Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,158 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $1,273 in Cape Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,839 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $1,983 in Cape Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,519 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $2,693 in Cape Town, rent included.

Port Elizabeth is about 9% cheaper than Cape Town, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Port Elizabeth and Cape Town are more affordable than the global median – Port Elizabeth 14% lower, Cape Town 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.00 R 146

$11.02 R 179

-18.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.72 R 727

$44.99 R 731

-0.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 R 86.2

$4.91 R 79.8

7.94%

Cappuccino

$2.23 R 36.16

$2.00 R 32.49

11.50%

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

$1.17 R 19.08

$1.10 R 17.94

6.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 R 16.83

$0.83 R 13.43

25.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 R 40.57

$2.87 R 46.56

-12.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 R 47.99

$2.48 R 40.35

18.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R 18.12

$1.15 R 18.61

-2.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 R 15.13

$1.08 R 17.59

-13.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.17

$1.87 R 30.38

-23.53%

Eggs

$2.49 R 40.42

$2.47 R 40.11

0.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 R 128

$8.57 R 139

-8.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 R 79.0

$5.14 R 83.5

-5.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.05 R 131

$7.66 R 124

5.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.26

$1.49 R 24.24

12.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 R 22.98

$1.49 R 24.26

-5.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.81

$1.49 R 24.28

6.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.34

$1.59 R 25.85

1.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.31

$1.08 R 17.54

38.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R 18.10

$1.24 R 20.16

-10.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 R 19.37

$1.10 R 17.83

8.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 15.05

$0.96 R 15.57

-3.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 R 48.15

$3.04 R 49.33

-2.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.00 R 81.2

$6.18 R 100

-19.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 18.88

$1.41 R 22.97

-17.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 R 27.87

$1.68 R 27.23

1.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 R 17.79

$0.93 R 15.17

17.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.50 R 561

$47.91 R 779

-27.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 R 43.49

$1.38 R 22.43

94.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 R 7.22

$0.93 R 15.14

-52.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.04 R 131

$4.36 R 70.9

84.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 20.92

$1.25 R 20.33

3.20%

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

$23.5K R 382.4K

$21.3K R 346.9K

10.26%

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

$25.5K R 413.8K

$24.5K R 397.5K

4.11%

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

$118 R 1,913

$98.3 R 1,598

19.78%

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

$32.46 R 527

$33.19 R 539

-2.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.22 R 719

$40.75 R 662

8.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.98 R 471

$41.68 R 677

-30.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.80 R 338

$8.15 R 133

155.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 R 155

$6.55 R 107

45.34%

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

$164 R 2,661

$211 R 3,435

-22.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,714 R 76.6K

$5,300 R 86.1K

-11.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.6 R 1,083

$55.7 R 906

19.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.40 R 608

$32.78 R 533

14.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 R 1,524

$115 R 1,869

-18.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 R 1,471

$84.5 R 1,374

7.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 R 9,532

$765 R 12.4K

-23.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 R 7,276

$520 R 8,453

-13.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 R 18.1K

$1,430 R 23.2K

-22.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$871 R 14.2K

$1,014 R 16.5K

-14.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$776 R 12.6K

$2,344 R 38.1K

-66.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 R 8,864

$1,506 R 24.5K

-63.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,620 R 26.3K

$1,683 R 27.4K

-3.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.04

11.77

2.29%

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

Last update for Port Elizabeth: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $587 in Port Elizabeth versus $765 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 4% 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 $45.00 in Port Elizabeth versus $45.00 in Cape Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $189 – making Port Elizabeth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Port Elizabeth vs Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Town costs about 10% more than Port Elizabeth, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,737 per month in Port Elizabeth and $1,909 in Cape Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Elizabeth, 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 $1,158 in Port Elizabeth and $1,273 in Cape Town. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 39% less in Port Elizabeth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Elizabeth, where all-in costs run around $1,158, than in Cape Town at $1,273. In Port Elizabeth 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. Port Elizabeth costs $1,158 versus $1,273 in Cape Town. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Port Elizabeth. 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.