Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and Denpasar, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and Denpasar, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,640 per month in Cape Town vs $904 in Denpasar, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,528 per month in Cape Town vs $1,545 in Denpasar, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,415 per month in Cape Town vs $2,186 in Denpasar, Bali, rent included.

Cape Town costs about 81% more than Denpasar, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cape Town sits 19% above the global median, while Denpasar, Bali is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.20 R 196

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

423.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.92 R 786

$25.80 Rp 458.3K

89.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 R 90.8

$3.76 Rp 66.8K

50.27%

Cappuccino

$2.64 R 42.34

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

44.26%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.12

$1.14 Rp 20.3K

14.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 R 16.99

$0.54 Rp 9,661

96.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 R 50.9

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

73.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 R 61.0

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

35.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 R 22.15

$1.29 Rp 23.0K

6.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 R 19.84

$1.86 Rp 33.0K

-33.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 R 34.99

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

129.47%

Eggs

$3.04 R 48.85

$1.71 Rp 30.5K

77.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 R 147

$14.24 Rp 252.9K

-35.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 R 111

$3.16 Rp 56.1K

118.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.32 R 150

$10.16 Rp 180.5K

-8.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 R 30.39

$2.91 Rp 51.7K

-35.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 R 32.67

$1.30 Rp 23.1K

56.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 R 26.78

$1.87 Rp 33.2K

-10.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 R 35.63

$1.65 Rp 29.3K

34.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 R 24.55

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

4.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 R 25.96

$1.98 Rp 35.2K

-18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 R 21.42

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

64.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 R 18.91

$0.42 Rp 7,393

180.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.59 R 57.7

$1.83 Rp 32.4K

96.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.25 R 100

$19.06 Rp 338.6K

-67.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 R 22.57

$1.86 Rp 33.1K

-24.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 R 37.19

$2.31 Rp 41.0K

0.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 R 23.31

$0.22 Rp 3,904

559.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.5 R 988

$7.39 Rp 131.3K

732.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 R 10.36

$0.43 Rp 7,649

51.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 R 25.98

$0.43 Rp 7,595

276.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 R 81.3

$3.20 Rp 56.8K

58.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 R 25.22

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

127.54%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.1K R 595.7K

$22.5K Rp 400.3M

64.60%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.2K R 533.1K

$28.5K Rp 506.7M

16.36%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$121 R 1,938

$72.9 Rp 1.3M

65.54%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$30.79 R 495

$5.79 Rp 102.8K

431.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.59 R 636

$16.73 Rp 297.2K

136.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 R 814

$40.09 Rp 712.3K

26.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.80 R 190

$12.87 Rp 228.6K

-8.31%

Cinema Ticket

$9.35 R 150

$3.19 Rp 56.6K

193.10%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$265 R 4,261

$382 Rp 6.8M

-30.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,560 R 105.4K

$4,414 Rp 78.4M

48.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 R 925

$39.21 Rp 696.5K

46.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.12 R 532

$30.71 Rp 545.5K

7.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 R 1,941

$69.1 Rp 1.2M

74.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 R 1,764

$68.0 Rp 1.2M

61.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,035 R 16.6K

$602 Rp 10.7M

71.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 R 11.7K

$358 Rp 6.4M

102.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,896 R 30.5K

$1,879 Rp 33.4M

0.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 R 21.8K

$893 Rp 15.9M

52.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,488 R 40.0K

$1,433 Rp 25.5M

73.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,614 R 25.9K

$1,191 Rp 21.2M

35.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,642 R 26.4K

$285 Rp 5.1M

475.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.02

13.78

-20.03%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cape Town: August 30, 2026

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,035 in Cape Town versus $602 in Denpasar, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 476% higher in Cape Town, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Cape Town versus $26.00 in Denpasar, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $228 in Cape Town vs $238 in Denpasar, Bali – so Cape Town wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cape Town vs Denpasar, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Town costs about 81% more than Denpasar, Bali, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,460 per month in Cape Town and $1,357 in Denpasar, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Denpasar, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,640 in Cape Town and $904 in Denpasar, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 732% less in Denpasar, Bali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Denpasar, Bali, where all-in costs run around $904, than in Cape Town at $1,640. In Denpasar, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cape Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Denpasar, Bali costs $904 versus $1,640 in Cape Town. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Denpasar, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cape Town makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.