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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,612 per month in Cape Town vs $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,499 per month in Cape Town vs $2,348 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,385 per month in Cape Town vs $3,327 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Cape Town costs about 18% more than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cape Town and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Cape Town by 18%, Ubud, Bali by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.51 R 189

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

234.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.18 R 806

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

35.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 R 100

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

7.01%

Cappuccino

$2.48 R 40.68

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

-7.12%

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

$1.40 R 23.00

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 R 16.61

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

16.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 R 51.0

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

5.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 R 62.1

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

-16.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 R 22.00

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

-17.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 R 21.34

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-44.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 R 35.35

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

94.59%

Eggs

$3.05 R 49.99

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

38.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 R 146

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

-49.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 R 114

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

69.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.79 R 160

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

-19.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 R 30.67

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

-49.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 R 31.17

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

19.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 R 28.79

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

-22.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 R 34.54

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

8.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 R 25.13

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

-19.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.58

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-33.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 R 21.36

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

28.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 R 19.71

$0.55 Rp 9,773

118.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.70 R 60.7

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

65.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 R 98.3

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

-73.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 R 22.50

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

-43.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 R 34.96

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

-29.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 R 24.77

$0.27 Rp 4,814

459.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.9 R 1,013

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

588.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 R 10.53

$0.48 Rp 8,566

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 R 25.96

$0.43 Rp 7,679

269.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 R 85.3

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

-7.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 R 24.21

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

85.00%

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

$36.4K R 596.0K

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

45.89%

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

$32.3K R 529.0K

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

1.85%

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

$121 R 1,979

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

48.37%

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

$31.09 R 509

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

379.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.99 R 655

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

113.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 R 829

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

-11.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 R 197

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

-35.77%

Cinema Ticket

$9.26 R 152

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

103.96%

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

$266 R 4,354

$481 Rp 8.5M

-44.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,497 R 106.4K

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

13.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 R 959

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

28.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.00 R 540

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

-8.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 R 1,970

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

49.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 R 1,762

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

36.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 R 17.0K

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

-6.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 R 11.9K

$698 Rp 12.4M

3.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,868 R 30.6K

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

-48.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 R 22.1K

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-22.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,387 R 39.1K

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

-14.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,546 R 25.3K

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

-32.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,613 R 26.4K

$168 Rp 3.0M

859.82%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,038 in Cape Town versus $1,115 in Ubud, 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 860% 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $227 in Cape Town vs $295 in Ubud, 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 Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Town costs about 18% more than Ubud, Bali, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,418 per month in Cape Town and $2,052 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, 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 $1,612 in Cape Town and $1,368 in Ubud, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 589% less in Ubud, Bali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,368, than in Cape Town at $1,612. In Ubud, 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. Ubud, Bali costs $1,368 versus $1,612 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 Ubud, 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.