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 $1,273 per month in Cape Town vs $961 in Denpasar, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,983 per month in Cape Town vs $1,660 in Denpasar, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,693 per month in Cape Town vs $2,360 in Denpasar, Bali, rent included.

Cape Town costs about 32% 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 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 R 179

$2.41 Rp 43.0K

357.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.99 R 731

$21.74 Rp 388.3K

106.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 R 79.8

$3.26 Rp 58.2K

50.61%

Cappuccino

$2.00 R 32.49

$1.89 Rp 33.8K

5.82%

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

$1.10 R 17.94

$0.92 Rp 16.5K

19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R 13.43

$0.47 Rp 8,368

76.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.87 R 46.56

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

49.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R 40.35

$2.56 Rp 45.7K

-3.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R 18.61

$1.44 Rp 25.7K

-20.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 R 17.59

$2.04 Rp 36.5K

-47.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 R 30.38

$0.92 Rp 16.5K

103.26%

Eggs

$2.47 R 40.11

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

29.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 R 139

$11.89 Rp 212.4K

-27.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 R 83.5

$3.41 Rp 61.0K

50.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.66 R 124

$9.95 Rp 177.7K

-23.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.24

$3.09 Rp 55.2K

-51.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.26

$1.26 Rp 22.6K

18.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.28

$2.22 Rp 39.6K

-32.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.85

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

-12.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 R 17.54

$1.61 Rp 28.8K

-32.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R 20.16

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

-31.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 R 17.83

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

27.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.57

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

68.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 R 49.33

$2.64 Rp 47.1K

15.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.18 R 100

$19.27 Rp 344.2K

-67.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 R 22.97

$2.25 Rp 40.2K

-37.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 R 27.23

$2.23 Rp 39.8K

-24.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R 15.17

$0.24 Rp 4,257

287.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.91 R 779

$7.34 Rp 131.0K

552.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 R 22.43

$0.44 Rp 7,813

213.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 R 15.14

$0.39 Rp 6,914

138.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 R 70.9

$5.45 Rp 97.2K

-20.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.33

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

68.92%

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

$21.3K R 346.9K

$23.5K Rp 420.5M

-9.36%

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

$24.5K R 397.5K

$29.1K Rp 520.1M

-16.02%

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

$98.3 R 1,598

$70.5 Rp 1.3M

39.51%

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

$33.19 R 539

$3.67 Rp 65.5K

804.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.75 R 662

$21.23 Rp 379.1K

91.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.68 R 677

$69.5 Rp 1.2M

-40.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.15 R 133

$4.45 Rp 79.5K

83.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 R 107

$2.91 Rp 52.0K

125.09%

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

$211 R 3,435

$227 Rp 4.1M

-6.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,300 R 86.1K

$5,191 Rp 92.7M

2.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 R 906

$47.61 Rp 850.2K

17.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.78 R 533

$32.45 Rp 579.4K

1.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 R 1,869

$76.3 Rp 1.4M

50.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.5 R 1,374

$66.7 Rp 1.2M

26.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$765 R 12.4K

$528 Rp 9.4M

44.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$520 R 8,453

$344 Rp 6.1M

51.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 R 23.2K

$1,801 Rp 32.2M

-20.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 R 16.5K

$1,065 Rp 19.0M

-4.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,344 R 38.1K

$1,476 Rp 26.4M

58.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,506 R 24.5K

$1,184 Rp 21.2M

27.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,683 R 27.4K

$335 Rp 6.0M

402.09%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $765 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 402% 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 $22.00 in Denpasar, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $189 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 32% 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 $1,909 per month in Cape Town and $1,442 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 $1,273 in Cape Town and $961 in Denpasar, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 553% 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 $961, than in Cape Town at $1,273. 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 $961 versus $1,273 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.