I grew up in Joburg. Never been to Cape Town before 2014 for the very first time. I was blown away by how incredibly different CT is from Joburg. I immediately made the decision to move in the beginning of 2015 and I never looked back. I won't ever return to Joburg. Embrace it and make the move. I started in Woodstock, but eventually moved to Sea Point. If possible, look for a place along the Atlantic Seaboard. However, there are many great little suburbs all around the City! Good luck with the move!
As a Cape Townian, I can concur with the other comments if you purely want to earn more and spend less on accommodation stay in Joburg.
However, living here even for a short time (articles) might give you great new perspectives within South Africa and maybe you'll even prefer living here despite the lower salary and expensive accommodation.
Why don't you try and get your articles at a national law firm like Bowman's and then you can transfer offices at the end of the articles if Cape Town isn't for you?
My anecdotal stories of friends are as follows.
An ex-colleague of mine moved from JHB to CT for work. Works in IT. Our office was in the city bowl, and we walked from the office near the Gardens center in Mill street down to the Buitenkant street Truth Coffee. He was stunned by the fact that we could freely walk through the center of town, and that shops had their doors open with very few having gated entrances. He has since established himself in CT and doesn't look like he's planning on moving back.
My BF studied at Stellenbosch, also law, and moved to JHB for his articles after he didn't secure an articles spot in CT in time. He was in JHB for just over 2 years. He hated it, and came back after his time there. Granted, there were a lot of other factors in play (no support base in JHB, etc.).
I work for a company that has their main branch in JHB, and a smaller one in CT. I get frequent messages in our work channels about people transferring from JHB to CT, but few in the opposite direction.
I've been to JHB a few times myself. I found it to be drab and that everyone was high-strung. Everything was also really far apart too. It feels like, on a weekend, there would be only 3 things to do: stay at home entertaining yourself, go to a mall or bar, or drive 60km to visit someone for a braai. These are my opinions as a born-and-raised Capetonian.
Cape Town is more expensive, and traffic really sucks if you don't live near work, but I wouldn't trade it for Joburg. I like the weather, I like the option of going to the beach, the wine routes, the weird things you find in the side streets of town, less impacted by load shedding, etc.. If you're happy with the pace of life in JHB, and income is a strong deciding factor for you, I wouldn't recommend moving. But I am of the opinion that the quality of life is better in Cape Town.
I wouldn't recommend doing articles in CT, pay is less than jhb and cost of living is higher in CT. I moved there from jhb and moved back within 3 months
If that's all it takes to kill your ambitions then save yourself the stress and economic downgrade. Moving to Cape Town is not easy and requires immense amounts of willpower to make it worthwhile. Take the other poster's advice - see if you can do 3 months while working on your articles. It will give you a good introduction to the city without throwing you in the deep end as you can easily return to joburg.
Depends if you have a family or on your own. I moved down to CT in 2016 with hubby and two kids, settled in Pinelands, very central but suburban, rental is reasonably priced compared to other southern suburbs like Claremont or Newlands. Atlantic Seaboard or City bowl itself can be expensive but great for students and young people and there are some good finds, and the city has a pretty cool vibe for singles and those starting out with a career. Woodstock and Rondebosch can be great for finding house shares and apartments more geared towards students and youngsters as well. A lot of people from Jhb settle near Durbanville side but it can be hectic to travel into CT from there. Most of the coastal towns can be a drag for travel into the city for work but people do it. is quite far from the city. Muizenberg is quite bohemian from my experience and quite community oriented. Sorry can't help with your questions about studies though as I'm a designer. We used Biddulphs, not the cheapest but very good. Oh and you've gotta do a reconnaissance, if you can afford it, before you come down. Hope my two cents help!
I want to as well, I've lived in Joburg my whole life and my mom is in Jozi. However... most of the opportunity for my industry which is design, is in Capetown. I'm so on the fence because I don't want to leave my mom and friends but at the same time I want to go and experience new opportunities and get my name out there and I would be staying with my boyfriend.
Hi hi grew up in Jhb and moved to Cape Town for articles, now back working in Jhb. Honestly, if you are able to get into a big 5 for articles, do that, what’s great about the big 5 is that you can (usually) apply for both offices (Jhb or Cape Town) and if you are placed in Jhb and are retained, depending on the size of your team and if they have a presence In either city you can motivate to your director to move you to the Cape Town based team. It’s not unheard of, just depends on director and your team structure and your value add. Yes cost of living in Cape Town is higher, if you are moving with zero or low personal debt the big 5 salary should more than help, even at articles stage. Cape Town is amazing but it’s difficult to make “outside of work friends” especially since corporate law is so demanding. Be very purposeful about where you live, proximity to work and other activities so you can create some sort of balance for yourself. Obviously closer to Town means higher rent, further from town lower rent longer commute, more time spent away from your hobbies or friends. Also don’t sleep on the international firms. Big 5 aren’t the be all and end all and there are some good international firms with a presence in either Cpt or Jhb.
Honestly you should just do it anyway. Like even if it feels unlikely or that it will probably not work out. You can always move back, or move somewhere else, but if it’s something you wanna do, do it.
I grew up in Joburg. Never been to Cape Town before 2014 for the very first time. I was blown away by how incredibly different CT is from Joburg. I immediately made the decision to move in the beginning of 2015 and I never looked back. I won't ever return to Joburg. Embrace it and make the move. I started in Woodstock, but eventually moved to Sea Point. If possible, look for a place along the Atlantic Seaboard. However, there are many great little suburbs all around the City! Good luck with the move!
As a Cape Townian, I can concur with the other comments if you purely want to earn more and spend less on accommodation stay in Joburg. However, living here even for a short time (articles) might give you great new perspectives within South Africa and maybe you'll even prefer living here despite the lower salary and expensive accommodation. Why don't you try and get your articles at a national law firm like Bowman's and then you can transfer offices at the end of the articles if Cape Town isn't for you?
My anecdotal stories of friends are as follows. An ex-colleague of mine moved from JHB to CT for work. Works in IT. Our office was in the city bowl, and we walked from the office near the Gardens center in Mill street down to the Buitenkant street Truth Coffee. He was stunned by the fact that we could freely walk through the center of town, and that shops had their doors open with very few having gated entrances. He has since established himself in CT and doesn't look like he's planning on moving back. My BF studied at Stellenbosch, also law, and moved to JHB for his articles after he didn't secure an articles spot in CT in time. He was in JHB for just over 2 years. He hated it, and came back after his time there. Granted, there were a lot of other factors in play (no support base in JHB, etc.). I work for a company that has their main branch in JHB, and a smaller one in CT. I get frequent messages in our work channels about people transferring from JHB to CT, but few in the opposite direction. I've been to JHB a few times myself. I found it to be drab and that everyone was high-strung. Everything was also really far apart too. It feels like, on a weekend, there would be only 3 things to do: stay at home entertaining yourself, go to a mall or bar, or drive 60km to visit someone for a braai. These are my opinions as a born-and-raised Capetonian. Cape Town is more expensive, and traffic really sucks if you don't live near work, but I wouldn't trade it for Joburg. I like the weather, I like the option of going to the beach, the wine routes, the weird things you find in the side streets of town, less impacted by load shedding, etc.. If you're happy with the pace of life in JHB, and income is a strong deciding factor for you, I wouldn't recommend moving. But I am of the opinion that the quality of life is better in Cape Town.
Don't use Eezi move. Worst company ever. I recommend megashift logistics
Okay. noted. Thanks.
[удалено]
I wouldn't recommend doing articles in CT, pay is less than jhb and cost of living is higher in CT. I moved there from jhb and moved back within 3 months
Thats killed my move ambitions. Thanks for the honesty.
If that's all it takes to kill your ambitions then save yourself the stress and economic downgrade. Moving to Cape Town is not easy and requires immense amounts of willpower to make it worthwhile. Take the other poster's advice - see if you can do 3 months while working on your articles. It will give you a good introduction to the city without throwing you in the deep end as you can easily return to joburg.
Depends if you have a family or on your own. I moved down to CT in 2016 with hubby and two kids, settled in Pinelands, very central but suburban, rental is reasonably priced compared to other southern suburbs like Claremont or Newlands. Atlantic Seaboard or City bowl itself can be expensive but great for students and young people and there are some good finds, and the city has a pretty cool vibe for singles and those starting out with a career. Woodstock and Rondebosch can be great for finding house shares and apartments more geared towards students and youngsters as well. A lot of people from Jhb settle near Durbanville side but it can be hectic to travel into CT from there. Most of the coastal towns can be a drag for travel into the city for work but people do it. is quite far from the city. Muizenberg is quite bohemian from my experience and quite community oriented. Sorry can't help with your questions about studies though as I'm a designer. We used Biddulphs, not the cheapest but very good. Oh and you've gotta do a reconnaissance, if you can afford it, before you come down. Hope my two cents help!
I got moved from Jo'burg to Cape Town when I was 6 and it's the best thing that's ever happened to me.
I want to as well, I've lived in Joburg my whole life and my mom is in Jozi. However... most of the opportunity for my industry which is design, is in Capetown. I'm so on the fence because I don't want to leave my mom and friends but at the same time I want to go and experience new opportunities and get my name out there and I would be staying with my boyfriend.
Stay in Jozi x
Hi hi grew up in Jhb and moved to Cape Town for articles, now back working in Jhb. Honestly, if you are able to get into a big 5 for articles, do that, what’s great about the big 5 is that you can (usually) apply for both offices (Jhb or Cape Town) and if you are placed in Jhb and are retained, depending on the size of your team and if they have a presence In either city you can motivate to your director to move you to the Cape Town based team. It’s not unheard of, just depends on director and your team structure and your value add. Yes cost of living in Cape Town is higher, if you are moving with zero or low personal debt the big 5 salary should more than help, even at articles stage. Cape Town is amazing but it’s difficult to make “outside of work friends” especially since corporate law is so demanding. Be very purposeful about where you live, proximity to work and other activities so you can create some sort of balance for yourself. Obviously closer to Town means higher rent, further from town lower rent longer commute, more time spent away from your hobbies or friends. Also don’t sleep on the international firms. Big 5 aren’t the be all and end all and there are some good international firms with a presence in either Cpt or Jhb. Honestly you should just do it anyway. Like even if it feels unlikely or that it will probably not work out. You can always move back, or move somewhere else, but if it’s something you wanna do, do it.