South African Woman Shares 2011 Rent Price for Cape Town, Mzansi Reacts: "This is So Upsetting"

• A woman in Cape Town shared her old lease agreement from 2011, highlighting the significant increase in rental prices over the past decade
• The lady unveiled the cost, and her post sparked a conversation online about the rising cost of living in Cape Town, with many users sharing their own experiences with rental prices
• The discussion has reignited concerns about affordability in Cape Town's rental market, with users expressing frustration and nostalgia for more affordable times

A woman in Cape Town has sparked conversation online after sharing details of her old lease agreement from 2011, highlighting how much rental prices have changed in the past decade.

The woman who goes by the TikTok handle @sboshmafu explained that while cleaning her home, she came across the lease from when she first moved to Cape Town at the age of 22. Originally from Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha), she said she arrived in the city “with a hope and a dream” and settled into a two-bedroom apartment in the Cape Town CBD.

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The building, known as Spectres, is located near Parliament and, according to her, has housed countless Capetonians over the years. At the time, the monthly rental for the unit was R7,000, which she shared with a flatmate, bringing her individual contribution to R3,500.

“I paid R3,500 every month,” she said, noting how affordable it seemed compared to today’s rates. @sboshmafu further claimed that the same apartment now costs nearly three times as much to rent, underscoring the sharp increase in living costs across Cape Town.

Her reflection struck a chord with many who commented on the dramatic rise in rental prices, particularly in central areas like the CBD, which are known for their demand and proximity to work and lifestyle hubs.

Social media users responded with a mix of nostalgia and frustration, with some recalling their own rental experiences in Cape Town during the early 2010s.

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The TikTok user @sboshmafu's post that was uploaded on 15 September 2025 has reignited conversations about affordability in Cape Town’s rental market, with many pointing to her lease as a reminder of how much the city has changed in just over a decade.

SA chimes in on the rental costs in Cape Town

The online community reacted as they took to the comments section to vent about the cost of living in South Africa.

Bianca Rasmussen shared:

"Lived in a house with three roommates in Greenpoint 5 years ago. We split the rent of R12000. I found it recently on P24. It’s now R37000 and looks worse than when we lived there."

LadyN wrote:

"OMG, I stayed at Perspectives 2008- 2009, and I paid R3000 per month for a fully furnished 1-bedroom apartment that I love so much. Charley's Bakery used to be opposite that building, and I loved buying freshly baked goods on a Saturday morning... aaaahh bliss, what a time!"

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Ameera expressed:

"This is upsetting me real bad. How are we just accepting this level of inflation?"

Jashnapillay replied:

"R3500 for 3 days on Airbnb now."

Nolo commented:

"This is so upsetting."

Watch the video below:

3 Other stories about Cape Town rentals

• In another article, Briefly News reported that South Africans were in shock when a Cape Town real estate agent gave a tour of an apartment costing R22 000 per month.
• A woman who showed an R8 000 monthly apartment sparked outrage, with many questioning the price tag and comparing it to the small size and lack of modern finishes.
• A young South African woman stunned social media users when she revealed the reality of renting an R11 500 apartment every month. People wondered what the woman's salary was after splurging thousands on a rental property.

Source: Briefly News