Cost to Move From Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) to Cape Town in 2025 — Prices, Tips, & FAQs

What Are the Average Moving Prices from PE to Cape Town?

Here’s a breakdown of typical long-distance moving costs for different household sizes:

The above costs are estimated, and actual moving prices from PE to Cape Town depend on factors such as household size, the volume of your items, and distance. To get an accurate furniture removal quote, please contact us and one of our friendly consultants will assist with a personalized quote. 

Why clients choose Cape Removals as their movers in Cape Town and across South Africa:

• Rated 4.8 out of 5 on Hellopeter from verified customer reviews.
• With more than 7 years of experience as a local and long distance removal company, we have thousands of successful moves under our belt.
• We have affordable small mover and shared load removal options.
• Additional services such as wrapping, packing, dismantling, reassembling, short term and long term storage, vehicle transportation and insurance.

Our shared load service lets you only pay for the truck space you use. It’s ideal if you don’t have a full household to move and want the same professional moving service at a fraction of the price.

How Do Movers Calculate Prices to Move from Gqeberha to Cape Town?

Long distance movers calculate their prices by looking at several factors. Below are some variables your movers will consider when calculating your price to move from Gqeberha to Cape Town:

• The volume of your goods is one of the biggest factors in calculating your moving quote cost. The more items you need to transport, the more team members you’ll need to load and unload your belongings. Most professional moving companies apply a “cost per cubic foot” rate, which usually takes into account the fuel, staff wages, and toll gates if that applies.
  Tip: Always provide an accurate inventory list so you can receive an accurate moving quote and avoid additional charges.
• Distance directly affects costs as it means more fuel, possible toll gate charges and longer driving hours. But it’s not only distance, the route taken matters just as much. A move to Cape Town CBD may cost less than to move to an outlying town, such as Paarl. These outlying towns may cost more to move to as they require extra travel time and potentially a shuttle vehicle to assist due to narrow or dirt roads. 
• If your home has difficult access, such as narrow roads, lots of stairs, or limited parking space, ask your moving company about shuttle services. It’s best to factor this in earlier than to get hit with surprise charges on moving day.
• The type of service you book also makes a big difference in your quote. Generally you’ll have 2 options:
  Dedicated load: A truck hired exclusively for your items. This may be a faster option if you’re in a rush to move, and collection & delivery dates will be your choice. However, it costs significantly more as you’re covering the expense of a full moving truck.
  Shared load: This is where your items will share space on a truck with another client’s items going in the same or a similar direction. Pick up and delivery times may be fixed and take longer than a dedicated truck, however, you will pay significantly less. You can save up to about 40% to 50% compared to hiring a full truck.
• Just like flights and accommodation, moving also has peak seasons. Month-end, school holidays and holiday seasons like December are the busiest time for relocations and prices usually rise due to higher demand. Scheduling your move mid-month, mid-week, or during quieter months like June or July can save money and ensure better availability.
• A basic moving quote usually includes loading, transportation with reputable furniture movers, and offloading, but if you need additional services like wrapping, this’ll come at an extra cost.

The Cost of Living in Cape Town VS Port Elizabeth

When planning to move to Cape Town, you have to consider the higher cost of living. Here’s a quick breakdown:

Cost of Housing in Cape Town Compared to PE:

Rent in Cape Town has skyrocketed in recent years compared to Port Elizabeth. For a two bedroom apartment in the Southern Suburbs, you’re looking at about R14,000 per month, for a three bedroom family home, you’re looking at around R25,000-R35,000 per month. 

In the Northern Suburbs, a two bedroom apartment is about R9000 per month, for a three bedroom home, it’s about R20,000-R30,000. In “upper-crust” areas like Clifton, the rent is significantly higher. A two bedroom apartment will set you back R40,000-R70,000 and a three bedroom home is going to set you back up to R100,000+. 

Port Elizabeth has a similar structure. Some areas are more expensive than others. For a two bedroom in Motherwell, rent is about R3,000-R5,500 and a three bedroom home is R7,000-R10,500. In Central PE, a two bedroom apartment is R6,000-R9,500 and a three bedroom is about R11,000-R14,500. In Summerstrand, rent for a two bedroom will be around R12,000-R15,500 and a three bedroom is about R15,000-R20,000.

Groceries & Essentials:

Day-to-day expenses like groceries and utilities are usually higher in Cape Town compared to PE. A litre of milk in Cape Town is R16, while in PE you’ll pay R14. For non-essential items, like coffee, you’ll pay about R160 in Cape Town, whereas in PE you’ll pay R120. While the difference in price may seem small, it shows just how much more expensive Cape Town can be compared to PE. 

If we take utilities into consideration, things like electricity, for a single person, you’ll pay R1,100 per month, as a family of four, you’ll pay R4,000 per month. In PE as a single person, you’re looking at R800 and as a family of four, it’s about R3,000 per month.

Lifestyle costs:

From hiking trails to wine farms and beaches, Cape Town has a wide variety of entertainment and lifestyle options. Things like hiking or beaches come at little cost, if any at all, however, entertainment and restaurants tend to be more expensive than PE. As a single person, a meal at a casual restaurant in Cape Town will set you back between R150-R250, whereas in PE, it’ll be between R100-R180. At a mid-range restaurant, a single person would pay R350-R600 in Cape Town and R250-R450 in PE. A movie ticket in Cape Town is about R150, in PE it’s about R120.

School Fees:

Cape Town also offers some of the top schools and universities in South Africa. It’s difficult to give a price range for universities and colleges as it depends on the degree and NQF level. For a public primary school in Cape Town, you’re looking at R2,700, a public high school will be R3,900. A private primary school will be around R6,000 and high school will be R9,000. This is quite a large difference compared to PE. In PE, you’ll pay R2,000 for a public primary school, R3,000 for a public high school, R4,500 for a private primary school and R7,500 for a private high school.