Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wandsworth and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Cape Town: $1,586 a month against $2,450 in Wandsworth, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Wandsworth
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,450
/mo nomad
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,586
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,450 per month in Wandsworth vs $1,586 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Wandsworth $2,450
  • Cape Town $1,586

A couple spends around $3,639 per month in Wandsworth vs $2,425 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Wandsworth $3,639
  • Cape Town $2,425

A family of three spends $4,829 per month in Wandsworth vs $3,263 in Cape Town, rent included.

  • Wandsworth $4,829
  • Cape Town $3,263

Wandsworth costs about 54% more than Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Wandsworth and Cape Town sit above the global median – Wandsworth by 81%, Cape Town by 17%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Wandsworth
Cape Town
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.69 £20.02
$12.14 R 200
119.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$95.2 £71.4
$45.34 R 747
109.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.65 £7.99
$5.88 R 96.9
81.12%
Cappuccino
$5.23 £3.92
$2.50 R 41.18
109.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.35 £2.52
$1.27 R 20.94
163.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 £1.57
$0.98 R 16.14
113.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.53 £6.40
$2.99 R 49.33
185.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.73 £5.80
$3.72 R 61.4
107.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Wandsworth
Cape Town
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 £1.37
$1.30 R 21.40
40.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.99 £1.49
$1.25 R 20.68
59.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.18 £1.63
$2.23 R 36.76
-2.24%
Eggs
$4.41 £3.31
$3.11 R 51.2
41.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.63 £8.72
$9.06 R 149
28.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.64 £7.98
$6.92 R 114
53.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.51 £13.14
$9.30 R 153
88.28%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 £2.26
$1.84 R 30.25
64.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.41 £1.06
$1.96 R 32.29
-28.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.90 £2.18
$1.67 R 27.45
73.65%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.27 £2.46
$2.17 R 35.70
50.69%
Potato (1kg)
$2.12 £1.59
$1.57 R 25.81
35.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.86 £1.40
$1.48 R 24.45
25.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 £0.88
$1.30 R 21.41
-10.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 £1.23
$1.13 R 18.60
45.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.07 £17.31
$3.60 R 59.3
540.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.07 £8.30
$6.15 R 101
80.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.05 £2.29
$1.38 R 22.66
121.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.92 £2.94
$2.14 R 35.20
83.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Wandsworth
Cape Town
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.40 £2.55
$1.50 R 24.65
126.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$94.5 £70.9
$60.8 R 1,001
55.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.07 £3.81
$0.59 R 9.71
759.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.67 £2.01
$1.50 R 24.65
78.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.98 £19.49
$5.11 R 84.2
408.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.14 £1.60
$1.55 R 25.50
38.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.4K £28.8K
$36.2K R 596.5K
6.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.3K £30.3K
$31.2K R 514.8K
29.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Wandsworth
Cape Town
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$288 £216
$114 R 1,883
152.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.38 £13.79
$28.91 R 476
-36.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.27 £33.96
$39.73 R 654
13.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Wandsworth
Cape Town
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.72 £33.55
$49.01 R 808
-8.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.99 R 181
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.23 £12.93
$9.15 R 151
88.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Wandsworth
Cape Town
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,040 £1,530
$259 R 4,264
688.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.7K £23.0K
$6,794 R 111.9K
351.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Wandsworth
Cape Town
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$116 £86.9
$56.2 R 926
106.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.76 £34.33
$32.41 R 534
41.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 £77.7
$121 R 1,987
-14.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 £78.4
$108 R 1,781
-3.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Wandsworth
Cape Town
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,214 £911
$1,021 R 16.8K
18.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,001 £751
$717 R 11.8K
39.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,065 £1,549
$1,824 R 30.1K
13.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,628 £1,221
$1,327 R 21.9K
22.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,116 £3,838
$2,391 R 39.4K
113.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,837 £2,879
$1,542 R 25.4K
148.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Wandsworth
Cape Town
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,639 R 27.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.12
10.97
-53.33%

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

Last update for Wandsworth: October 11, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Wandsworth
$1K
Cape Town
$717 28.4% $284
Eating Out
Wandsworth
$388
Cape Town
$176 54.6% $212
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Wandsworth
$352
Cape Town
$183 48% $169
Groceries & Markets
Wandsworth
$336
Cape Town
$225 33.1% $111
Clothing & Footwear
Wandsworth
$166
Cape Town
$143 14.2% $24
Getting Around
Wandsworth
$127
Cape Town
$75 40.9% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Wandsworth
$79
Cape Town
$67 15% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,214 in Wandsworth 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $95.0 in Wandsworth versus $45.00 in Cape Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $225 – making Cape Town the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Wandsworth
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🕒 Local time
03:34 3:34 AM
04:34 4:34 AM
1 h ahead of Wandsworth
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,562
3,740,026 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 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
  • Wandsworth Cape Town 9,670 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Wandsworth
  • 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
Wandsworth vs Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Wandsworth or Cape Town?
Wandsworth costs about 54% 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 Wandsworth and in Cape Town?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,674 per month in Wandsworth 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, Wandsworth or Cape Town?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cape Town, 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 Wandsworth compared to Cape Town?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,450 in Wandsworth and $1,586 in Cape Town. That's a gap of about 54%.
How expensive is transport in Wandsworth compared to Cape Town?
Public transport costs about 56% 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 Wandsworth or in Cape Town?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cape Town, where all-in costs run around $1,586, than in Wandsworth at $2,450. In Cape Town it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wandsworth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Wandsworth or Cape Town?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cape Town costs $1,586 versus $2,450 in Wandsworth. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Wandsworth or to Cape Town?
If budget matters most, go with Cape Town. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Wandsworth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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