Money in Cape Town: How It Works

Money in Cape Town: Currency, Cards, Cash and Tipping

Currency

The local currency is the South African rand (ZAR). All prices, payments, and tips are in rand.

💳 Cards and cash

Cards are accepted almost everywhere in Cape Town:

• cafés and restaurants
• petrol stations
• supermarkets
• wineries
• some attractions

This is partly related to safety: cashless payments are more convenient and common here. You may still need some cash, but only a small amount.

Mostly for small everyday situations or just in case:

• tips for parking attendants
• hotel housekeeping
• attendants outside shops

Yes, this is normal here. Many service workers earn relatively low wages, so leaving a few rand as a tip is common practice.

📱 Apple Pay | Google Pay

Both work, but it’s still better to carry a physical bank card just in case.

Ideally, keep your cards and cash in different places.

💰 Tips: how much should you leave?

We want to highlight this separately because in South Africa, tipping is an important part of the service culture.

Restaurants and cafés

• the standard tip is 10–15%
• sometimes the tip is already included in the bill — check the menu or receipt for gratuity / service charge

Taxis and transfers

With Uber, you can round up the fare or add 10–15%.

There is also inDrive, which can be convenient, although there are complaints about the quality of some drivers.

Always check that the car’s licence plate matches the one shown in the app. If it doesn’t match, do not get in.

Parking attendants and petrol stations

• usually 5–10 ZAR

💱 If you don’t have an international bank card

In this case, you’ll need cash ($ | €) or RUB on your bank card.

Here are your main options:

1. Exchange services

You can exchange US dollars, euros, Russian rubles and other currencies.

The exchange rate is often better than at banks, exchange booths or airports.

There are trusted services where you can:

• exchange money
• arrange cash delivery in advance, including to the airport

👉 Telegram @Conexus_Africa_ManagerBot

2. Exchanging money through people in chats

Keep in mind ⚠️ this is a gamble. There are many scammers in public chats.

Use only trusted contacts, such as our partners, who have built a long-term reputation in the market.

3. Banks

Use this as a last resort, not your main option.

• branches can be found in shopping malls
• you’ll need your passport
• the process can take time
• exchange rates are usually less favourable
• the bank may also charge an additional fee

✅ In short

• cards are the main way to pay
• cash is mostly needed for small expenses
• tipping is normal
• it’s better to arrange your currency exchange in advance

If you need additional services

• transfer
• guide
• [parcel delivery]

Find everything here 🤝 Services

📖 Free guide

You can download our 46-page Cape Town guide for free in the channel.

You’ll find it in the pinned messages.