You have opened Google maps, and you are scrolling the globe, up and down, left and right, looking for an answer to 鈥渨hat鈥檚 next?鈥� If you are ready to expatriate and you are keen on taking up a new challenge, we are giving you five excellent reasons to consider Cape Town 鈥� South Africa鈥檚 Mother City.
Balance between urban and nature
If you lack the single-minded enthusiasm for the bucolic or the urban lifestyle, but instead you want the best of both worlds, Cape Town is offering precisely that (and more). Table Mountain, one of the oldest mountains on earth, is overlooking the lively city life of Cape Town, keeping the two environments tightly connected. Only a short drive away from the centre, this flora kingdom with its peculiar flat top is ideal for medium difficulty hikes 鈥� alone or with your dog, with family or with friends. Capetonians are also very fond of after-work, sunset hikes, which take them to the top of Lion's Head 鈥� again a stone's throw away from the centre. In Cape Town one minute you will be conquering the top of the mountains and the other you will be having a full-bodied glass of South African wine in one of the many full of life caf茅/bars and restaurants or strolling in the shopping malls and markets.
Growth of entrepreneurship
Cape Town is South Africa's financial and tech hub, accounting for 58% of the country's venture capital and 75% of the total transactions, as per the . Entrepreneurs and businesspeople from and outside the continent are choosing Cape Town as their creative space, and initiatives such as the support and promote an entrepreneurship ecosystem where startups are meant to thrive. At the same time, Cape Town hosts the most coworking spaces and incubators in Africa, with digital nomads and freelance expats seizing the opportunity to combine a good quality of life with work. Also, for those who want to fight South Africa's significant economic and social disparity, there's a high demand for social entrepreneurship.
Accessible healthcare
Did you know that the first human heart transplant occurred at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town? Cape Town lives up to its good reputation with medical tourism being on the rise (especially for plastic surgery cases) and a reputable Medicine program at the University of Cape Town. Regarding your healthcare, private hospitals are considered affordable when taking into account the high quality of services offered and when compared to private clinics in other parts of the world, such as the USA. On the other hand, public hospitals may require staying in the queue, but they charge patients depending on their income. Regardless of the type of healthcare you opt for, you will have 24-hour access to the emergency room of all hospitals.
Mediterranean-like climate
Even though you have to cross the whole of Africa to get to the Mediterranean Sea, Cape Town enjoys a Mediterranean-like climate, which results in wet and cool winters and dry and warm summers (but not as warm as in Northern Africa or Southern Europe). The average temperature in Cape Town throughout the year is about 17 degrees Celsius 鈥� an ideal weather for the growth of fruit and veg, and the production of good wine (for those who value the healthy Mediterranean cuisine).
Diverse population
In Cape Town, it's very unlikely you will feel like a stranger due to the city's multicultural personality, which makes it an attractive destination for expats and digital nomads. Cape Town's population is estimated at 3.74 million (2016) bringing it at the second place (at first place is Johannesburg) on the list of the most populous cities in South Africa. The memories of the discriminative regime of apartheid are still fresh in Cape Town and the effects of it apparent, but along with them the legacy of Nelson Mandela, who stood for forgiveness, dignity, and peace.
