Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medina and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Medina: $1,364 a month against $1,568 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in Medina
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Medina Living Index
76

Cost of Living Index in Cape Town
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Cape Town Living Index

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Medina

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,364

/mo nomad

Cape Town

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,568

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,364 per month in Medina vs $1,568 in Cape Town, rent included.

Medina $1,364
Cape Town $1,568

A couple spends around $1,816 per month in Medina vs $2,438 in Cape Town, rent included.

Medina $1,816
Cape Town $2,438

A family of three spends $2,268 per month in Medina vs $3,307 in Cape Town, rent included.

Medina $2,268
Cape Town $3,307

Medina is about 13% cheaper than Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medina and Cape Town sit above the global median – Medina by 2%, Cape Town by 17%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.53 SAR 20.75

$11.78 R 194

-53.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.09 SAR 120

$46.55 R 768

-31.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 SAR 30.78

$5.96 R 98.4

37.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

Cappuccino

$2.70 SAR 10.15

$2.47 R 40.80

9.31%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.84

$1.33 R 21.91

-42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.95

$1.03 R 16.99

-75.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 R 49.72

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 R 60.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 SAR 5.61

$1.39 R 22.96

7.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$1.19 R 19.60

-22.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.70

$2.11 R 34.84

9.95%

Eggs

$2.09 SAR 7.84

$3.01 R 49.58

-30.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.44 SAR 20.44

$8.96 R 148

-39.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.03 SAR 26.39

$6.65 R 110

5.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.49 SAR 46.90

$9.29 R 153

34.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 SAR 9.10

$1.83 R 30.13

32.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 SAR 7.42

$1.90 R 31.31

4.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 SAR 8.60

$1.75 R 28.83

30.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

$2.09 R 34.41

-25.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$1.55 R 25.64

-12.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.49 R 24.53

-8.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 SAR 3.49

$1.30 R 21.41

-28.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 SAR 2.68

$1.16 R 19.19

-38.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 SAR 4.85

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.32

$3.71 R 61.2

103.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.06 R 100

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 22.85

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 R 36.32

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$1.51 R 24.98

-30.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.80 SAR 138

$61.0 R 1,006

-39.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$0.63 R 10.33

115.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.53 R 25.29

9.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.71 SAR 21.44

$4.81 R 79.4

18.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$1.58 R 26.08

-59.49%

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

$41.8K SAR 157.0K

$35.5K R 585.7K

17.77%

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

$20.7K SAR 77.5K

$31.7K R 523.8K

-34.96%

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

$149 SAR 558

$116 R 1,920

27.71%

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

$27.41 SAR 103

$28.37 R 468

-3.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.7 SAR 341

$40.69 R 671

122.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.9 SAR 296

$48.85 R 806

61.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.01 SAR 33.83

$11.13 R 184

-19.05%

Cinema Ticket

$13.51 SAR 50.7

$8.83 R 146

53.00%

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

$294 SAR 1,103

$261 R 4,314

12.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,483 SAR 20.6K

$6,702 R 110.6K

-18.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.85 SAR 138

$55.4 R 914

-33.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 SAR 204

$32.27 R 532

68.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.0 SAR 252

$118 R 1,939

-42.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.0 SAR 263

$107 R 1,766

-34.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$570 SAR 2,139

$1,015 R 16.7K

-43.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$529 SAR 1,988

$715 R 11.8K

-26.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$779 SAR 2,926

$1,801 R 29.7K

-56.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$573 SAR 2,151

$1,330 R 22.0K

-56.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,309 SAR 8,670

$2,331 R 38.5K

-0.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,356 SAR 5,091

$1,513 R 25.0K

-10.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,244 SAR 4,671

$1,636 R 27.0K

-23.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.17

10.97

-61.99%

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

Last update for Medina: October 4, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medina

$529 39.2%

Cape Town

$715 45.3% 35.1% $186

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medina

$267 19.7%

Cape Town

$185 11.7% 30.5% $81

Groceries & Markets

Medina

$191 14.1%

Cape Town

$222 14.1% 16.6% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Medina

$106 7.8%

Cape Town

$67 4.2% 37.2% $39

Eating Out

Medina

$105 7.8%

Cape Town

$174 11% 65% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Medina

$103 7.6%

Cape Town

$141 8.9% 36.8% $38

Getting Around

Medina

$51 3.8%

Cape Town

$75 4.8% 48.3% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $570 in Medina versus $1,015 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 32% 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 $32.00 in Medina versus $47.00 in Cape Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $222 – making Medina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇦 Medina

🇿🇦 Cape Town

🕒 Local time

08:34 8:34 AM

07:34 7:34 AM

1 h behind Medina

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,100,093

3,740,026 Capital

💱 Currency

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

South African Rand ZAR R

📈 Exchange rate

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

100 ZAR = 6.06 USD

100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to SAR – Saudi Riyal Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇦 Saudi Riyal (ر.س)

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.21 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 16.5 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.06 USD). 1 EUR = 18.5 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

USD to SAR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medina Cape Town 6,870 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Medina
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

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

Cape Town costs about 15% more than Medina, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,047 per month in Medina and $2,352 in Cape Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medina, 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 $1,364 in Medina and $1,568 in Cape Town. That's a gap of about 15%.

Public transport costs about 66% less in Medina. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Medina, where all-in costs run around $1,364, than in Cape Town at $1,568. In Medina 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. Medina costs $1,364 versus $1,568 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 Medina. 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.