Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sidi Bel Abbes and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Sidi Bel Abbes: $524 a month against $1,586 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sidi Bel Abbes
🇩🇿 Algeria
$524
/mo nomad
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,586
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $524 per month in Sidi Bel Abbes vs $1,586 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Sidi Bel Abbes $524
  • Cape Town $1,586

A couple spends around $858 per month in Sidi Bel Abbes vs $2,425 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Sidi Bel Abbes $858
  • Cape Town $2,425

A family of three spends $1,191 per month in Sidi Bel Abbes vs $3,263 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Sidi Bel Abbes $1,191
  • Cape Town $3,263

Sidi Bel Abbes is about 67% cheaper than Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sidi Bel Abbes sits 61% below the global median, while Cape Town is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sidi Bel Abbes
Cape Town
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.31 DZD 309
$12.14 R 200
-80.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.73 DZD 2,776
$45.34 R 747
-54.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.70 DZD 496
$5.88 R 96.9
-37.07%
Cappuccino
$0.36 DZD 48.75
$2.50 R 41.18
-85.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 DZD 79.0
$1.27 R 20.94
-53.54%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26 DZD 34.38
$0.98 R 16.14
-73.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.65 DZD 221
$2.99 R 49.33
-44.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 DZD 377
$3.72 R 61.4
-24.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sidi Bel Abbes
Cape Town
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.94 DZD 126
$1.30 R 21.40
-27.69%
White Bread (500g)
$0.08 DZD 11.11
$1.25 R 20.68
-93.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.01 DZD 135
$2.23 R 36.76
-54.71%
Eggs
$1.54 DZD 206
$3.11 R 51.2
-50.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.79 DZD 1,311
$9.06 R 149
8.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.28 DZD 707
$6.92 R 114
-23.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.51 DZD 1,943
$9.30 R 153
56.02%
Apples (1kg)
$2.64 DZD 353
$1.84 R 30.25
43.48%
Banana (1kg)
$2.33 DZD 312
$1.96 R 32.29
18.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.39 DZD 187
$1.67 R 27.45
-16.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.44 DZD 59.4
$2.17 R 35.70
-79.72%
Potato (1kg)
$0.33 DZD 43.60
$1.57 R 25.81
-78.98%
Onion (1kg)
$0.63 DZD 84.9
$1.48 R 24.45
-57.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.65 DZD 87.4
$1.30 R 21.41
-50.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.36 DZD 47.74
$1.13 R 18.60
-68.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.95 DZD 260
$3.60 R 59.3
-45.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.98 DZD 1,336
$6.15 R 101
62.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.12 DZD 284
$1.38 R 22.66
53.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89 DZD 119
$2.14 R 35.20
-58.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Sidi Bel Abbes
Cape Town
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.20 DZD 26.81
$1.50 R 24.65
-86.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$6.21 DZD 831
$60.8 R 1,001
-89.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.70 DZD 94.0
$0.59 R 9.71
18.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 DZD 41.36
$1.50 R 24.65
-79.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.33 DZD 312
$5.11 R 84.2
-54.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.30 DZD 40.13
$1.55 R 25.50
-80.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$15.9K DZD 2.1M
$36.2K R 596.5K
-56.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.4K DZD 3.9M
$31.2K R 514.8K
-5.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sidi Bel Abbes
Cape Town
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$18.93 DZD 2,534
$114 R 1,883
-83.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.56 DZD 1,147
$28.91 R 476
-70.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.66 DZD 2,097
$39.73 R 654
-60.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sidi Bel Abbes
Cape Town
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$17.27 DZD 2,313
$49.01 R 808
-64.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.99 R 181
-
Cinema Ticket
$1.52 DZD 203
$9.15 R 151
-83.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sidi Bel Abbes
Cape Town
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$55.9 DZD 7,489
$259 R 4,264
-78.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,201 DZD 428.6K
$6,794 R 111.9K
-52.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sidi Bel Abbes
Cape Town
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.36 DZD 4,466
$56.2 R 926
-40.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.9 DZD 7,213
$32.41 R 534
66.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.3 DZD 10.6K
$121 R 1,987
-34.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.7 DZD 10.8K
$108 R 1,781
-25.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sidi Bel Abbes
Cape Town
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$144 DZD 19.3K
$1,021 R 16.8K
-85.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$93.0 DZD 12.5K
$717 R 11.8K
-87.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$299 DZD 40.0K
$1,824 R 30.1K
-83.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$175 DZD 23.4K
$1,327 R 21.9K
-86.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$958 DZD 128.2K
$2,391 R 39.4K
-59.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,171 DZD 156.8K
$1,542 R 25.4K
-24.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sidi Bel Abbes
Cape Town
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$336 DZD 45.0K
$1,639 R 27.0K
-79.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.5
10.97
-40.75%

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

Last update for Sidi Bel Abbes: October 12, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Sidi Bel Abbes
$196
Cape Town
$225 14.6% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Sidi Bel Abbes
$111
Cape Town
$143 28.3% $32
Accommodation & Living
Sidi Bel Abbes
$93
Cape Town
$717 671% $624
Eating Out
Sidi Bel Abbes
$51
Cape Town
$176 244% $125
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sidi Bel Abbes
$43
Cape Town
$183 324% $140
Sport & Entertainment
Sidi Bel Abbes
$20
Cape Town
$67 231% $47
Getting Around
Sidi Bel Abbes
$9.3
Cape Town
$75 708% $66

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $144 in Sidi Bel Abbes versus $1,021 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 388% 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 $21.00 in Sidi Bel Abbes versus $45.00 in Cape Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $225 – making Sidi Bel Abbes the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇩🇿 Sidi Bel Abbes
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🕒 Local time
16:06 4:06 PM
17:06 5:06 PM
1 h ahead of Sidi Bel Abbes
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
212,935
3,740,026 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to DZD – Algerian Dinar Converter

Algerian Dinar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 134 DZD (1,000 DZD = 7.47 USD). 1 EUR = 151 DZD (1,000 DZD = 6.64 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 18, 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
  • Sidi Bel Abbes Cape Town 7,940 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sidi Bel Abbes
  • 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
Sidi Bel Abbes vs Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Sidi Bel Abbes or Cape Town?
Cape Town costs about 202% more than Sidi Bel Abbes, 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 Sidi Bel Abbes and in Cape Town?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $787 per month in Sidi Bel Abbes and $2,379 in Cape Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Sidi Bel Abbes or Cape Town?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sidi Bel Abbes, 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 Sidi Bel Abbes compared to Cape Town?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $524 in Sidi Bel Abbes and $1,586 in Cape Town. That's a gap of about 202%.
How expensive is transport in Sidi Bel Abbes compared to Cape Town?
Public transport costs about 878% less in Sidi Bel Abbes. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Sidi Bel Abbes or in Cape Town?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sidi Bel Abbes, where all-in costs run around $524, than in Cape Town at $1,586. In Sidi Bel Abbes 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, Sidi Bel Abbes or Cape Town?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sidi Bel Abbes costs $524 versus $1,586 in Cape Town. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Sidi Bel Abbes 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 Sidi Bel Abbes or to Cape Town?
If budget matters most, go with Sidi Bel Abbes. 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.

Sidi Bel Abbes vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?