Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mallorca and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Cape Town: $1,527 a month against $1,624 in Mallorca, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Mallorca, Spain
Cape Town, South Africa
Mallorca
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,624
/mo nomad
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,527
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,624 per month in Mallorca vs $1,527 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Mallorca $1,624
  • Cape Town $1,527

A couple spends around $2,384 per month in Mallorca vs $2,417 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Mallorca $2,384
  • Cape Town $2,417

A family of three spends $3,143 per month in Mallorca vs $3,306 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Mallorca $3,143
  • Cape Town $3,306

Mallorca costs about 6% more than Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Mallorca and Cape Town sit above the global median – Mallorca by 20%, Cape Town by 13%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mallorca
Cape Town
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.35 €13.67
$12.01 R 198
27.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.0 €50.7
$42.92 R 707
32.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.60 €9.44
$6.15 R 101
72.36%
Cappuccino
$2.20 €1.96
$2.37 R 39.04
-7.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 €2.12
$1.27 R 20.96
87.40%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 €1.58
$0.94 R 15.46
88.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.34 €2.98
$2.96 R 48.77
12.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.54 €3.16
$3.69 R 60.8
-4.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mallorca
Cape Town
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 €1.06
$1.32 R 21.73
-9.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.42 €1.26
$1.21 R 19.87
17.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 €1.49
$2.20 R 36.26
-23.64%
Eggs
$2.93 €2.61
$3.10 R 51.1
-5.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.86 €12.34
$8.73 R 144
58.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.16 €7.27
$6.89 R 114
18.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.14 €13.48
$9.26 R 153
63.50%
Apples (1kg)
$2.42 €2.15
$1.83 R 30.08
32.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.99 €1.77
$1.95 R 32.12
2.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.00 €1.78
$1.66 R 27.32
20.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.31
$2.14 R 35.19
21.03%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 €1.59
$1.58 R 26.01
12.66%
Onion (1kg)
$1.95 €1.73
$1.47 R 24.29
32.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 €1.16
$1.35 R 22.18
-3.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.64
$1.14 R 18.85
-36.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.15 €5.48
$3.58 R 59.0
71.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.81 €5.17
$6.05 R 99.7
-3.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 €1.07
$1.39 R 22.95
-13.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.90
$2.18 R 35.90
-2.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Mallorca
Cape Town
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.69 €1.50
$1.40 R 23.02
20.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.44 €30.66
$60.8 R 1,001
-43.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.01 €3.57
$0.93 R 15.26
331.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.20 €1.07
$0.90 R 14.83
33.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.17 €22.41
$4.96 R 81.7
407.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.54 R 25.37
18.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.4K €35.0K
$35.4K R 582.8K
11.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.7K €26.4K
$33.4K R 549.9K
-11.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mallorca
Cape Town
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$135 €120
$117 R 1,929
15.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.10 €18.78
$25.71 R 424
-17.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.26 €27.83
$39.41 R 649
-20.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mallorca
Cape Town
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.82 €42.58
$51.6 R 850
-7.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.95 €13.31
$11.35 R 187
31.72%
Cinema Ticket
$9.39 €8.36
$8.89 R 146
5.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mallorca
Cape Town
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$400 €356
$308 R 5,069
30.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,171 €7,276
$8,141 R 134.2K
0.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mallorca
Cape Town
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.0 €76.6
$57.4 R 946
49.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.57 €31.67
$31.75 R 523
12.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.9 €79.2
$116 R 1,911
-23.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 €94.9
$101 R 1,660
5.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mallorca
Cape Town
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$856 €762
$1,047 R 17.2K
-18.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$693 €617
$669 R 11.0K
3.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,319 €1,175
$1,861 R 30.7K
-29.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,008 €898
$1,407 R 23.2K
-28.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,380 €3,009
$2,410 R 39.7K
40.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,318 €2,064
$1,570 R 25.9K
47.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mallorca
Cape Town
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,630 R 26.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.5
10.89
-67.86%

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

Last update for Mallorca: October 31, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mallorca
$693
Cape Town
$669 3.4% $23
Groceries & Markets
Mallorca
$262
Cape Town
$223 14.9% $39
Eating Out
Mallorca
$221
Cape Town
$174 21.4% $47
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mallorca
$188
Cape Town
$182 2.9% $5.4
Clothing & Footwear
Mallorca
$143
Cape Town
$138 3.6% $5.1
Sport & Entertainment
Mallorca
$67
Cape Town
$69 4.2% $2.8
Getting Around
Mallorca
$51
Cape Town
$72 40.1% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $856 in Mallorca 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57 in Mallorca versus $43 in Cape Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $262 vs $223 – making Cape Town the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Mallorca
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🕒 Local time
06:05 6:05 AM
07:05 7:05 AM
1 h ahead of Mallorca
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
940,332
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 = 18.5 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mallorca Cape Town 8,340 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mallorca
  • 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
Mallorca vs Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mallorca or Cape Town?
Mallorca costs about 6% 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 Mallorca and in Cape Town?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,436 per month in Mallorca 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, Mallorca or Cape Town?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mallorca, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $856 there versus $1,047 in Cape Town.
How much does it cost to live in Mallorca compared to Cape Town?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,624 in Mallorca and $1,527 in Cape Town. That makes Cape Town about 6% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Mallorca compared to Cape Town?
Public transport costs about 43% less in Mallorca. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Mallorca or in Cape Town?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,624 in Mallorca and $1,527 in Cape Town. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Mallorca or Cape Town?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cape Town costs $1,527 versus $1,624 in Mallorca. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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