Cape Town vs Zanzibar for Digital Nomads
🇿🇦 Cape Town vs 🇹🇿 Zanzibar · updated 2026-07
Verdict
Cheaper: Zanzibar · Faster internet: Cape Town · Higher Nomad Score: Cape Town.
Head-to-head
| 🇿🇦 Cape Town | 🇹🇿 Zanzibar | |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable / month | $1,380 | $1,035 ★ |
| 1-bed rent | $700 | $500 ★ |
| Food | $300 | $250 ★ |
| Coworking | $120 | $90 ★ |
| Internet (Mbps) | 60 ★ | 40 |
| Affordability | 83 | 92 ★ |
| Weather | 88 ★ | 86 |
| Community | 84 ★ | 62 |
| Nomad Score | 79 ★ | 77 |
| Climate | Mediterranean, dry summers | Tropical island |
★ = better on that row. Figures are aggregated estimates.
FAQ
Is Cape Town or Zanzibar cheaper for digital nomads?
Zanzibar is cheaper — about $1,035/month vs $1,380/month for a comfortable solo setup.
Which has faster internet, Cape Town or Zanzibar?
Cape Town has faster average broadband (60 Mbps vs 40 Mbps).
Which has the higher Nomad Score?
Cape Town scores 79 vs 77 on our composite of affordability, connectivity, weather and community.