2K R 563.1K
$34.7K R 570.9K
-1.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kempton Park
Cape Town
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$181 R 2,983
$119 R 1,955
52.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.44 R 650
$29.42 R 485
34.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.58 R 619
$39.81 R 656
-5.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kempton Park
Cape Town
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.54 R 635
$50.8 R 836
-24.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.85 R 179
$10.93 R 180
-0.73%
Cinema Ticket
$8.66 R 143
$8.99 R 148
-3.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kempton Park
Cape Town
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$263 R 4,334
$261 R 4,303
0.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,487 R 90.4K
$6,966 R 114.8K
-21.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kempton Park
Cape Town
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.6 R 883
$56.1 R 925
-4.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.23 R 531
$33.26 R 548
-3.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.7 R 1,511
$121 R 1,999
-24.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.5 R 1,409
$108 R 1,779
-20.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kempton Park
Cape Town
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$299 R 4,927
$1,028 R 16.9K
-70.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$367 R 6,046
$720 R 11.9K
-49.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$746 R 12.3K
$1,835 R 30.2K
-59.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$743 R 12.2K
$1,360 R 22.4K
-45.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$763 R 12.6K
$2,407 R 39.6K
-68.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$640 R 10.5K
$1,504 R 24.8K
-57.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kempton Park
Cape Town
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$637 R 10.5K
$1,649 R 27.2K
-61.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.25
10.97
2.55%

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

Last update for Kempton Park: October 20, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kempton Park
$367
Cape Town
$720 96.1% $353
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kempton Park
$258
Cape Town
$188 27.2% $70
Groceries & Markets
Kempton Park
$211
Cape Town
$226 7.5% $16
Eating Out
Kempton Park
$149
Cape Town
$177 19% $28
Clothing & Footwear
Kempton Park
$118
Cape Town
$143 21.2% $25
Getting Around
Kempton Park
$70
Cape Town
$76 8.4% $5.9
Sport & Entertainment
Kempton Park
$56
Cape Town
$69 23% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $299 in Kempton Park versus $1,028 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 159% 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 $37.00 in Kempton Park versus $47.00 in Cape Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $226 – making Kempton Park the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇿🇦 Kempton Park
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🕒 Local time
04:40 4:40 AM
04:40 4:40 AM
Same time as Kempton Park
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,740,026 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to ZAR – South African Rand Converter

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 22, 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
  • Kempton Park Cape Town 1,280 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kempton Park
  • 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
Kempton Park vs Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kempton Park or Cape Town?
Cape Town costs about 30% more than Kempton Park, 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 Kempton Park and in Cape Town?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,843 per month in Kempton Park and $2,398 in Cape Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Kempton Park or Cape Town?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kempton Park, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Kempton Park compared to Cape Town?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,229 in Kempton Park and $1,599 in Cape Town. That's a gap of about 30%.
How expensive is transport in Kempton Park compared to Cape Town?
Public transport costs about 3% less in Kempton Park. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Kempton Park or in Cape Town?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kempton Park, where all-in costs run around $1,229, than in Cape Town at $1,599. In Kempton Park 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, Kempton Park or Cape Town?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kempton Park costs $1,229 versus $1,599 in Cape Town. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Kempton Park compared to Cape Town?
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.
Should I move to Kempton Park or to Cape Town?
If budget matters most, go with Kempton Park. 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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