Essentials
- Tap Water
- Safe to drink and high quality in urban areas
- City
- Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
- Population
- Approximately 4.8 million
- Internet Speed
- Average 50-100 Mbps on Fiber; 5G widely available
- Currency & Banking
- South African Rand (ZAR). 1 USD ≈ 19.10 ZAR, 1 EUR ≈ 20.75 ZAR
- Power
- 230V, 50Hz, 🔌 Type M and Type N sockets. Note: Load shedding (planned outages) occurs.
- SIM Card
- Vodacom (best coverage) and MTN. Approx. 250 ZAR for 10GB
- Banking for Expats
- Standard Bank, FNB, and TymeBank. Apple Pay and Google Pay widely supported.
- Accommodation
- Airbnb, Property24 for long term, and specialized nomad stays like Neighborgood
- Cashless Friendly
- Yes, cards and mobile payments accepted almost everywhere
- Short Term Rentals
- Airbnb, Huisie, and Nox Rentals (V&A Waterfront/Camps Bay)
- Budget Accommodation
- Never@Home Kloof Street (Dorms from 350 ZAR/night), Ashanti Lodge Gardens
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- V&A Waterfront for safety, Camps Bay for beaches, or De Waterkant
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- Gardens, Sea Point, or Woodstock for a creative vibe
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- Workshop17 (Watershed/Gardens) - Approx 3,000 ZAR/month for hot desking
- Best Cafe for Work
- Bootlegger Coffee Company (multiple locations) or Origin Coffee Roasting (De Waterkant)
- Networking Events
- Heavy Chef (tech/entrepreneurship) and Silicon Cape meetups
- Social Events for Expats
- Cape Town Expats Facebook Group and Internations monthly mixers
Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- Uber and Bolt (Uber is generally safer for late-night travel)
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- Up Cycle (Sea Point Pavilion) approx. 100 ZAR/hour
- Best Beach Nearby
- Clifton 4th (wind-protected) and Muizenberg for surfing
- Top Regional Airline
- Airlink and FlySafair
- Top International Airline
- South African Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, and Emirates
- Highway Access
- N1 (towards North/Johannesburg) and N2 (towards Garden Route)
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- Cape Town Railway Station (CBD); MyCiTi Civic Centre Hub
- Public Transport Passes
- MyCiTi Bus 'myconnect' card - 35 ZAR for card, then top up as needed
- Regional Travel
- Intercape bus or Baz Bus for backpacker-style regional hops
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital (Foreshore)
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- The Shala (Gardens) and Yoga Life (De Waterkant)
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- Virgin Active (Point Centre, Sea Point) and Roark Gyms
- Laundry Services
- Nannucci Dry Cleaners and various local laundromats in Sea Point
Food and Drink
- Best Food Delivery App
- UberEats and Mr D Food
- Best Local Dish to Try
- Bobotie or a Gatsby sandwich (try Mariam's Kitchen)
- Vegan/Vegetarian Options
- Scheckter's Raw (Sea Point) and Sunshine Food Co (Sea Point)
- Best Dessert Spots
- The Creamery (Mouille Point) and Honest Chocolate Cafe (Wale St)
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- Pick n Pay, Checkers, and the Oranjezicht City Farm Market
- E-commerce/Online Store
- Takealot.com (The South African Amazon equivalent)
- Grocery Delivery
- Checkers Sixty60 (delivery within 60 minutes)
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- Bree Street and Kloof Street (urban/trendy) and Long Street (backpacking/bars)
- Local Brewery
- Devil's Peak Taproom (Salt River) and Jack Black's Taproom (Diep River)
- Wine Bars
- Publik Wine Bar (Kloof St) and Leo's Wine Bar (Bree St)
- Street Food Stalls
- Eastern Food Bazaar (CBD) - diverse and very affordable
- Popular International Cuisine
- Biesmiellah (Cape Malay), Downtown Ramen, and El Burro (Mexican)
Culture and Attractions
- Must-See Landmarks
- Table Mountain (Cableway), Robben Island, and Cape of Good Hope
- Historic Buildings
- City Hall and the Groote Kerk
- Local Heritage
- South African Protea flower and the 'Rainbow Nation' symbolism
- Museums & Art Venues
- Zeitz MOCAA (Modern Art) and the Iziko South African Museum
- Historical Sites
- District Six Museum and the Castle of Good Hope
- Religious Sites
- Auwal Mosque (Bo-Kaap) and St. George's Cathedral
- Annual Events
- Cape Town Jazz Festival and Kaapse Klopse (Minstrel Carnival)
- Cultural Districts
- Bo-Kaap (colorful houses/Malay culture) and Woodstock (art/industrial)
- Theater Venues
- Artscape Theatre Centre and the Baxter Theatre
- Local Markets
- Old Biscuit Mill (Saturdays in Woodstock) and Hout Bay Harbour Market
- Music Scene
- The Waiting Room and modular (Electronic/Underground)
- Street Art
- Salt River outdoor murals and Woodstock street art tours
- Cooking Classes
- Bo-Kaap Cooking Tour (Faldela Williams)
- Art Galleries
- Stevenson Gallery and Goodman Gallery (Woodstock)
Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden and Constantia Wine Valley
- National Parks Nearby
- Table Mountain National Park and West Coast National Park
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- Sea Point Promenade and Newlands Forest trails
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Signal Hill (Sunset) and Chapman's Peak Drive
- Birdwatching Locations
- Intaka Island (Century City) and Boulders Beach (Penguins)
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Oudekraal (Braai/BBQ spots - permits required)
Other Services and Amenities
- Parcel Delivery Service
- PostNet and Courier Guy (Avoid the national post office SAPO)
- Tech Repair Services
- Digicape (Apple specialists) and weFix
- Table Tennis Spots
- Hope Street Hall and various sports clubs in Green Point
- Language Classes
- Eurocentres Cape Town (English/Xhosa classes)
- Libraries & Study Spots
- National Library of South Africa (Company's Garden)
- Community Centers
- Sea Point Civic Centre
- Gaming Lounges
- ATK Arena (Claremont)
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World
Business
- Studio Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 45,000 ZAR per m² (e.g., 40 m² = 1.8M ZAR)
- Studio Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 25,000 ZAR per m² (e.g., 40 m² = 1M ZAR)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 42,000 ZAR per m² (e.g., 60 m² = 2.5M ZAR)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 22,000 ZAR per m² (e.g., 60 m² = 1.3M ZAR)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 40,000 ZAR per m² (e.g., 80 m² = 3.2M ZAR)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 20,000 ZAR per m² (e.g., 80 m² = 1.6M ZAR)
- Corporate Tax
- 27% for financial years ending on or after 31 March 2023
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- 20% standard rate
- Tax System
- Residence-based tax system (Worldwide income for residents)
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- 45% for taxable income above 1,817,001 ZAR
- VAT
- 15%
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- Yes, comprehensive rules to prevent tax avoidance
- Property Tax
- Rates vary by municipality (based on market value)
- Property Transaction Tax
- Transfer Duty on a sliding scale (0% up to 1.1M ZAR, then up to 13%)
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- South Africa introduced a Remote Work Visa (Digital Nomad Visa) with potential tax exemptions for stays under 6 months.