Rating! Best neighbourhoods in Cape Town

Like Candice says, it all depends on what you're looking for and your personal circumstances....

I'd say the City Bowl, Sea Point if you're looking for something more viby, close to the beach and are working in town - so you can avoid the traffic and make the best use of public transport.

The southern suburbs like Claremont, Rondebosch, Newlands, Constantia and Plumstead are more suburban, with plenty of options for housing, inlcluding apartments and houses nad lots of good schools if you have kids. But depends where you work - as coming into town in the mornings from these neighbourhoods can be a bit frustrating with the traffic. A good hour on average to commute.

If you're looking for wider spaces, bigger properties and generally more value for money, I'd look more in the northern suburbs, Durbanville side - but again the commute into town is a pain.

Thanks for your comments ladies! We are a couple. No idea where we'll be working yet. But since we like to go out and are young I bet we should look around city bowl and in atlantic seaboard. I was really attracted by Rondebosch, Constantia and Newlands but the traffic might be a huge problem for us if we work in town. We are leaving our current country partly because we spend to much time in traffic daily. We want a more relaxed life! Ideally we'd love to live not too far from town, like 15/20 min, with no traffic or not much and in a very safe area with shops around, transportation and so on. Keep feeding us with your ratings and advice please!

Hi P. Beccie Grav

It totally depends on if you're single, have a family, are looking for a quiet suburb or a bustling area with great night life.

In terms of suburbs I would recommend Constantia, it is beautiful and safe but property can be very expensive. Oranjezicht and Gardens are also great areas a bit closer to the city.

If you are looking for an apartment near the ocean I would recommend Sea Point or Green Point.

Hope this helps

Candice

Hi Beccie,

I agree with the others the City Bowl and Atlantic Seaboard are great places suited for couples. 

My boyfriend and I have been living in Greenpoint for the last year and we love it. The area is close to the shops, the gym and the sea. It is about a ten minute drive to work and we don't have to deal with the stress of being stuck in traffic.

Also you will be close to all the restaurants, nightlife and entertainment facillities in town. 

Depending on what you are after you would be looking to pay at least R5,000 per month to rent a one bedroom apartment in these areas. The standard of accommodation is really good in Cape Town. There are a lot of complexes that come with secure parking and security at the doors.

If you decide to buy a property you might need to look further a field but most expats rent for the first couple of years anyway.

Good luck with the move. I am sure you'll love Cape Town.

Thanks a lot! It really helps!

please am from nigeria how can i get visa to south africa please i need an assistance and i want to know the visa fee how much it is Email [email protected] phone 2348034004476

Hi Ade,

What is the purpose of your trip to South Africa ? Are you looking to move here to work or study ? Do you have family here ? Do you have any specialist skills that are in short supply in South Africa?

All of these questions will narrow down which type of visa you need to apply for. 

It is not easy getting a visa for South Africa. I applied for a Life Partner Permit a few years ago and there is a lot of documentation to prepare. There are plenty of immigration consultants out there that can assist you with the visa process, however the usually charge between ZAR 5,000 and ZAR 7,000 to get you the visa. On top of that, you still have to fork out for the cost of a police clearance, medical and radiological tests, etc. 

It is possible to apply on your own without the assistance of an immigration consultant but this can be time consuming and stressful (expect to sit in queues for a long time). The fee you would directly pay to Home Affairs will depend on the type of visa you go for. Some visas are free of charge and others require that you put down a deposit that is equivalent to the cost of a flight home.

I suggest taking a look at the Expat Arrivals page on Visas for South Africa, to try and decide what type of visa you will need.

Best of luck. 

Shantalie