Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between the United Kingdom and Cape Town
For one person, living is cheaper in Cape Town: $1,568 a month against $2,457 in the United Kingdom, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
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United Kingdom Living Index119Cost of Living Index in the United KingdomLearn more -
Cape Town Living Index76Cost of Living Index in Cape TownLearn more
😐 Solo nomad: The United Kingdom is 40.5% more expensive than Cape Town without rent, and 56.7% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: The United Kingdom is 47.6% more expensive than Cape Town without rent, and 40.4% more expensive with rent.
🍽 Eating Out
United Kingdom
Cape Town
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.38 £16.16
$11.78 R 195
81.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.5 £63.9
$46.55 R 772
81.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.54 £7.97
$5.96 R 98.9
76.85%
Cappuccino
$4.85 £3.66
$2.47 R 41.01
96.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 £1.91
$1.33 R 22.03
90.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 £1.39
$1.03 R 17.08
78.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.81 £5.15
$3.01 R 49.98
126.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.51 £4.92
$3.66 R 60.8
77.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom
Cape Town
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 £1.27
$1.39 R 23.08
20.86%
White Bread (500g)
$1.71 £1.29
$1.19 R 19.70
43.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.25 £1.70
$2.11 R 35.02
6.64%
Eggs
$3.96 £2.99
$3.01 R 49.84
31.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.53 £7.20
$8.96 R 149
6.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.97 £6.78
$6.65 R 110
34.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.70 £11.11
$9.29 R 154
58.23%
Apples (1kg)
$2.91 £2.20
$1.83 R 30.28
59.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 £1.22
$1.90 R 31.47
-14.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.86 £2.16
$1.75 R 28.98
63.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.44 £2.60
$2.09 R 34.59
64.59%
Potato (1kg)
$1.72 £1.30
$1.55 R 25.78
10.97%
Onion (1kg)
$1.54 £1.16
$1.49 R 24.65
3.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 £0.93
$1.30 R 21.53
-5.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 £1.24
$1.16 R 19.29
42.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.34 £17.64
$3.71 R 61.5
529.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.71 £8.10
$6.06 R 101
76.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.01 £2.27
$1.39 R 22.97
116.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30 £2.50
$2.20 R 36.51
50.00%
🚌 Getting Around
United Kingdom
Cape Town
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.48 £2.63
$1.51 R 25.11
130.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$101 £76.0
$61.0 R 1,011
64.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 £4.07
$0.63 R 10.38
755.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.38 £1.80
$1.53 R 25.42
55.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.80 £20.26
$4.81 R 79.8
457.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.01 £1.52
$1.58 R 26.22
27.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.0K £28.7K
$35.5K R 588.7K
7.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.6K £30.7K
$31.7K R 526.6K
27.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom
Cape Town
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$318 £240
$116 R 1,930
172.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.35 £13.87
$28.37 R 471
-35.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.75 £31.56
$40.69 R 675
2.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom
Cape Town
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.41 £35.08
$48.85 R 810
-4.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.28 £13.82
$11.13 R 185
64.24%
Cinema Ticket
$13.28 £10.04
$8.83 R 146
50.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
United Kingdom
Cape Town
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,731 £1,309
$261 R 4,336
562.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.3K £16.8K
$6,702 R 111.2K
232.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom
Cape Town
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.4 £69.9
$55.4 R 919
66.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.27 £34.97
$32.27 R 535
43.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 £76.5
$118 R 1,949
-13.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 £76.7
$107 R 1,775
-5.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom
Cape Town
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,321 £999
$1,015 R 16.8K
30.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,086 £821
$715 R 11.9K
51.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,158 £1,631
$1,801 R 29.9K
19.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 £1,291
$1,330 R 22.1K
28.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,523 £4,175
$2,331 R 38.7K
136.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,320 £3,266
$1,513 R 25.1K
185.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
United Kingdom
Cape Town
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,264 £2,467
$1,636 R 27.1K
99.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.32
10.97
-51.50%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for the United Kingdom: October 3, 2026
Last update for Cape Town: October 4, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom $1.1K 44.3%
Cape Town $715 45.3% 34.1% $371
Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom $378 15.4%
Cape Town $185 11.7% 50.9% $192
Eating Out
United Kingdom $325 13.3%
Cape Town $174 11% 46.6% $152
Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom $305 12.4%
Cape Town $222 14.1% 27.1% $83
Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom $154 6.3%
Cape Town $141 8.9% 8.6% $13
Getting Around
United Kingdom $132 5.4%
Cape Town $75 4.8% 42.9% $56
Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom $73 3%
Cape Town $67 4.2% 8.9% $6.5
Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom $1.7K 36.6%
Cape Town $1.3K 40.8% 22.1% $377
Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom $396 8.5%
Cape Town $214 6.6% 46% $182
Eating Out
United Kingdom $1.1K 23.2%
Cape Town $587 18% 45.8% $496
Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom $699 15%
Cape Town $516 15.9% 26.1% $183
Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom $341 7.3%
Cape Town $312 9.6% 8.6% $29
Getting Around
United Kingdom $271 5.8%
Cape Town $154 4.7% 43.2% $117
Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom $164 3.5%
Cape Town $144 4.4% 12.2% $20
Good to know
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
🇿🇦 Cape Town
Weather
Population
67,326,569
3,740,026 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter
On the map
Lowest
Highest
Between locations
- United Kingdom Cape Town 9,670 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
- United Kingdom
- 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.
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