Nomzamo Mbatha has joined the growing conversation around the cost of living in Cape Town after a property listing left the actress and businesswoman questioning just how expensive it has become to live in the Mother City.

The Property24 listing that caught Nomzamo’s attention was for a compact studio apartment in Sea Point’s ONE26 ON M development. The unit measures 20m², has half a bedroom and one bathroom, with residents also having access to a rooftop pool.

Nomzamo did not hold back when reacting to the listing on her Instagram Story. “Have a glass of shame… The things happening in the property market in that beautiful city are actually DEEPLY CONCERNING,” she wrote, followed by a humorous “Haibo” and laughing emojis.

Her reaction tapped into a much wider conversation about Cape Town’s property market and the growing cost of living in the city.

Amahle-Imvelo Jaxa, widely known online as Jaxx and through her podcast Jaxx of All Trades and TikTok, has also spoken about the cost of property in Cape Town. Jaxa has built a following by discussing current affairs, social issues and stories affecting young South Africans.

The debate over Cape Town’s property market is not new, but the numbers help explain why listings such as the Sea Point apartment continue to generate strong reactions.

Property24’s current listings show a 22m² studio apartment at ONE26 ON M being marketed for R2.45 million. The apartment has half a bedroom and one bathroom, while the development offers amenities including a communal rooftop pool, 24-hour security and concierge services. At that asking price, the property works out to more than R111,000 per square metre.

Another 20m² apartment in the same development was previously listed for R2.2 million, highlighting the premium attached to small apartments in sought-after areas such as Sea Point.

For people who cannot afford to buy, renting comes with its own pressures.

Cost-of-living data shows that accommodation in Cape Town’s more expensive areas can be particularly costly. Expatistan estimates that a furnished 45m² studio in an expensive area can cost more than R20,000 a month, while a larger furnished apartment can cost more than R28,000 a month. Prices vary depending on location and the type of property, but the figures illustrate the financial pressure faced by people looking for accommodation close to the city’s most sought-after neighbourhoods.

Cape Town’s property market is also not one uniform market. Areas such as Sea Point, Clifton, Camps Bay and parts of the City Bowl attract local and international buyers because of their location, views, amenities and lifestyle appeal. That demand has helped push property prices in some neighbourhoods far beyond what many ordinary residents can afford.

The affordability crisis also extends beyond the city’s more affluent suburbs.

A 2024 News24 documentary examining Cape Town’s housing crisis highlighted the relationship between rising accommodation costs, rapid urbanisation, poverty and the legacy of apartheid spatial planning. The city continues to face significant housing pressures, with many people living in informal settlements or travelling long distances from affordable areas to reach employment opportunities.

Cape Town’s Human Settlements Mayoral Committee Member Carl Pophaim acknowledged the pressure, describing property prices in the city as becoming “exceedingly exorbitant”.

According to Numbeo’s June 2026 data, the average reported price of buying an apartment in Cape Town’s city centre was around R37,954 per square metre, compared with approximately R24,794 outside the city centre. The same dataset put the average monthly net salary at about R27,541, although Numbeo’s figures are based on user-contributed data rather than official government statistics.

The contrast has fuelled growing frustration online, particularly when residents encounter property listings where a relatively small apartment carries a multimillion-rand price tag.

Cape Town’s popularity has also brought concerns about gentrification and the displacement of lower-income residents. The city’s appeal as a lifestyle destination, combined with property investment and development, has contributed to debates over whether some communities are becoming increasingly unaffordable to the people who have lived there for years.

Nomzamo’s reaction therefore speaks to a much bigger conversation than one property listing.

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