Areas and Suburbs in Cape Town

 

Chief among the many advantages to expat life in Cape Town is the opportunity to live in the heart of the city, in close proximity to the main business hub, without experiencing the urban crush of one might expect from city life. The most popular areas for expats living in the City Bowl are Gardens and Vredehoek, which offer good value property and rental, in exchange for a barrelling wind off the the mountain that causes trees to grow at improbable angles.

Closer to the heart of the city and lapping the slopes of Lion’s Head are the attractive and affluent suburbs of Orangezicht and Tamboerskloof, known for Victorian double-volume houses in close proximity, and across the Kloof Nek Road, Higgovale, with more modern properties on large, secluded plots.

It is also possible to live in the heart of the city, as office blocks are repurposed into apartments and residential lifestyle centres; a good example of such a development is the Rhodes-Mandela Place building opposite St George’s Cathedral. Expats living in the City Bowl enjoy its lively nightlife, good restaurants, and cosmopolitan atmosphere. On the downside property prices remain high.

 

 

Long-term expats often drift away from the city centre to the leafy idylls of the southern suburbs. Many families choose to live in the Southern Suburbs as houses and gardens are larger and many of the better schools are here. Additionally the beaches of False bay are not far away. The areas around UCT, such as Mowbray, Rosebank, and Observatory are bohemian and inexpensive, although chiefly colonised by students.

A little further away are middle-class bastions of Rondebosch, Claremont, Newlands and Kenilworth with free-standing homes, and with good schools and parks nearby. Further around the mountain one will find the affluent suburbs of Constantia and Bishopscourt - the embassy district – both with a quasi-rural feel thanks to enormous properties and frequent sightings of horses trotting about. The key disadvantage to living in the Southern Suburbs is the traffic to town during rush hour.

 

 

The False Bay seaboard encompasses Muizenberg, Fish Hoek and Simonstown, quiet, historic towns linked by a scenic drive and railway line winding along the coast. These areas are becoming increasingly popular with first time home buyers, although will only appeal to the expat with either an aversion to city life or an addiction to surfing.

 

 

To the east of the city bowl, folding along the seaboard around Lion’s Head are the suburbs of Greenpoint, Seapoint, Clifton and Camps Bay. Greenpoint, now centred around the recently completed World Cup Stadium and close to the V&A Waterfront, is a vibrant mix of trendy apartments and bars, and well established old timers. Properties tend to be densely packed and mostly flats and apartments.

Seapoint, its neighbour, is a mix of high-rise apartments facing the sea, and housing dotting the slopes of Lion’s Head. The area is centre of Cape Town’s Jewish community and is popular too with the young and trendy.

Further along the coast is Clifton, home to South Africa's most expensive real estate where apartments sell for up to R40 million and even parking bays change hands for R1 million or more. This area overlooks Clifton’s picturesque four beaches, which are framed by granite boulders, and feels removed from the city despite being only a short drive away.  

 

The drive over Kloof Nek takes one into Camps Bay, the sloping area positioned between the 12 Apostles of Table Mountain and the beach below.

Ever popular with expats due to the dramatic scenery, and close proximity to both sea and city, there is a wide range of accommodation available from free-standing homes to upmarket bachelor flats. Other advantages are that the commute into town is benign even in rush hour, and that Camps Bay receives the last of the city’s sunshine each day. On the other hand the strong southeaster winds of summer can be unpleasant.

 

 

One of the more popular areas for those expats wishing to live outside the city is Hout Bay, starting point for Chapman’s Peak drive. Hout Bay has its own beach and a charming little harbour, reinforcing the village-like atmosphere that residents enjoy. On the downside is a rapidly growing informal settlement that encroaches on the established properties.

 

 

Durbanville and its surrounding conurbation rivals Cape Town for size, and is popular with expats seeking to live outside the city centre, closer to the Winelands. The area has a reputation for both safety and urban mundanity. The morning commute into the city centre along the N1 frequently exceeds 1 hour.

 

The areas of Table View and Bloubergstrand sit across the bay from the city centre and afford magnificent views of Table Mountain. This area is popular with expats for the close proximity to the beach and moderate property values when compared to the city bowl. The area is a globally renowned water sports centre during the summer months when the winds are perfect for kite surfing. The downside of living here is the traffic congestion experienced if commuting to the City Bowl.