Cape Town vs Johannesburg
💰
Johannesburg saves you $550/month
📶
Johannesburg has 2x faster internet
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
Cape Town
Johannesburg
Total Budget
$1,700/mo
$1,150/mo ✓
Rent (1BR)
$700/mo
$450/mo ✓
Coworking
$120/mo ✓
$165/mo
Meal Out
$5
$4 ✓
Coffee
$3
$2.5 ✓
Johannesburg is $550/mo cheaper (48% savings)
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🇿🇦 Cape Town
📶 Internet50-100 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+1
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West2h
🇺🇸 US East5h
🇬🇧 London8h
🇩🇪 Berlin8h
🇿🇦 Johannesburg
📶 Internet100 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC+2
🗣️ Englishhigh
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West1h
🇺🇸 US East4h
🇬🇧 London8h
🇩🇪 Berlin8h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
Cape Town
ClimateTemperate
Avg Temp17°C
Rainy Days81/year
Best months: January, February, December, March
Johannesburg
ClimateTemperate
Avg Temp16°C
Rainy Days93/year
Best months: September, May, June, July
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
21°20°
Apr
18°16°
Jul
12°10°
Oct
17°18°
Cape TownJohannesburg
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🇿🇦Cape Town
🇿🇦Johannesburg
💰
Monthly Budget
$1,700
$1,150
Winner📶
Internet Speed
50 Mbps
100 Mbps
Winner🛡️
Safety
2.5/5
2.5/5
⭐
Nomad Score
4/10
Winner3.6/10
🍽️
Food Scene
9/10
8/10
🎉
Nightlife
8/10
7/10
🚶
Walkability
6/10
Winner4/10
👥
Community
large
Winnermedium
3
Cape Town wins
vs
2
Johannesburg wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Johannesburg
$550/mo cheaper with similar quality of life
💻Developer
Johannesburg
100 Mbps is essential for video calls & uploads
🦋Social Butterfly
Cape Town
Larger nomad community for networking
🛡️Safety-First
Either works
Both cities are similarly safe
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
Either works
Both have great nightlife
🇿🇦Cape Town
Pros
- +Stunning natural beauty with Table Mountain and beaches
- +Excellent food and wine scene at affordable prices
- +Strong digital nomad community with many coworking spaces
- +Mediterranean climate with warm, sunny summers
Cons
- −High crime rate requires constant vigilance
- −Load shedding (power cuts) can disrupt work
- −Not safe to walk alone after dark in most areas
- −Water tap not safe to drink in all areas
🇿🇦Johannesburg
Pros
- +Very affordable cost of living
- +Fast fiber and 5G internet
- +Excellent food scene with diverse cuisines
- +Gateway to Kruger National Park safaris
Cons
- −Safety concerns require vigilance
- −CBD and some areas are unsafe
- −Load shedding affects power reliability
- −Car-dependent city with limited walkability