# Housing costs/neighborhoods in Cape Town- any help appreciated!



## Laura11717 (May 31, 2011)

Hi all,
I am an American with a job offer in Cape Town, and am trying to figure out if my husband and I can make do with my salary. One of the biggest unknowns for us is housing costs, and it's been hard to find flats online to give us an idea of what we can afford. 

We would probably be looking for a place between 90 and 100 sq. meters, hopefully with 2 bedrooms and a parking space, that is in a very safe area and as close as possible to the University of Cape Town (near a Jammie shuttle stop would be ideal). What are some good neighborhoods, and what would we need to expect to pay per month?

Any advice on flats, or just general advice/words of wisdom would be much appreciated! We have only a couple weeks to decide, and would likely be unable to move back to the states for at least 3 or 4 years, so it's very stressful and confusing!

Thanks, L


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## Kelsey (Jun 3, 2011)

Sorry, I don't have any suggestions for you, as I have been looking into the exact same information! Will you be teaching at UCT? I was accepted as an undergrad, but various things meant not going. Now I am set on attending UCT as a grad student, moving January 2013.


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## Johanna (Apr 13, 2009)

Laura11717 said:


> Hi all,
> I am an American with a job offer in Cape Town, and am trying to figure out if my husband and I can make do with my salary. One of the biggest unknowns for us is housing costs, and it's been hard to find flats online to give us an idea of what we can afford.
> 
> We would probably be looking for a place between 90 and 100 sq. meters, hopefully with 2 bedrooms and a parking space, that is in a very safe area and as close as possible to the University of Cape Town (near a Jammie shuttle stop would be ideal). What are some good neighborhoods, and what would we need to expect to pay per month?
> ...


I do not live in Cape Town, have a look at the following:

Homes for Rent in Cape Town - Apartments for Rent - Gumtree Cape Town Free Classifieds


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## EthenGroom (Feb 1, 2011)

RE/MAX Premier, which opened its doors on 1 April 2011, is the latest addition to the RE/MAX of Southern Africa family of over 160 franchises, which was recently ranked as the country’s largest real estate brand in a FinWeek survey. RE/MAX Premier will operate in Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs from Rondebosch to Constantia/Tokai and will undoubtedly strengthen the presence of the RE/MAX brand within these areas.

In the Southern Suburbs, there are four main tiers of pricing, with entry level homes selling between approximately R600 000 and R1,2m. Mid level homes, can sell anywhere from around R1,8m to R3m while the top end homes are priced between approximately R4m and R8m. But another level to the standard three, saying that those Southern Suburb properties that are considered to be luxury homes are priced from R10m and upwards.


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## Ostrich (May 20, 2011)

It depends on how far you'd like to commute, and prices vary by neighborhood obviously. Try Gumtree for rentals -- we've had luck there before. 

If you are willing to commute 45 minutes + to work in the CBD of Cape Town, or if you don't plan to work, then you might want to consider the Helderberg area (particularly Strand or Gordon's Bay). 

A 3 bedroom townhouse in Strand or GB will cost between R3500 to R4500 per month, if you shop around. A 2 bedroom flat might cost R2500 to R3500 per month. It costs more to live near the beach, as you'd expect, but you can still find rentals on the lower end prices above if you look (the costs are comparatively low for the Cape area). There are some gorgeous apartments right on the Strand waterfront, but these cost a pretty penny. 

If you want to be closer to the CBD, Belville is very nice. I am not as familiar with prices, but I believe you can find a 3 bedroom for around R4500 per month. 

One thing to consider when you select a place -- as you realize, there is crime here, and not all complexes have equal security measures. You should specifically ask a realtor about issues like if the community is gated, if the house/flat has burglar bars installed (insist on this), and if there is night security and/or a gate guard. As a tenant, you have the right to know these things. In South Africa, many people choose not to live in freestanding homes, because of the increased rate of break-ins. Townhouses are considered the better option, and I would strongly urge you to look in that direction, since you will have a better overall experience. 

Good luck!


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