Is Cape Town a good place to live?

Q: Is Cape Town at risk of wildfires?

Wildfire risk in Cape Town is high (4/5), based on regional fire-weather exposure.

Q: Is Cape Town prone to drought?

Drought risk in Cape Town is moderate (3/5), from regional aridity and summer heat.

59/100 livability · South Africa

Cape Town, South Africa scores 59/100 for livability — a mixed pick: cost 51/100, climate 100/100, safety 33/100. Warmest-month high ~21.5°C, coldest-month low ~12.7°C. Main natural-disaster exposure: wildfire; homicide rate ~43.7/100k. Safety 33/100 blends disaster (66) and crime (0).

Cape Town — average monthly high (°C, WorldClim)

Livability pillars (0-100)

Disaster risk by type (1-5)

How each score is calculated: CostiAffordability, 0–100. Higher = cheaper. = 100 − (country price level vs US × a city-size premium). Source: World Bank PPP ÷ exchange rate (US = 100). · ClimateiComfort, 0–100, from WorldClim monthly temperatures. Penalises hot summers (above ~24°C), cold winters (below ~6°C) and too-cool summers (below 15°C). Higher = milder. · Safetyi0–100. Higher = safer. Blends 55% natural-disaster safety (8 hazards — earthquake from real USGS records, plus flood, storm, wildfire, heat, drought, cold, tsunami) and 45% crime safety (homicide rate). · LivabilityiOverall score, 0–100 = 0.35 × Cost + 0.30 × Climate + 0.35 × Safety. (hover the i)

How to read the scores — all on a 0–100 scale, higher is better.

Livability — overall score = 0.35 × Cost + 0.30 × Climate + 0.35 × Safety.
Cost — affordability vs the United States (100 = US prices). Higher = cheaper to live.
Climate — year-round comfort; penalises extreme summer heat, harsh winters and chilly summers.
Safety — combined natural-disaster exposure (earthquake, flood, storm, wildfire, heat, drought, cold, tsunami) and crime (homicide rate). Higher = safer.
Hazard tiers — each disaster type is rated 1 (very low risk) to 5 (very high risk).

Natural-disaster risk in Cape Town

Is Cape Town at risk of wildfires?

Wildfire risk in Cape Town is high (4/5), based on regional fire-weather exposure.

Is Cape Town prone to drought?

Drought risk in Cape Town is moderate (3/5), from regional aridity and summer heat.

How scored: livability = 0.35·cost + 0.30·climate + 0.35·safety. Climate from WorldClim v2.1 normals; cost from World Bank PPP÷FX (real, open); earthquake from USGS (real); flood/storm/wildfire/drought/tsunami tiers indicative — verify before publish.

FAQ

Is Cape Town a good place to live?

Cape Town scores 59/100 for livability — cost 51, climate 100, safety 33.

Is Cape Town safe?

Safety 33/100 = disaster safety 66 (main risk wildfire) blended with crime safety 0 (homicide ~43.7/100k).

What's the climate like in Cape Town?

Warmest-month highs average ~21.5°C and coldest-month lows ~12.7°C (WorldClim climate normals).

How much does it cost to live in Cape Town?

South Africa sits at 49/100 on the World Bank price level (US=100) — affordability score 51/100.

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