Cost of Living in Cape Town

Summary of cost of living in Cape Town, South Africa:

Restaurants
Edit Range
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 160.00 R 100.00-250.00
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 700.00 R 500.00-1,200.00
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) 90.00 R 79.00-100.00
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) 45.00 R 25.00-65.00
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 50.00 R 35.00-80.00
Cappuccino (regular) 36.43 R 27.00-50.00
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) 18.89 R 15.00-30.00
Water (12 oz small bottle) 14.06 R 10.00-22.00
Markets
Edit
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) 77.52 R 56.78-113.56
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) 17.50 R 11.79-22.68
Rice (white), (1 lb) 13.73 R 9.07-18.14
Eggs (regular) (12) 44.83 R 28.00-59.98
Local Cheese (1 lb) 65.63 R 45.36-85.67
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) 40.04 R 27.22-58.97
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 59.80 R 40.82-81.65
Apples (1 lb) 12.40 R 8.16-15.88
Banana (1 lb) 12.34 R 7.71-18.14
Oranges (1 lb) 12.30 R 5.89-22.68
Tomato (1 lb) 12.62 R 8.16-15.88
Potato (1 lb) 9.50 R 4.54-18.14
Onion (1 lb) 10.41 R 7.71-15.42
Lettuce (1 head) 19.45 R 15.00-25.00
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 17.03 R 13.99-21.00
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 90.00 R 60.00-150.00
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 24.59 R 15.00-45.00
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 30.38 R 17.00-55.00
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) 55.00 R 45.00-65.00
Transportation
Edit
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 20.00 R 14.00-30.00
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 750.00 R 300.00-990.00
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 24.50 R 10.00-45.00
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) 28.97 R 19.31-48.28
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 80.00 R 48.00-100.00
Gasoline (1 gallon) 88.29 R 79.49-102.21
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 350,000.00 R 250,000.00-450,000.00
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) 428,128.57 R 350,000.00-549,300.00
Utilities (Monthly)
Edit
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment 1,757.96 R 1,133.33-2,781.82
Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data 587.55 R 274.00-1,000.00
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 751.77 R 599.00-1,000.00
Sports And Leisure
Edit
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 701.51 R 300.00-1,200.00
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 125.33 R 50.00-250.00
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 120.00 R 85.00-175.00
Childcare
Edit
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child 3,884.62 R 2,450.00-5,833.33
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child 80,187.44 R 40,000.00-150,000.00
Clothing And Shoes
Edit
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 953.93 R 600.00-1,200.00
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 547.94 R 330.00-800.00
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 1,868.75 R 1,200.00-2,500.00
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 1,348.41 R 700.00-2,000.00
Rent Per Month
Edit
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 14,033.33 R 10,000.00-20,000.00
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 9,196.88 R 7,000.00-15,000.00
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 27,066.67 R 20,000.00-50,000.00
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 18,746.67 R 14,000.00-28,000.00
Buy Apartment Price
Edit
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 3,115.34 R 2,322.56-4,180.60
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 2,052.68 R 1,393.53-3,251.58
Salaries And Financing
Edit
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 27,077.77 R
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate 11.87 11.00-14.00

Prices in Cape Town

This city had 2610 entries in the past 12 months by 281 different contributors.
Last update: December 2024
Sources and References
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9 Comments so far
Panashe on Aug 22, 2024:
Can any photographer living in Cape Town as bachelor tell me a monthly budget can range including rent, considering your income in our line of trade, i am considering to relocate soon to Cape Town
C.A.C. SILVA on Aug 13, 2024:
good to get idea about living cost in SA cape town before visiting over there. hope to visit on 19th August to 30th August in Cape Town, SA.
Thanking you
Kerry on Jul 14, 2024:
Please can I hear from single women living in Sea Point, what their cost of living is.
Anonymous on Feb 14, 2024:
Capetown won't be spared from economic fallout throughout SA so get used to living life tribal idiots but you are what you are no matter how sophisticated you want to be not happening.
Someone on Jul 15, 2023:
And now it's 2023... for a single mother rent between R12 and R20k for a 2 bedroom depending where you live. Safety is important. Food and formula, nappies etc R6000+ pm, clothes at Pick & Pay 2000 pm, electricity 1500 pm, WiFi 700+ pm, Medical aid 1500 hospital plan without gap cover for 1 person = 3000+ pm, petrol 3000 pm depending where you live and work. Entertainment = R3000 just to go to coffee shops as a bill is almost never less than R200
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!
Anonymous on Nov 08, 2022:
Violence against foreigners is at a premium throughout south Africa.Foreigners are double charged for most everything.We lived in Capetown 2 years then left wouldn't recommend it.
Kim on Dec 27, 2021:
I agree with Anonymous below (Sep, 2021) regarding single person living expenses.

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).
Anonymous on Sep 07, 2021:
Your estimates of monthly expenditure are way out. I challenge you to live on R8611pm without rent (in Cape Town). This is very misleading.
Matthew on Mar 31, 2021:
Hello, I think that this website has given me good information for a project on Cape Town