Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Schiedam and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Cape Town: $1,527 a month against $2,544 in Schiedam, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Schiedam, Netherlands
Cape Town, South Africa
Schiedam
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,544
/mo nomad
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,527
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,544 per month in Schiedam vs $1,527 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Schiedam $2,544
  • Cape Town $1,527

A couple spends around $3,704 per month in Schiedam vs $2,417 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Schiedam $3,704
  • Cape Town $2,417

A family of three spends $4,864 per month in Schiedam vs $3,306 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Schiedam $4,864
  • Cape Town $3,306

Schiedam costs about 67% more than Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Schiedam and Cape Town sit above the global median – Schiedam by 88%, Cape Town by 13%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Schiedam
Cape Town
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.73 €17.57
$12.01 R 198
64.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.6 €78.9
$42.92 R 707
106.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.19 €13.53
$6.15 R 101
146.99%
Cappuccino
$4.08 €3.63
$2.37 R 39.04
72.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.59 €3.20
$1.27 R 20.96
182.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 €2.61
$0.94 R 15.46
211.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.20 €6.41
$2.96 R 48.77
143.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.77 €6.03
$3.69 R 60.8
83.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Schiedam
Cape Town
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.35 €1.20
$1.32 R 21.73
2.27%
White Bread (500g)
$2.14 €1.91
$1.21 R 19.87
76.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.48 €2.20
$2.20 R 36.26
12.73%
Eggs
$4.56 €4.06
$3.10 R 51.1
47.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.61 €13.01
$8.73 R 144
67.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.11 €11.67
$6.89 R 114
90.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.76 €14.03
$9.26 R 153
70.19%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 €2.34
$1.83 R 30.08
43.72%
Banana (1kg)
$2.28 €2.03
$1.95 R 32.12
16.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.94 €1.73
$1.66 R 27.32
16.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.72 €4.20
$2.14 R 35.19
120.56%
Potato (1kg)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.58 R 26.01
-13.92%
Onion (1kg)
$1.32 €1.17
$1.47 R 24.29
-10.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$1.35 R 22.18
-17.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.64
$1.14 R 18.85
-36.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.22 €11.77
$3.58 R 59.0
269.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.81 €5.17
$6.05 R 99.7
-3.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.21
$1.39 R 22.95
-2.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 €1.74
$2.18 R 35.90
-10.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Schiedam
Cape Town
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 €1.98
$1.40 R 23.02
58.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.5 €78.8
$60.8 R 1,001
45.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.39 €3.02
$0.93 R 15.26
264.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.29 €2.93
$0.90 R 14.83
265.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.31 €19.87
$4.96 R 81.7
349.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.46 €2.19
$1.54 R 25.37
59.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.6K €36.2K
$35.4K R 582.8K
14.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.5K €35.2K
$33.4K R 549.9K
18.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Schiedam
Cape Town
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$276 €246
$117 R 1,929
135.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.55 €14.74
$25.71 R 424
-35.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.0 €48.96
$39.41 R 649
39.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Schiedam
Cape Town
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$27.38 €24.38
$51.6 R 850
-46.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.06 €21.43
$11.35 R 187
111.98%
Cinema Ticket
$15.76 €14.03
$8.89 R 146
77.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Schiedam
Cape Town
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,628 €2,340
$308 R 5,069
754.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K €10.3K
$8,141 R 134.2K
42.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Schiedam
Cape Town
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$117 €104
$57.4 R 946
104.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.69 €31.78
$31.75 R 523
12.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 €98.2
$116 R 1,911
-4.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$136 €121
$101 R 1,660
35.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Schiedam
Cape Town
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,634 €1,455
$1,047 R 17.2K
56.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,193 €1,062
$669 R 11.0K
78.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,359 €2,100
$1,861 R 30.7K
26.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,864 €1,660
$1,407 R 23.2K
32.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,483 €4,882
$2,410 R 39.7K
127.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,044 €3,601
$1,570 R 25.9K
157.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Schiedam
Cape Town
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,447 €2,179
$1,630 R 26.9K
50.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.8
10.89
-74.29%

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

Last update for Schiedam: 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
Schiedam
$1.2K
Cape Town
$669 43.9% $524
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Schiedam
$347
Cape Town
$182 47.6% $165
Eating Out
Schiedam
$328
Cape Town
$174 46.9% $154
Groceries & Markets
Schiedam
$320
Cape Town
$223 30.2% $97
Clothing & Footwear
Schiedam
$180
Cape Town
$138 23.4% $42
Getting Around
Schiedam
$117
Cape Town
$72 38.8% $45
Sport & Entertainment
Schiedam
$59
Cape Town
$69 17.8% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,634 in Schiedam 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 50% higher in Schiedam, 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 $89 in Schiedam versus $43 in Cape Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $223 – making Cape Town the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Schiedam
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🕒 Local time
02:52 2:52 AM
03:52 3:52 AM
1 h ahead of Schiedam
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
78,730
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
  • Schiedam Cape Town 9,640 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Schiedam
  • 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
Schiedam vs Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Schiedam or Cape Town?
Schiedam costs about 67% 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 Schiedam and in Cape Town?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,817 per month in Schiedam 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, Schiedam or Cape Town?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cape Town, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,047 there versus $1,634 in Schiedam.
How much does it cost to live in Schiedam compared to Cape Town?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,544 in Schiedam and $1,527 in Cape Town. That makes Cape Town about 40% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Schiedam compared to Cape Town?
Public transport costs about 31% less in Cape Town. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Schiedam or in Cape Town?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,544 in Schiedam 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, Schiedam or Cape Town?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cape Town costs $1,527 versus $2,544 in Schiedam. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Schiedam or to Cape Town?
If budget matters most, go with Cape Town. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Schiedam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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