Cape Town vs Chicago - Cost of Living Comparison

Cape Town Chicago
🚶 Cost of living one person
$902
$2372
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2119
$5663
🏠 One person rent
$525
$1412
🏘️ Family rent
$985
$2402
🍽️ Food expenses
$243
$585
🚐 Transport expenses
$52.9
$210
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$1294
$5314
😷 Air quality
Excellent
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
7 km
15 km
🎓 Higher education
56
100
😀 Quality of life
62
96
🏙️ Population
434K
2.75M

The cost of living in Cape Town is 62% less expensive than in Chicago. Cities ranked 5894th and 254th ($902 vs $2372) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 4th and 195th in South Africa and the United States, respectively. Check South Africa vs the United States comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.4 months in Cape Town compared to 2.2 months in Chicago. Cape Town ranked 3rd best city to live in South Africa vs Chicago ranked 1st in the United States, while ranked 5040th and 11th among best cities to live in the world.

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Cost of living in Cape Town vs Chicago infographic

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Prices in Cape Town vs Chicago

Prices for goods and services in Cape Town and Chicago are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Cape Town Chicago
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$7.38
$16.8
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$28.2
$62.8
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$4.04
$9.52
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.23
$5.86
☕ Cappuccino
$1.79
$5.14
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.91
$2.6
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$603
$1692
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$395
$1112
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1194
$3028
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$793
$1930
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$44.3
$124
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$68.6
$192
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$43.8
$60.8
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
8.76%
5.59%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2106
$4099
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1365
$2764
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.15
$2.5
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$29.7
$77.1
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$6.69
$17.1
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.32
$1.21
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.95
$1.04
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$0.95
$2.81
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.22
$3.12
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.26
$4.12
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.2
$13.8
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.54
$12
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.59
$16.4
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.49
$4.41
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.47
$1.59
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.3
$3.66
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.39
$4.1
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.14
$1.99
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.13
$2.11
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.57
$1.51
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.4
$2.21
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$4.97
$15.6
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.44
$2.75
🚬 Cigarette pack
$2.88
$15.6
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$4.27
$10.5
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.61
$5.76
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.49
$4.92
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.12
$1.98
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$35.9
$63.1
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$5.6
$14.5
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$25.2
$101
💇 Haircut, simple
$7.99
$26.3
👖 Brand Jeans
$49.1
$59.8
👟 Brand Sneakers
$92.2
$92.3
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$195
$1798
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$4486
$21587

Cost of living in other countries

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Cape Town

Distance City Cost of living
54 km or 33 mi Paarl
$833
99 km or 62 mi Worcester
$604
371 km or 231 mi George
$673
644 km or 400 mi Uitenhage
$585
662 km or 411 mi Port Elizabeth
$825
664 km or 413 mi Upington
$706
754 km or 468 mi Makhanda
$772
821 km or 510 mi Komani
$746
833 km or 518 mi Kimberley
$773
845 km or 525 mi Bhisho
$768
882 km or 548 mi East London
$754
912 km or 567 mi Bloemfontein
$665
950 km or 590 mi Mafeteng
$595
999 km or 621 mi Maseru
$619
1002 km or 622 mi Mthatha
$751
1029 km or 639 mi Teyateyaneng
$597
1030 km or 640 mi Welkom
$696
1034 km or 643 mi Mariental
$777
1092 km or 679 mi Butha-Buthe
$594
1092 km or 679 mi Kroonstad
$757
1113 km or 692 mi Klerksdorp
$596
1135 km or 705 mi Mmabatho
$748
1155 km or 718 mi Potchefstroom
$644
1187 km or 737 mi Rehoboth
$780
1194 km or 742 mi Lobatse
$613
1198 km or 745 mi Kanye
$667
1208 km or 751 mi Vanderbijlpark
$814
1217 km or 756 mi Vereeniging
$726
1231 km or 765 mi Pietermaritzburg
$656
1244 km or 773 mi Soweto
$860
1250 km or 777 mi Rustenburg
$1073
1260 km or 783 mi Gaborone
$720
1261 km or 783 mi Molepolole
$605
1261 km or 784 mi Johannesburg
$905
1267 km or 788 mi Randburg
$732
1269 km or 789 mi Windhoek
$799
1270 km or 789 mi Sandton
$896
1271 km or 790 mi Durban
$796
1277 km or 794 mi Gobabis
$780
1279 km or 795 mi Walvis Bay
$789

Cities near Chicago

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 7 mi Cicero
$2010
14 km or 8.8 mi Berwyn
$2103
14 km or 8.9 mi Oak Park
$2132
16 km or 10 mi Elmwood Park
$2011
18 km or 11 mi Maywood
$2010
18 km or 11 mi Evanston
$2114
19 km or 12 mi Skokie
$2022
19 km or 12 mi Burbank
$2008
20 km or 12 mi Melrose Park
$2016
21 km or 13 mi Oak Lawn
$2012
22 km or 14 mi Morton Grove
$2020
22 km or 14 mi Niles
$2051
23 km or 14 mi Park Ridge
$2008
23 km or 14 mi Wilmette
$2021
25 km or 16 mi Blue Island
$2014
26 km or 16 mi Elmhurst
$2023
27 km or 17 mi Glenview
$2025
28 km or 17 mi Des Plaines
$1890
28 km or 18 mi Dolton
$2010
29 km or 18 mi Villa Park
$2016
30 km or 19 mi Harvey
$2021
30 km or 19 mi East Chicago
$1902
30 km or 19 mi Westmont
$2009
31 km or 19 mi Calumet
$2014
31 km or 20 mi South Holland
$2020
32 km or 20 mi Lombard
$1995
32 km or 20 mi Hammond
$2009
32 km or 20 mi Oak Forest
$2021
33 km or 20 mi Northbrook
$2011
33 km or 20 mi Mount Prospect
$2021
33 km or 20 mi Darien
$2020
33 km or 21 mi Elk Grove Village
$2015
34 km or 21 mi Downers Grove
$2017
35 km or 22 mi Orland Park
$2016
36 km or 22 mi Lansing
$2013
36 km or 22 mi Glen Ellyn
$2012
37 km or 23 mi Highland Park
$2012
37 km or 23 mi Munster
$2015
37 km or 23 mi Tinley Park
$2016
37 km or 23 mi Wheeling
$2022