Last Updated on November 26, 2025 by Hannah Stephenson
If you’re considering moving to Cape Town as a digital nomad, then it’s important to choose the right neighbourhood! Safety, amenities, and proximity to nightlife and nature are all some things to think about when making a move.
And for nomads, it’s also important to note the difference between the best areas for short-term tourists and those who are staying a bit longer. So now that I’ve spent a long time living and working in the city, I thought that it was time to share the best areas to base yourself in.
Let’s get into it!
Overview of Cape Town’s Top Nomad Neighbourhoods
Okay, let me start by saying that all of the neighbourhoods I’m going to talk about in this article are considered to be central Cape Town. This is where the action happens, and since Cape Town is a pretty compact city, it makes it easy to get around. You can travel from one area to another in 20 minutes, max.
And for getting around here, I recommend either hiring a car or just using Uber, which is what I do most of the time. I’ve got a full guide here to help you decide what’s best, but in general Uber works out to be more affordable for me.
To give you a sense of this, I’ve made a rough map below. As you can see, it’s all one fairly small area so if you stick with this guide, you’re not going to end up out in the boonies!
This map is quite similar to the one in my where to stay guide for tourists. However, I’ve taken out a few areas (namely, Camps Bay, Clifton, and the V&A Waterfront) because while these are lovely areas for a holiday, they’re not as well suited for long-term stays in Cape Town in my opinion.
Okay, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s get into it!
The Best Areas for Digital Nomads in Cape Town
Sea Point
I’m starting off with Sea Point because it was the first neighbourhood I moved to in Cape Town. Well, that and the fact that it’s safe and walkable, with great cafes and even better vibes!
Sea Point is located between Green Point and Bantry Bay. Every day, Capetonians flock to this neighbourhood to walk on its beloved promenade, which stretches along the seafront for several kilometres. When I lived in Sea Point, I walked or ran on the prom almost every day. In fact, I still do this as often as I can.
You’ve also got Saunders Rock Beach at the southern end of the promenade, which is a popular place for sunset picnics and Wim Hof dunks. (Shudder!)
One of Sea Point’s most beloved spots is Mojo Market, a permament indoor food market which hosts live music every night. Meanwhile, the nearby Regent Road is home to an ever-expanding array of trendy bars and restaurants, from smash burger spots to offbeat bars. For more on that, check out my guide to the best spots in Sea Point here!
Sea Point is very walkable and I always felt safe while living here! It takes 20-30 minutes to walk from one end of the area to the other. The southern end is definitely a bit fancier than the northern end, which has quite a lot of construction going on at the moment.
And in terms of accessing the rest of the city, you’re about:
- 10 minutes’ drive from the Clifton Beaches
- 20 minutes’ drive from the nightlife hubs in the CBD and Gardens
Green Point
Green Point is right next to Sea Point and it shares many of the same benefits. It’s residential, relatively safe, and super central! There are also some great little restaurants and bars along Main Road.
I personally find that Green Point feels a bit calmer and more residential than Sea Point. It’s doesn’t sit directly on the water and there aren’t as many bars here.
However, what Green Point lacks in vibes it makes up for with centrality! And when I lived here, I still ran to the prom most days anyway. Plus, Green Point Park is also great for running, dog walking, and picnics with friends.
Green Point is about as central as it gets. You can walk to Sea Point or the V&A Waterfront easily from here, and the Strangers’ Club and the big Bootleggers are ideal work cafes for digital nomads.
As for exploring the rest of Cape Town, you’re:
- A 5-minute drive to the CBD
- 10 minutes from Kloof Street
- 15 minutes from the Clifton Beaches
De Waterkant
De Waterkant is a small and trendy enclave that’s situated between Green Point and the CBD. I lived here for the best part of a year and I loved every day!
It’s super safe because there’s 24/7 security around, and its known for its cobbled streets and pretty pastel cottages.
This area is also very LGBTQ+ friendly. Cafe Manhattan’s sits at the very heart of the neighbourhood and it’s one of Cape Town’s best known and longest standing gay bars. You can also dance the night away at Pink Candy or enjoy drag quizzes and brunches at Honey & Dora. The latter is actually temporarily closed because it’s proved to be so popular that it’s expanding.
You’ve also got the Cape Quarter Mall Lifestyle Mall here, and some of my favourite cafes and restaurants. Be sure to head to Yen’s for authentic Vietnamese food (and I lived in Vietnam so I would know!) And for staying active, Yoga Loft (formerly Yoga Life) is one of the most popular yoga studios in the entire city.
I lived in Dewaterkant for almost a year, and I absolutely loved it. In my opinion, it’s the safest part of Cape Town thanks to the private security. It was also great for me as someone who didn’t have a car, because it’s so centrally located. I could easily walk to Green Point, the CBD, and the Waterfront, and I had a ton of amenities right on my doorstep.
From here, you can drive to:
- The CBD in 5 minutes
- Kloof Street in 10 minutes
- The Clifton Beaches in 20 minutes
- Sea Point in 15 minutes
- The Waterfront in under 5 minutes
For more on De Waterkant, check out my complete guide to the neighbourhood.
Tamboerskloof
Tamboerskloof is a peaceful neighbourhood that sits on the slopes of Lion’s Head and Signal Hill.
It’s filled with Victorian style houses that I think give the area an antique-y feel, and lots of the homes here have beautiful views of the CBD and Table Bay. This is a great neighbourhood to live in if you love hiking, because the trailheads for Lion’s Head, the Pipe Track, and Kloof Corner are all in Tamboerskloof.
It’s also great if you love nightlife, because it’s super close to Kloof Street. The area also has its own little intersection with a handful of cafes and bars that are always buzzing, including the popular Power and the Glory.
This area is also close to Camps Bay and Bo Kaap, and Bree Street. In fact, you can get to:
- The CBD in 10-15 minutes
- The Clifton Beaches in 12 minutes
- Kloof Street in 5 minutes
Gardens
Gardens is a very trendy neighbourhood that’s centred around Kloof Street, where many of the city’s best and buzziest bars are located. This includes Blondie, which is basically where all of the cool kids hang out, and my personal favourite, Van Hunks.
Some of Cape Town’s best restaurants are here, too. Kloof Street House in particular is one of the city’s most beloved spots and I highly recommend taking advantage of their lunchtime special when you’re in the area.
You also get nice views of Table Mountain pretty much everywhere you go in Gardens, and you’re also super close to all of the city’s most iconic hiking trails. Kloof Street is very walkable (even at night) but the Gardens is a pretty big neighbourhood and I wouldn’t wander around more residential sections with my phone out or my headphones on.
And Gardens is also super central! It’s just…
- 15 minutes from the Waterfront
- 10 minutes from Camps Bay
- 10 minutes from the CBD
Where NOT to Stay as a Digital Nomad in Cape Town
Let me preface this by saying that I don’t hate any of these neighbourhoods. I just don’t personally think that they’re as well suited to digital nomads as the options listed above. I’ve spent time (and had fun) in almost all of them, but they’re not places I’d want to live.
Camps Bay
Camps Bay is famously beautiful and very upscale. Tourist tends to flock here in their droves! This means it can be a fun place to hang out, but not to live. It’s super expensive and there’s always a ton of traffic going in and out during the summer.
It’s also a dry neighbourhood, which means that you can only buy alcohol at restaurants. Boooo! There are also a lot of hawkers trying to sell you paintings, which I find grating after a while.
Definitely go check it out, get yourself a granadilla cocktail at the famous Café Caprice, and enjoy the beautiful beach, but I wouldn’t recommend actually staying here if you’re a digital nomad coming to Cape Town.
Clifton and Bantry Bay
I love spending my weekends lounging on the beautiful beaches of Clifton, but aside from that, there’s not much here.
It might be a nice place to stay if you want somewhere super quiet, but personally I like being close to shops and amenities, and Clifton just feels a little too removed from the city.
The same goes for Bantry Bay!
Observatory
Observatory is a student neighbourhood and although it’s pretty cheap to live here, it’s not very safe. I didn’t even particularly enjoy driving through Obs, and although there’s meant to be some good nightlife here, I haven’t really explored it as it’s a little far out from where I tend to go.
Woodstock
Woodstock is an undoubtedly cool neighbourhood that’s home to a ton of art galleries, studio spaces, and the popular Old Biscuit Mill Market. It was once considered “rough” but is now more of a creative hub, although it’s still a bit sketchy and muggings are fairly common.
And while the area itself is walkable, you can’t really walk to any other neighbourhoods from here. It’s close to the rest of the city but separated by the N1 highway and the M4 freeway. If you’re not planning on hiring a car, I would recommend a more central area.
Thanks so much for reading this article! I hope it helps you to find the right area for you to base yourself in Cape Town. If you’re planning to make the move here, I’ve got a ton of resources to help you, including the following: