Cost of Living in Cape Town
Summary of cost of living in Cape Town, South Africa:
- The estimated monthly costs for a family of four are 2,131.5$ (40,117.4R), excluding rent (using our estimator).
- The estimated monthly costs for a single person are 608.8$ (11,457.6R), excluding rent.
- Cape Town is 68.1% less expensive than New York (excluding rent, see our cost of living index).
- Rent in Cape Town is, on average, 82.6% lower than in New York.
Restaurants |  Edit |
Range |
|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 175.00 R | |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 750.00 R | |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 90.00 R | |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 50.00 R | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 45.00 R | |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 36.55 R | |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 19.00 R | |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 13.79 R | |
Markets | Edit |
|
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 75.49 R | |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 17.30 R | |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 14.63 R | |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 42.40 R | |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 68.15 R | |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 41.30 R | |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 61.53 R | |
| Apples (1 lb) | 12.33 R | |
| Banana (1 lb) | 11.65 R | |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 12.12 R | |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 12.56 R | |
| Potato (1 lb) | 8.76 R | |
| Onion (1 lb) | 9.60 R | |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 19.23 R | |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 17.33 R | |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 100.00 R | |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 24.19 R | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 30.52 R | |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 55.00 R | |
Transportation | Edit |
|
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 20.00 R | |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 850.00 R | |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 25.00 R | |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 28.97 R | |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 80.00 R | |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 86.34 R | |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 380,000.00 R | |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 438,044.10 R | |
Utilities (Monthly) | Edit |
|
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 1,788.24 R | |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 521.27 R | |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 770.75 R | |
Sports And Leisure | Edit |
|
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 690.36 R | |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 149.38 R | |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 120.00 R | |
Childcare | Edit |
|
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 3,724.00 R | |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 90,999.93 R | |
Clothing And Shoes | Edit |
|
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 985.93 R | |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 572.34 R | |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 1,932.69 R | |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 1,494.79 R | |
Rent Per Month | Edit |
|
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 13,580.65 R | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 9,206.90 R | |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 25,346.15 R | |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 18,213.33 R | |
Buy Apartment Price | Edit |
|
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 3,158.69 R | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 2,139.08 R | |
Salaries And Financing | Edit |
|
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 26,539.31 R | |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 11.86 |
Prices in Cape Town
This city had 2183 entries in the past 12 months by 201 different contributors.
Last update: April 2025
Last update: April 2025
Sources and References
Moving to Cape Town? Explore:
Distribution of Expenses Using Our Statistical Model:
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Nearby Cities:| Cost of Living in Somerset West | 27.94 miles |
| Cost of Living in Paarl | 38.17 miles |
This Page in Other Languages:
 DeutschLebenshaltungskosten in Kapstadt
|
 PortuguêsCusto de Vida em Cidade do Cabo
|
 ItalianoCosto della Vita a Città del Capo
|
 FrançaisCoût de la Vie à Le Cap
|
 EspañolCosto de Vida en Ciudad del Cabo
|
Thanking you
Phone: 1000 with top up needed sometimes of 300 = 1300 pm
Car insurance and household insurance 1700 pm
Do we as single vulnerable mothers get any support from the government? NO. Do we as single mothers have to keep paying tax with zero compensation or discount from the government? NO
Enjoy loadshedding in the dark with a baby, trying to bath them, sterilizing bottles... don't forget the price of candles, light bulbs and LED lights and battery packs added to your bill, if you don't have to add an inverter too. School fees 3k - 10k a month as your child gets older is still another headache!
1. decent medical aid with gap cover which you CANNOT do without in S.A min R1000- 1500 pm
2. Transport - assuming your car is paid off (if not, up to R2500-R3000 p/m to pay off), car insurance (R500-R1500 depending on the car), R2000 average for petrol (depending where you work and socialise)
3. Atleast R3000 - R5000 p/m on food/toiletries/cleaning agents/entertainment/domestic workers (movies/entrance fees/restaurants etc)
4. R1000 for clothes/makeup/home decor items
5. Other charges - R200 mobile phone, Wifi R500 (depending on package), lights and water (approx R500-R1000), rates and levies if you own a home? Vehicle servicing (Budgets another R200 or so a month).