Why I’m moving to Cape Town City Bowl in my mid-20s

Hi, my name is Havana, and I’m officially embarking on my moving quest to Cape Town CBD. Come along with me as I start my pilgrimage to the promised land of mid-20s Cape Town life. 

The way I see it: Rachel and Monica are famously 25 years old in season 1 of Friends. Having reached my mid-20s, it feels right to press play: living and working in the city, being near friends, and navigating this new season of adulthood.

This series will follow my entire journey, revealing the ins and outs of moving to Cape Town’s CBD as someone in their mid-20s. It’ll explore the process, the challenges, the mistakes, and the lessons learned, so that you can go into your own move to town a little more prepared than I.

Let’s start from the beginning. In true Friends fashion, here’s episode 1: The One Where I Break Down Why I Want to Move to Cape Town CBD.

Where I'm currently living

Before we look at the destination, let’s first look at my starting point. Like many recent UCT graduates, I am currently living with family in the southern suburbs.

My little corner of Cape Town has a lot going for it: it’s close to the coast and nature, has a strong community feel, and offers the kind of peace that can be very difficult to leave. While its quiet, sleepy, peaceful vibe is lovely, I’m starting to crave the buzzing energy of town.

My current situation has come with many perks:

• No rent
• Low expenses
• Time to save and adjust to working life

I know this is a massive luxury, as not everyone has the option to live at home, with many forced to make the jump to full independence a lot earlier. And I salute those who do.

Having moved out of home for university before returning later, it feels like the right time for that independence once again.

Why I want to live in Cape Town CBD

Earlier this year, I started my first big-girl job, my dream job really, working in a CBD high-rise. And while there’s certainly a special appeal to witnessing the city lights every morning as I breach Kloof Nek, it’s dampened when I look at the time through sleepy eyes and see 6:20 am.

But my motive for wanting to move to Cape Town CBD goes further than trying to maintain my sanity by avoiding the peak-hour traffic. Living in the City Bowl seems like a rite of passage for many once you reach your mid-20s.

So here are the main reasons that are drawing me to town like a moth to a flame:

• The commute: Turning a 40-minute commute into 10 minutes (twice a day) will not only improve my mental health, but will also allow me to fill my day with more things that bring me joy.
• The city vibes: After living in a quieter, more suburban part of Cape Town, I’m ready for the hustle and bustle of the city.
• Proximity to friends: I’m not the only, nor the first, of my mid-20s friends who have decided to make the move to the City Bowl, and being just a short drive away is a major perk.
• Nearby amenities: Whether it’s De Waal Park and the Sea Point Prom (my happy places) or my go-to Virgin Active, the Labia Theatre, and Kloof Street cafés and restaurants, it makes sense to live near the places I tend to find myself the most.

I’m not the only young professional drawn to town

It seems that I wasn’t the first to have this idea. Cape Town’s CBD has a strong pull for younger renters, especially those wanting to live closer to work and the city lifestyle.

In the CCID’s resident survey published in 2025:

• More than half of respondents were under 35: 29% were aged 18–24, and another 25% were 25–34.
• Renting is still the norm: 59% of respondents were tenants, compared with 35% who owned and lived in their property.
• Many are relatively new to town: Just under 55% had lived in the CBD for three years or less.
• Work remains one of the biggest reasons to live centrally: 42% said they chose the CBD to be close to work, while 40% said the cosmopolitan downtown lifestyle was part of the appeal.
• Living closer really can mean less driving: 40% lived within 1 km of their workplace or place of study, and walking overtook driving as the most common way respondents got around town in 2024.

That sounds pretty familiar: shorter commutes, more happening around you, and less time spent driving between the places that make up your everyday life. Tell me about it.

Find out where Capetonians in their 20s and 30s are moving in our complete guide.

Why town isn't the obvious choice for everyone

Cape Town is far more spread out than it used to be when it comes to where people work. Major business hubs now stretch from Century City and Tyger Valley to Stellenbosch and Somerset West. So for plenty of young professionals, moving closer to the CBD could actually mean moving further away from work.

More than a third of recent buyers in parts of Cape Town’s northern suburbs are under 35, with younger buyers and families drawn to the combination of more space, relative affordability, and proximity to growing commercial hubs.

So before following the crowd to town, it’s worth asking where your own life actually happens. For me, the answer keeps pointing back to the City Bowl, but maybe that’s not the same for you.

The City Bowl dream vs the reality

While it’s easy to be entranced by the city lights, they can also easily blind you to the reality of living in town. So before committing to the City Bowl, it’s important to see past the glitter and understand the reality behind the sparkles.

• The median price of a sectional-title property in the CBD rose from R1.27 million in 2020 to around R1.95 million in 2025 (a 53% increase in 5 years).
• The record-high rental prices mean you get less for more; hence, apartments are smaller, older, and with fewer amenities, especially compared to more affordable areas like the southern and northern suburbs.
• With no one wanting to lose their valuable spot, availability of rentals is low while demand is sky high – places get snapped up faster than an empty parking spot on Kloof Street.

In other words: Strap in – this is going to be a bumpy ride.

The game plan for moving to Cape Town CBD

Because I could never afford to live in town by myself, I am looking with a flatmate. She is also currently living at home in the southern suburbs, recently started a job in town, and is ready to make the move. So we decided to do it together!

After careful deliberations, here's what we are looking for in an apartment:

• Type of apartment: 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom, at least one secure parking bay (fighting for parking in town is not fun).
• Budget: Somewhere around R15 000–R20 000 in total, depending on what we’re getting for it.
• Areas: We’re casting a reasonably wide net across the City Bowl, with areas like Vredehoek, Gardens, plus some interest in the Atlantic Seaboard, from Green Point to Sea Point.
• Move-in period: Sometime between late winter and spring (basically as soon as we can find a spot).

This is the wishlist as it stands before we’ve viewed a single place. I’m fully expecting Cape Town’s rental market to humble us.

Also considering a move to Cape Town?

If you’re also somewhere between deciding to move to the City Bowl and actually having a set of keys, I’m right there with you. Let's go on this journey together!

I don't know when moving day is yet, but Wise Move is going to be part of it. There’s no better way to book the best local Cape Town movers, especially on a budget based on an entry-level salary.

For now, the search is on, and I know the right one is waiting behind one of those bright lights I glimpse on my morning, pre-sunrise commute.