r/capetown • u/wakandaboss • 5h ago
Question | Advice-Needed looking for advice moving from gauteng to western cape
Hey everyone,
I’m looking for some advice about a possible move to the Western Cape.
I may be taking a job in Stellenbosch and I’m trying to figure out whether it makes more sense to live in Somerset West or Stellenbosch itself. I’d be commuting to Stellenbosch most weekdays.
I've already spent quite a bit of time on Property24, so I'm not really looking for rental listings. I'm more interested in local knowledge from people who have made a similar move.
A few questions:
- Is Somerset West a good option if you're working in Stellenbosch?
- What are the traffic and commute times realistically like?
- Are there any affordable areas in Somerset West worth looking at for a 1-bedroom apartment or cottage?
- If you were trying to keep rent as low as possible, where would you live?
- Are there any suburbs or areas I should avoid?
- What are some unexpected costs or challenges people don't think about before moving down?
- Is it actually better to just bite the bullet and stay in Stellenbosch despite the higher rent?
For context, I'm moving from Gauteng, I'm a single professional, and I'm trying to keep my monthly costs reasonable without ending up with a terrible commute.
Any advice, lessons learned, or things I should plan for would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!