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 $1,274 per month in Cape Town vs $942 in Denpasar, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,011 per month in Cape Town vs $1,637 in Denpasar, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,747 per month in Cape Town vs $2,331 in Denpasar, Bali, rent included.

Cape Town costs about 35% more than Denpasar, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cape Town and Denpasar, Bali are more affordable than the global median – Cape Town 5% lower, Denpasar, Bali 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.87 R 180

$2.38 Rp 42.8K

356.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.99 R 745

$21.21 Rp 380.5K

112.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.17 R 85.5

$3.39 Rp 60.9K

52.51%

Cappuccino

$1.99 R 32.87

$1.87 Rp 33.6K

6.42%

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

$1.15 R 18.98

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

33.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.54

$0.49 Rp 8,810

79.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.87 R 47.57

$2.02 Rp 36.2K

42.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 R 40.55

$2.54 Rp 45.6K

-3.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 19.27

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

-18.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 R 18.23

$2.07 Rp 37.1K

-46.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 R 31.41

$0.99 Rp 17.8K

91.92%

Eggs

$2.47 R 40.92

$1.96 Rp 35.2K

26.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.55 R 142

$11.90 Rp 213.4K

-28.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 R 83.4

$3.50 Rp 62.8K

44.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 R 124

$9.90 Rp 177.6K

-24.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.09

$3.12 Rp 56.0K

-51.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.49

$1.29 Rp 23.2K

10.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 R 24.18

$2.28 Rp 41.0K

-35.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 R 25.58

$1.83 Rp 32.9K

-15.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 R 18.57

$1.55 Rp 27.9K

-27.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R 20.54

$1.85 Rp 33.1K

-32.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.99

$0.82 Rp 14.6K

32.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.84

$0.62 Rp 11.2K

54.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 R 49.93

$2.65 Rp 47.5K

13.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 R 99.7

$18.39 Rp 330.0K

-67.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 23.04

$2.35 Rp 42.2K

-40.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 R 27.63

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

-25.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R 16.05

$0.26 Rp 4,695

273.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.18 R 781

$7.41 Rp 133.0K

536.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 R 23.75

$0.44 Rp 7,857

225.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 R 15.46

$0.38 Rp 6,851

144.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 R 73.9

$5.43 Rp 97.4K

-17.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.71

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

65.28%

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

$21.2K R 351.3K

$23.1K Rp 413.5M

-7.95%

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

$23.9K R 395.6K

$28.6K Rp 512.5M

-16.35%

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

$99.4 R 1,646

$72.9 Rp 1.3M

36.44%

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

$33.36 R 552

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

796.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.88 R 677

$21.15 Rp 379.4K

93.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.96 R 695

$68.2 Rp 1.2M

-38.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.18 R 135

$4.71 Rp 84.4K

73.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 R 114

$2.81 Rp 50.5K

144.48%

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

$210 R 3,478

$233 Rp 4.2M

-9.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,351 R 88.6K

$5,136 Rp 92.1M

4.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 R 923

$46.35 Rp 831.4K

20.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.54 R 555

$32.50 Rp 583.0K

3.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 R 1,873

$75.6 Rp 1.4M

49.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R 1,417

$65.5 Rp 1.2M

30.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 R 12.7K

$528 Rp 9.5M

45.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 R 8,658

$356 Rp 6.4M

47.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 R 24.1K

$1,791 Rp 32.1M

-18.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 R 17.3K

$1,090 Rp 19.5M

-4.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,329 R 38.6K

$1,415 Rp 25.4M

64.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,509 R 25.0K

$1,164 Rp 20.9M

29.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,600 R 26.5K

$278 Rp 5.0M

476.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.77

13.28

-11.37%

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

Last update for Cape Town: July 14, 2026

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $768 in Cape Town versus $528 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 $45.00 in Cape Town versus $21.00 in Denpasar, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $187 in Cape Town vs $243 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 35% 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 $1,911 per month in Cape Town and $1,413 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 $1,274 in Cape Town and $942 in Denpasar, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 537% 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 $942, than in Cape Town at $1,274. 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 $942 versus $1,274 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.