Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tetouan and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Tetouan: $662 a month against $1,586 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $11,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tetouan
🇲🇦 Morocco
$662
/mo nomad
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,586
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $662 per month in Tetouan vs $1,586 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Tetouan $662
  • Cape Town $1,586

A couple spends around $999 per month in Tetouan vs $2,425 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Tetouan $999
  • Cape Town $2,425

A family of three spends $1,336 per month in Tetouan vs $3,263 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Tetouan $1,336
  • Cape Town $3,263

Tetouan is about 58% cheaper than Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Tetouan sits 51% below the global median, while Cape Town is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tetouan
Cape Town
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.04 MAD 29.61
$12.14 R 200
-74.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.99 MAD 175
$45.34 R 747
-60.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.23 MAD 80.2
$5.88 R 96.9
39.97%
Cappuccino
$1.86 MAD 18.09
$2.50 R 41.18
-25.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 MAD 7.27
$1.27 R 20.94
-40.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 MAD 3.21
$0.98 R 16.14
-66.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.62 MAD 25.54
$2.99 R 49.33
-12.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 MAD 29.82
$3.72 R 61.4
-17.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tetouan
Cape Town
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.89 MAD 8.70
$1.30 R 21.40
-31.54%
White Bread (500g)
$0.19 MAD 1.85
$1.25 R 20.68
-84.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.96 MAD 19.14
$2.23 R 36.76
-12.11%
Eggs
$1.60 MAD 15.58
$3.11 R 51.2
-48.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.90 MAD 57.5
$9.06 R 149
-34.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.93 MAD 67.5
$6.92 R 114
0.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.23 MAD 119
$9.30 R 153
31.51%
Apples (1kg)
$1.63 MAD 15.88
$1.84 R 30.25
-11.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 MAD 13.48
$1.96 R 32.29
-29.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.88 MAD 8.63
$1.67 R 27.45
-47.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.86 MAD 8.42
$2.17 R 35.70
-60.37%
Potato (1kg)
$0.90 MAD 8.80
$1.57 R 25.81
-42.68%
Onion (1kg)
$0.73 MAD 7.16
$1.48 R 24.45
-50.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.53 MAD 5.16
$1.30 R 21.41
-59.23%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63 MAD 6.13
$1.13 R 18.60
-44.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.83 MAD 37.32
$3.60 R 59.3
6.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.34 MAD 81.3
$6.15 R 101
35.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.15 MAD 20.99
$1.38 R 22.66
55.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 MAD 24.72
$2.14 R 35.20
18.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Tetouan
Cape Town
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MAD 5.23
$1.50 R 24.65
-64.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.56 MAD 122
$60.8 R 1,001
-79.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.75 MAD 7.34
$0.59 R 9.71
27.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.85 MAD 8.29
$1.50 R 24.65
-43.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.30 MAD 32.20
$5.11 R 84.2
-35.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 MAD 14.95
$1.55 R 25.50
-1.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.9K MAD 330.4K
$36.2K R 596.5K
-6.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.8K MAD 300.3K
$31.2K R 514.8K
-1.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tetouan
Cape Town
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$43.42 MAD 423
$114 R 1,883
-62.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.72 MAD 105
$28.91 R 476
-62.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.31 MAD 403
$39.73 R 654
3.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tetouan
Cape Town
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$15.00 MAD 146
$49.01 R 808
-69.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.02 MAD 117
$10.99 R 181
9.37%
Cinema Ticket
$3.83 MAD 37.34
$9.15 R 151
-58.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tetouan
Cape Town
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$48.53 MAD 473
$259 R 4,264
-81.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,823 MAD 56.8K
$6,794 R 111.9K
-14.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tetouan
Cape Town
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.06 MAD 176
$56.2 R 926
-67.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.28 MAD 461
$32.41 R 534
45.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$55.8 MAD 544
$121 R 1,987
-53.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$65.1 MAD 635
$108 R 1,781
-39.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tetouan
Cape Town
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$202 MAD 1,969
$1,021 R 16.8K
-80.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$160 MAD 1,565
$717 R 11.8K
-77.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$405 MAD 3,952
$1,824 R 30.1K
-77.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$254 MAD 2,481
$1,327 R 21.9K
-80.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,092 MAD 10.6K
$2,391 R 39.4K
-54.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$744 MAD 7,251
$1,542 R 25.4K
-51.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tetouan
Cape Town
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$405 MAD 3,945
$1,639 R 27.0K
-75.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.5
10.97
-49.86%

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

Last update for Tetouan: October 10, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Tetouan
$185
Cape Town
$225 21.7% $40
Accommodation & Living
Tetouan
$160
Cape Town
$717 347% $556
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tetouan
$95
Cape Town
$183 91.7% $88
Eating Out
Tetouan
$95
Cape Town
$176 85.9% $81
Clothing & Footwear
Tetouan
$84
Cape Town
$143 70.4% $59
Sport & Entertainment
Tetouan
$23
Cape Town
$67 197% $45
Getting Around
Tetouan
$20
Cape Town
$75 280% $55

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $202 in Tetouan 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 305% 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 $18.00 in Tetouan versus $45.00 in Cape Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $185 vs $225 – making Tetouan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇦 Tetouan
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🕒 Local time
20:58 8:58 PM
21:58 9:58 PM
1 h ahead of Tetouan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
380,787
3,740,026 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to MAD – Moroccan Dirham Converter

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 9.75 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 17, 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
  • Tetouan Cape Town 8,110 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tetouan
  • 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
Tetouan vs Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Tetouan or Cape Town?
Cape Town costs about 140% more than Tetouan, 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 Tetouan and in Cape Town?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $992 per month in Tetouan 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, Tetouan or Cape Town?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tetouan, 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 Tetouan compared to Cape Town?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $662 in Tetouan and $1,586 in Cape Town. That's a gap of about 140%.
How expensive is transport in Tetouan compared to Cape Town?
Public transport costs about 384% less in Tetouan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Tetouan or in Cape Town?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tetouan, where all-in costs run around $662, than in Cape Town at $1,586. In Tetouan 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, Tetouan or Cape Town?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tetouan costs $662 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 Tetouan 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 Tetouan or to Cape Town?
If budget matters most, go with Tetouan. 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.

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