South Africa
Cape Town
4.9 million people in the metro
The gist
A scenic, outdoorsy city with a warm social culture and strong faith communities. Marriage intent is real but marriage rates are low nationally. The catch: crime and inequality require neighborhood care.
The score, in four parts
The pool
How many people you could realistically meet, and how balanced the odds are.
Singles 25 to 34
379,000
Never-married people in their late twenties and thirties, estimated
Never married
55% / 48%
Men / women age 25 to 34 who have never married
Balance
More single men than women
111 single men per 100 single women, age 25 to 34
First marriage
32 / 30
Median age for men / women
The scene
Whether people here actually get married, and how open the city is to someone like you.
Want to marry
60%
Single adults who say they want to marry
How fast people marry
15 per 1,000
Weddings per 1,000 unmarried adults each year
Marrying foreigners
5%
Marriages between a local and a foreigner
How people meet
Apps 6/10
Matchmaking and singles events 5/10
The costs
What dating, marrying, and raising a family costs here, against what people earn.
Date night
$45
Dinner for two, drinks, a movie
Family rent
$1,200/mo
Two incomes expected
A wedding
$8,000
Typical total cost
Household income
$16,000
Median per year
The reality
Safety, stability, and what daily life is like after the honeymoon phase.
Safety
Caution advised
25 out of 100
Divorce
Low divorce rate
0.7 per 1,000 people a year
Healthcare
55/100
Quality of care
The culture
Not scored. Whether these are features or mismatches depends on you.
- Religion shapes daily life
- Family approval matters
Marriage payment custom: Lobola customary (bride wealth).
* Some numbers come from national statistics and might differ from the city itself. Last updated August 22, 2026.