People are leaving Cape Town for Gauteng and smaller coastal and country towns

While the Western Cape continues to attract buyers, rising costs are driving more people back to Gauteng and towards smaller coastal and country towns.

Seeff Property Group chairman Samuel Seeff told Daily Investor that buyers are increasingly making decisions based on affordability, career opportunities, lifestyle and municipal service delivery.

While the Western Cape remains the country’s biggest semigration destination, Gauteng is seeing more people return, and smaller coastal and country towns continue to attract growing numbers of buyers.

Seeff said coastal semigration to Cape Town and the Western Cape remains strong, driven by lifestyle, service delivery and access to good schools.

Families, professionals and international buyers continue to move to areas such as the Atlantic Seaboard, the Southern Suburbs and other parts of Cape Town, as well as towns including George.

However, Seeff said the combination of strong demand and limited housing supply has made Cape Town increasingly expensive.

Both property prices and rentals in Cape Town are now much higher than the rest of the country, which is affecting both local buyers and those relocating from inland provinces.

For example, PayProp’s latest Rental Index revealed that the average rental in the Western Cape now exceeds R12,000 per month.

While the Western Cape continues to attract buyers, Seeff said there is also a noticeable trend of people moving back to Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Although still smaller than the flow to the coast, reverse semigration is being driven by stronger employment opportunities, and good schools and universities.

Property affordability is another major reason people are moving back inland. According to Seeff, house prices and rentals in Gauteng are typically 20% to 30% lower than in Cape Town.

PayProp has similarly shown that the average rental price in Gauteng reached R9,600 in Q1 2026, which is over R2,500 less than in the Western Cape, at R12,125.

Areas such as Centurion, Pretoria East, Randburg and Johannesburg South also offer buyers and tenants more space for their money.

Other semigration hotspots

Lifestyle towns along the coast and in the countryside are also becoming increasingly popular. Seeff said these areas appeal not only to retirees but also to younger families looking for a different lifestyle.

Popular destinations include Paarl and Stellenbosch in the Cape Winelands, Langebaan and Hermanus on the West Coast, and Garden Route towns such as George, Mossel Bay and Plettenberg Bay.

According to Seeff Country licensee Jaco Badenhorst, towns in the Cape Overberg and Karoo are also attracting significant interest.

He said as many as half of buyers in some of these towns are semigrants from Gauteng or Cape residents looking to downscale or retire.

Some popular small towns include Swellendam, Bonnievale, Ladismith, Barrydale, Struisbaai, Pearly Beach and Riversdale.

Badenhorst said buyers are attracted by the value for money, access to schools and amenities, and the stable environment these towns offer.

For those seeking the coastal lifestyle but aren’t looking to give up city-living, KwaZulu-Natal’s South and North Coasts also remain popular semigration destinations.

According to Michelle Harris, licensee for Seeff South Coast, the South Coast offers affordable property and easy access to Durban. This makes it attractive to retirees as well as younger families.

Towns such as Amanzimtoti have become increasingly popular because they are close to the city while offering a more affordable lifestyle.

The KwaZulu-Natal North Coast, also known as the Dolphin Coast, is attracting both South African and international buyers.

According to Seeff North Coast, Umhlanga, Ballito and Zimbali remain among the most sought-after destinations, with secure lifestyle estates in high demand.

Seeff said security, proximity to King Shaka International Airport, the coastal climate and access to schools and amenities continue to make the area attractive.