South Africa
South Africa's stunning Mother City beneath Table Mountain, offering world-class wine, dramatic coastlines, and a vibrant, multicultural creative scene.
#103 of 250
8% above average
Monthly cost, one adult
$ 1 543
Based on NYC = 100 index
Cape Town is the 103. most expensive of the 250 cities we track — a month here comes to $ 1 543 for one adult.
Most of that goes on transportation, which runs 143% above the median city and adds $ 91 a month: monthly transit pass $ 91, one-way ticket $ 1.
Cheaper here than almost anywhere else is housing, 25% below the median: 1br apartment (city center) $ 966, 1br apartment (outside center) $ 605. You also get off lightly on restaurants.
Percentages compare this city against the median of all tracked cities, category by category.
51 prices on this page come from live scrapers (14 sources, observed September 16, 2026 to October 14, 2026). They are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit CostCompass and link this page.
CostCompass (2026). Cost of living in Cape Town, South Africa. Data as of 2026-10-14. https://costcompass.net/living/cities/cape-town. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
| Item | Price (USD) | Observations | Last observed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (City Center) | 965.65 / month | 1 | 2026-10-14 | Property24 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside Center) | 605.43 / month | 1 | 2026-10-14 | Property24 |
| 3BR Apartment (City Center) | 3,632.55 / month | 1 | 2026-10-14 | Property24 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside Center) | 1,059.49 / month | 1 | 2026-10-14 | Property24 |
| Chicken Breast (1kg) | 9.38 / item | 1 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa |
| Pork (1kg) | 8.57 / item | 1 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa |
| Beef (1kg) | 8.35 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Fish Fillet (1kg) | 15.21 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Deli Meat / Ham (1kg) | 14.00 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Pick n Pay |
| Milk (1 liter) | 1.09 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Yogurt (150g) | 0.63 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Cheese (1kg) | 11.09 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Butter (200g) | 2.62 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Eggs (12) | 2.47 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Pick n Pay |
| Bread (500g) | 0.84 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Bread Roll (1pc) | 0.22 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Pick n Pay |
| Pasta (500g) | 1.95 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Rice (1kg) | 1.75 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Oats (500g) | 1.49 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Potatoes (1kg) | 1.56 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | 2.12 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Bell Peppers (1kg) | 3.40 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Carrots (1kg) | 0.95 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Onions (1kg) | 2.18 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Garlic (1kg) | 3.86 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 1.63 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Pick n Pay |
| Apples (1kg) | 1.53 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Banana (1kg) | 2.26 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Oranges (1kg) | 1.05 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Lentils (1kg) | 3.51 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Canned Tomatoes (400g) | 1.75 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Sunflower Oil (1L) | 2.73 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Flour (1kg) | 1.03 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Sugar (1kg) | 1.71 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Coffee (250g) | 6.66 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Water (1.5 liter) | 1.32 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Orange Juice (1L) | 2.37 / item | 2 | 2026-10-14 | Woolworths South Africa, Pick n Pay |
| Domestic Beer (0.5L) | 3.63 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Pub & Bar Drinks Menus |
| Monthly Transit Pass | 90.81 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | City Transit Fares |
| One-way Ticket | 1.18 / trip | 1 | 2026-10-13 | City Transit Fares |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 1.78 / liter | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Fuel Prices |
| Basic Utilities (85m2 Apt) | 77.68 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Electricity Tariffs |
| Mobile Plan (10GB+) | 28.90 / month | 1 | 2026-09-16 | Telecom Tariffs Japan / Brazil / South Africa |
| Internet (60 Mbps+) | 48.37 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Telecom Tariffs Japan / Brazil / South Africa |
| Fitness Club (Monthly) | 24.59 / month | 1 | 2026-09-16 | Gym Chains |
| Cinema Ticket | 5.93 / ticket | 2 | 2026-10-14 | MENA, Africa & Oceania Entertainment, Cinema Ticket Prices |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | 15.14 / hour | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Tennis Court Hire Prices |
| Cold Medicine (6 days) | 1.92 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Global Local Pharmacies |
| Summer Dress (Chain Store) | 40.59 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asia-Pacific & ME Local Fashion Stores |
| Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas) | 169.52 / pair | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Asia-Pacific & ME Local Fashion Stores |
| Business Shoes (Leather) | 184.57 / pair | 1 | 2026-09-17 | Asia-Pacific & ME Local Fashion Stores |
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Monthly average costs by category
$ 786
per month
$ 136
per month
$ 188
per month
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per month
$ 155
per month
$ 67
per month
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per month
$ 36
per month