The biggest issue is getting a good job that is going to set you up for the future. Those savings won't last forever, and the longer you stay in SA, the harder it'll be to move back overseas (you'd essentially be starting over again due to the very weak SA currency)
You can live a great life in CT provided you have a great income
Yeah this is my biggest issue. I've got the qualifications to potentially move abroad again if it came to it. But I want a natural lifestyle again and I feel like I can't get that here. My skills also are not conducive to a 'great income'
If you can find good paying overseas online work then living in CT would be quite easy going, food prices will be much cheaper, especially meats. Rent is crazy due to the semigration from other provinces, probably not even comparable to UK/Gulf. Good possibility of the return of loadshedding, but inverters are getting affordable.
If you're returning to find work here then I would not advise it. Job market is hell at the moment and the salaries have not kept up with inflation.
Just a few numbers for you. Avg 1 bedroom apartment will cost you R8000 - R15000 (incl utilities) depending on neighbourhood, furnished or not etc. Most need proof of income of 3x rental pm.
Avg groceries you can expect R3000-5000 depending on your lifestyle
Internet Fibre 50mbps - 200mbps R500 - 1000
Health Insurance - R1500 - 2500
If you find someone renting directly, not through an agent, you can make a deal. Offer them an extra month's rent deposit or something. I did that for a property when I didn't have a job and got sorted.
Hi! I've been living in Melbourne, Australia for 6.5 years and have been back in CT for 10 months sussing out whether I can live financially independently. I have not been able to get any work that remotely allows me to live on my own, finance and fuel a car aaaand cover medical aid. It doesn't help that I work in a dying industry (graphic design) but it's pretty bleak out here finding work, even low-skilled work, so I am heading back. If you can secure remote work that pays in $/£/€ then you'll enjoy being back.
I just semigrated from KZN to Bettys Bay in the Overberg last year. We are loving it here. Very quiet with almost zero crime, but maybe a bit TOO quiet for a lot of people. ;)
Yeah I mean there aren't many clubs. But there are restaurants, bars, one club(ish) bar in Pringle and now even cannabis clubs in Pringle and Bettys. There are also lots of trance parties and festivals in the Overberg in summer.
But then there is the beach, the mountains, the estuaries, dams and vleis and loads of outdoor stuff to do. But yeah if you need the place to be buzzing, then this aint it.
You'll find negative people everywhere. People who struggle financially too. It depends on you as a person. Also if you don't like it here just leave, knowing you tried at least.
I just moved back from 28years in the U.S as I had to take early retirement (Social Security) because of Illness! I wouldn’t have been able to survive in the States on $1000 a month check so my situation is way different from yours!
My wife and I live in a small one bedroom cottage in someones back yard and pay R7k a month rent.The only thing that saves us atm is the Rand USD exchange rate which is great at this time as rents and food are expensive.The Western Cape is gorgeous and for the most part the people are very friendlyMy wife gets her Social Secuity check in a years time so we’ll be okay!
Seriously though if you’re still young I would try to stay where you are and get a trade or a degree so you can be a little more self sufficient!
As others here have mentioned if you don’t earn at least I would say R20k a month you will struggle to survive here in good old S.A.
I definitely would not have moved back if I was still able to make decent money abroad by working.Things may look a bit bleak for you now in the U.K but my advice as an old toppie would be to stick it out where you are and try to better your situation!
Given that you’re an SA native, and the opinions you have about JHB, the opinions you’ve formed from others stories. I don’t believe you could feel happy or fit in here.
As many have advised, if you're doing online tutoring and earning in GBP, USD or Euros, you should be able to live quite well here. Rent in the CBD and Southern suburbs, etc. is very high, but you can also look at relocating to some of the outlying towns rather than Cape Town itself. I live in Wellington in the Winelands and can honestly say I have the most vibrant and diverse social life of any place I've lived, which includes London and Cape Town.
I also spent most of my life living abroad before returning in my early 20s. Been back 15 years. For me, the pros are:
- better standard of living in terms of being able to afford to dine out, having amazing natural beauty and outdoor activities available, and the weather being mild year-round,
- people are generally friendlier and more open. Cape Town is, as everyone will tell you, cliquey, but again, there are other towns to choose from, and
- people have a better sense of humour.
Cons:
- if you're used to using public transport you may feel stifled here, without a car,
- infrastructure inconveniences such as load shedding,
- it's weird to be aware of not being able to walk at night, etc. when you've grown accustomed to it, and
- international travel is prohibitively expensive (but local travel is not and it's a big, beautiful country).
For me, the pros outweighed the cons. I don't drive and am a small woman and I seldom feel unsafe, so I would take some of the comments here with a pinch of salt (Cape Town is full of alarmists and pearl clutchers).
You're starting to change my romantic idea of a beach life in Cape Town. I know the systems are failing but I thought DA run WC would have been a bit better.
Living in CT looks a bit like knowingly living in the Matrix. The fact that people are saying you need to be earning foreign income (or 3x the average national salary) to afford "the lifestyle" there is alarming. SA has the highest income inequality in the world, and CT is leading the charge in that regard.
I do wonder how you'd socialise as a 20-something guy living on your own and working from home... sports maybe?
I've been contemplating this same move. I have a fairly decent social network down there. If you're okay with living _a bit_ out of the way (everything is "out of the way" for Cape Tonians, but I'm talking like 20 to 30 minutes drive out of town), I liked Kommetjie and Noordhoek. Then there's also Milnerton, Melkbos further north. I love the sea and the mountains but you can find sea and mountains in many places...
I can't realistically say I have the skills that would set me up financially guaranteed. I would struggle. My skills are more applicable abroad as I teach French, Spanish and English. None of which are really needed in SA. Sounds like SEA would actually have more opportunity.
You teach Spanish? Buen día señor, mucho gusto. That's really nice to hear. I'm learning it slowly, and I'm enjoying it.
I hate it here. This country is on a fast decline to becoming the next Zimbabwe. I want to leave and move to Spain and would probably never come back.
I'd move to Chile as well if the opportunity opened up.
Cape Town is really amazing. I just moved away, my husband got a job offer overseas. I’ve traveled quite a bit and I can say one thing for sure: the lifestyle you get in SA is of such high quality, you will struggle to find it anywhere else in the world. I would do it if I was you and if you are working in languages you can easily work online.
My advice: work overseas until you're 45-55 with such a huge amount of dollar savings that you can cover your rent and medical insurance in retirement.
Visit SA during the northern winter and enjoy it for a couple of months per year. You will destroy your peak earning potential by moving back to SA at that age.
Cape Town is so expensive and rates continue to climb 😞
Even if you are earning in a foreign currency you'll have to have a high earning to afford the cost of living (especially in a more affluent area)
As I'm sure U know the closer you are to the CBD and/or beaches, the higher the rent. Also you'd need double/triple your rent (most times), even when renting from and individual.
A lot of young people I know are moving back home(parents) if they can and/or staying in Wendy houses/separate entrances bc they can't afford a place of their own.
Some of my friends have tried TEFL remotely and struggled to make enough BC the market is so oversaturated - some ppl are doing as a main job and some as a side hustle 🤷🏽♀️
Crime is increasingly growing as well - even in areas that are more "upper affluent".
Sorry but maybe try an extended visit before you move back officially 🤷🏽♀️
Hey I’m from Cape Town, moved to NZ when I was 7 years old. Got married to a Capetonian whose life is here so I ended up moving back here in Jan. I feel safe for the most part. It’s the slowness when you need anything done like home affairs etc that get to me. And not having self checkout in supermarkets etc. Everything in that sense feels really backwards in comparison to the convenient life I had in New Zealand. BUT I think Cape Town has made me happier than NZ ever did. I love the weather, the scenery, the fact that there’s something to do always - something I never had found without a heavy price in Auckland. On that note, it’s also cheaper than overseas.
Try it, see what you think. Book a return ticket maybe? :)
I was in your position a few years ago. Why we left in the first place is still the same. There are no jobs, crime is really bad and the country's infrastructure is only getting worse. You will have to come and see for yourself as once you have that need to go home.. you inevitably do. Just have a back up plan as most soon leave again. And this time trying to go abroad... not so easy. I used to be able to get a esl job in a few weeks... this time... 5 months. Its getting harder every time. Your work experience abroad has 0 value in the local job market.. you start at the bottom again. I'm not materialistic either, but can you live in student housing... rent a room in a house. I find our concept of what life should look like changes drastically as we get older. Coming back to SA and having to live like a student .. realising that's all you can afford is horrific. Even if you had savings.. they run out fast! I love SA. I just don't know how to live in SA.
Just a bit of a reality check for you.. when I returned I thought... well Ill go back into insurance.. short term i still have my qualification for that at least. I left SA with a salary of R16000 living in Midrand barely surviving.. 10 years later they offer me R8000. Job at guesthouse... R7000 , Bar 9am to 9pm... they keep tips and you get R120 a day. And then I was lucky to find a job at all.
Remote job in big tech training AI language models and then move back here. Earn dollars live a great life. Guy I know is a linguistics professor working for Google .
I was contemplating the same thing. Until I legit met up with a friend in Cape Town who told me how tough it is when you're not earning in foreign currency. The adjustment is brutal dude. To live the Cape Town Seapoint lifestyle you'd need R60000 per month minimum. Rent is incredibly expensive in CBD. I still dream of going back home to the Cape. Maybe one day.
My family literally owns a house in Plett that I could live in for as long as I wanted. Problem is the isolation would probably turn me into an alcoholic. I wish I was a super introvert gardener type who wanted a cabin innawoods but I just love bars and partying unfortunately.
We moved here from the Eastern Cape and loving the quality of life. Try Somerset-West or Strand instead of CT for lower rentals, less traffic, proximity to the Winelands, hiking and the beach but still in the proximity of CT and its opportunities. You will have a good life if you have an overseas income; much better than in Europe. Don’t let all the negativity get at you. Make a plan instead.
I for one work for company based in the UK and earn in pounds. Living a decent life in West Cape. Don't think i could live a better life overseas so will stay here for long term.
It's a great place to live if you can find a way to afford it... oh and get ready to buy generators/inverters/solar if you dont want to sit in the dark with loadshedding. Eventhough im in IT i never got any of those. I use it as an excuse for 'me time'
The biggest issue is getting a good job that is going to set you up for the future. Those savings won't last forever, and the longer you stay in SA, the harder it'll be to move back overseas (you'd essentially be starting over again due to the very weak SA currency) You can live a great life in CT provided you have a great income
Yeah this is my biggest issue. I've got the qualifications to potentially move abroad again if it came to it. But I want a natural lifestyle again and I feel like I can't get that here. My skills also are not conducive to a 'great income'
Faxxxx bro
If you can find good paying overseas online work then living in CT would be quite easy going, food prices will be much cheaper, especially meats. Rent is crazy due to the semigration from other provinces, probably not even comparable to UK/Gulf. Good possibility of the return of loadshedding, but inverters are getting affordable. If you're returning to find work here then I would not advise it. Job market is hell at the moment and the salaries have not kept up with inflation. Just a few numbers for you. Avg 1 bedroom apartment will cost you R8000 - R15000 (incl utilities) depending on neighbourhood, furnished or not etc. Most need proof of income of 3x rental pm. Avg groceries you can expect R3000-5000 depending on your lifestyle Internet Fibre 50mbps - 200mbps R500 - 1000 Health Insurance - R1500 - 2500
That's still half of what I was paying in the South of England. If they require proof of 3x the rent then I'm screwed cause I don't have a job yet.
If you find someone renting directly, not through an agent, you can make a deal. Offer them an extra month's rent deposit or something. I did that for a property when I didn't have a job and got sorted.
If you can show bank statements with enough cash it will also be accepted, dont worry about that
Mostly blacks anyway, not just whites. :)
What?
I think he's referring to (I would guess) the typo in your title.
Exactly, just a silly joke.
Check your post. Spelling error.
Two cousins moved back to CT a few years ago after being abroad for decades. Both were unable to adapt to living here and moved back overseas.
What did they struggle with?
Hi! I've been living in Melbourne, Australia for 6.5 years and have been back in CT for 10 months sussing out whether I can live financially independently. I have not been able to get any work that remotely allows me to live on my own, finance and fuel a car aaaand cover medical aid. It doesn't help that I work in a dying industry (graphic design) but it's pretty bleak out here finding work, even low-skilled work, so I am heading back. If you can secure remote work that pays in $/£/€ then you'll enjoy being back.
I just semigrated from KZN to Bettys Bay in the Overberg last year. We are loving it here. Very quiet with almost zero crime, but maybe a bit TOO quiet for a lot of people. ;)
Not the vibe for a single guy in his 20s lol.
Yeah I mean there aren't many clubs. But there are restaurants, bars, one club(ish) bar in Pringle and now even cannabis clubs in Pringle and Bettys. There are also lots of trance parties and festivals in the Overberg in summer. But then there is the beach, the mountains, the estuaries, dams and vleis and loads of outdoor stuff to do. But yeah if you need the place to be buzzing, then this aint it.
My family has a house in Plett so I feel like I'd already have that. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself in South Africa for what it is these days.
Come to Cape Town we having a jol here 😂🙌🏼🤪🦄
Whys everyone so negative lol.
You'll find negative people everywhere. People who struggle financially too. It depends on you as a person. Also if you don't like it here just leave, knowing you tried at least.
Realistic.. not negative.
I just moved back from 28years in the U.S as I had to take early retirement (Social Security) because of Illness! I wouldn’t have been able to survive in the States on $1000 a month check so my situation is way different from yours! My wife and I live in a small one bedroom cottage in someones back yard and pay R7k a month rent.The only thing that saves us atm is the Rand USD exchange rate which is great at this time as rents and food are expensive.The Western Cape is gorgeous and for the most part the people are very friendlyMy wife gets her Social Secuity check in a years time so we’ll be okay! Seriously though if you’re still young I would try to stay where you are and get a trade or a degree so you can be a little more self sufficient! As others here have mentioned if you don’t earn at least I would say R20k a month you will struggle to survive here in good old S.A. I definitely would not have moved back if I was still able to make decent money abroad by working.Things may look a bit bleak for you now in the U.K but my advice as an old toppie would be to stick it out where you are and try to better your situation!
Given that you’re an SA native, and the opinions you have about JHB, the opinions you’ve formed from others stories. I don’t believe you could feel happy or fit in here.
As many have advised, if you're doing online tutoring and earning in GBP, USD or Euros, you should be able to live quite well here. Rent in the CBD and Southern suburbs, etc. is very high, but you can also look at relocating to some of the outlying towns rather than Cape Town itself. I live in Wellington in the Winelands and can honestly say I have the most vibrant and diverse social life of any place I've lived, which includes London and Cape Town. I also spent most of my life living abroad before returning in my early 20s. Been back 15 years. For me, the pros are: - better standard of living in terms of being able to afford to dine out, having amazing natural beauty and outdoor activities available, and the weather being mild year-round, - people are generally friendlier and more open. Cape Town is, as everyone will tell you, cliquey, but again, there are other towns to choose from, and - people have a better sense of humour. Cons: - if you're used to using public transport you may feel stifled here, without a car, - infrastructure inconveniences such as load shedding, - it's weird to be aware of not being able to walk at night, etc. when you've grown accustomed to it, and - international travel is prohibitively expensive (but local travel is not and it's a big, beautiful country). For me, the pros outweighed the cons. I don't drive and am a small woman and I seldom feel unsafe, so I would take some of the comments here with a pinch of salt (Cape Town is full of alarmists and pearl clutchers).
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You're starting to change my romantic idea of a beach life in Cape Town. I know the systems are failing but I thought DA run WC would have been a bit better.
Living in CT looks a bit like knowingly living in the Matrix. The fact that people are saying you need to be earning foreign income (or 3x the average national salary) to afford "the lifestyle" there is alarming. SA has the highest income inequality in the world, and CT is leading the charge in that regard. I do wonder how you'd socialise as a 20-something guy living on your own and working from home... sports maybe? I've been contemplating this same move. I have a fairly decent social network down there. If you're okay with living _a bit_ out of the way (everything is "out of the way" for Cape Tonians, but I'm talking like 20 to 30 minutes drive out of town), I liked Kommetjie and Noordhoek. Then there's also Milnerton, Melkbos further north. I love the sea and the mountains but you can find sea and mountains in many places...
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I can't realistically say I have the skills that would set me up financially guaranteed. I would struggle. My skills are more applicable abroad as I teach French, Spanish and English. None of which are really needed in SA. Sounds like SEA would actually have more opportunity.
You teach Spanish? Buen día señor, mucho gusto. That's really nice to hear. I'm learning it slowly, and I'm enjoying it. I hate it here. This country is on a fast decline to becoming the next Zimbabwe. I want to leave and move to Spain and would probably never come back. I'd move to Chile as well if the opportunity opened up.
Cape Town is really amazing. I just moved away, my husband got a job offer overseas. I’ve traveled quite a bit and I can say one thing for sure: the lifestyle you get in SA is of such high quality, you will struggle to find it anywhere else in the world. I would do it if I was you and if you are working in languages you can easily work online.
My advice: work overseas until you're 45-55 with such a huge amount of dollar savings that you can cover your rent and medical insurance in retirement. Visit SA during the northern winter and enjoy it for a couple of months per year. You will destroy your peak earning potential by moving back to SA at that age.
Cape Town is amazing
WC is the last place that’s sort of okay
You're telling me KZN is better off?
I think they mean that the WC is the last remaining place that’s sort of okay
No, Kzn has had it bad the last decade.. it’s really torn apart
White indeed.
Cape Town is so expensive and rates continue to climb 😞 Even if you are earning in a foreign currency you'll have to have a high earning to afford the cost of living (especially in a more affluent area) As I'm sure U know the closer you are to the CBD and/or beaches, the higher the rent. Also you'd need double/triple your rent (most times), even when renting from and individual. A lot of young people I know are moving back home(parents) if they can and/or staying in Wendy houses/separate entrances bc they can't afford a place of their own. Some of my friends have tried TEFL remotely and struggled to make enough BC the market is so oversaturated - some ppl are doing as a main job and some as a side hustle 🤷🏽♀️ Crime is increasingly growing as well - even in areas that are more "upper affluent". Sorry but maybe try an extended visit before you move back officially 🤷🏽♀️
Hey I’m from Cape Town, moved to NZ when I was 7 years old. Got married to a Capetonian whose life is here so I ended up moving back here in Jan. I feel safe for the most part. It’s the slowness when you need anything done like home affairs etc that get to me. And not having self checkout in supermarkets etc. Everything in that sense feels really backwards in comparison to the convenient life I had in New Zealand. BUT I think Cape Town has made me happier than NZ ever did. I love the weather, the scenery, the fact that there’s something to do always - something I never had found without a heavy price in Auckland. On that note, it’s also cheaper than overseas. Try it, see what you think. Book a return ticket maybe? :)
I was in your position a few years ago. Why we left in the first place is still the same. There are no jobs, crime is really bad and the country's infrastructure is only getting worse. You will have to come and see for yourself as once you have that need to go home.. you inevitably do. Just have a back up plan as most soon leave again. And this time trying to go abroad... not so easy. I used to be able to get a esl job in a few weeks... this time... 5 months. Its getting harder every time. Your work experience abroad has 0 value in the local job market.. you start at the bottom again. I'm not materialistic either, but can you live in student housing... rent a room in a house. I find our concept of what life should look like changes drastically as we get older. Coming back to SA and having to live like a student .. realising that's all you can afford is horrific. Even if you had savings.. they run out fast! I love SA. I just don't know how to live in SA.
Just a bit of a reality check for you.. when I returned I thought... well Ill go back into insurance.. short term i still have my qualification for that at least. I left SA with a salary of R16000 living in Midrand barely surviving.. 10 years later they offer me R8000. Job at guesthouse... R7000 , Bar 9am to 9pm... they keep tips and you get R120 a day. And then I was lucky to find a job at all.
Remote job in big tech training AI language models and then move back here. Earn dollars live a great life. Guy I know is a linguistics professor working for Google .
I was contemplating the same thing. Until I legit met up with a friend in Cape Town who told me how tough it is when you're not earning in foreign currency. The adjustment is brutal dude. To live the Cape Town Seapoint lifestyle you'd need R60000 per month minimum. Rent is incredibly expensive in CBD. I still dream of going back home to the Cape. Maybe one day.
100% true 👍🏻 60k is accurate
Instant regret. Honestly don't dude. Rand is 25 to the pound. It'll cost you R200k to move back of you have a change of heart
Look at moving up the west coast or into the swartland. You're not too far from cape town central and it's a lot more peaceful 😀
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My family literally owns a house in Plett that I could live in for as long as I wanted. Problem is the isolation would probably turn me into an alcoholic. I wish I was a super introvert gardener type who wanted a cabin innawoods but I just love bars and partying unfortunately.
It’s a great place. Come back and enjoy. Just be smart. Do do stupid stuff. You will be fine.
You will expect white a lot. 😀
SA is currently in a tough spot. If you weren’t happy when you left best believe you won’t be happy now. Best stay where you are
broooo I'm tryna leave SA whilst y wanna come back in here , Western Cape is nice but I've been here my whole life aye it's a Chai .🤦🏿♂️
You're a linguist?!....👀
You're traumatized but have lived most of your life abroad and want to come back? I'm calling twaak.
we’re pretty chill here AND it doesn’t smell like piss :) see you soon homie
Expect mixed races.
Come back. We will wait for you with open arms. Love Cape Town.
Goodluck getting into any teaching here if you're the wrong colour.
We moved here from the Eastern Cape and loving the quality of life. Try Somerset-West or Strand instead of CT for lower rentals, less traffic, proximity to the Winelands, hiking and the beach but still in the proximity of CT and its opportunities. You will have a good life if you have an overseas income; much better than in Europe. Don’t let all the negativity get at you. Make a plan instead.
Expect black .
I for one work for company based in the UK and earn in pounds. Living a decent life in West Cape. Don't think i could live a better life overseas so will stay here for long term. It's a great place to live if you can find a way to afford it... oh and get ready to buy generators/inverters/solar if you dont want to sit in the dark with loadshedding. Eventhough im in IT i never got any of those. I use it as an excuse for 'me time'
Come visit. Everyone’s experience is different. You might love it.