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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Denpasar, Bali is about 45% cheaper than Cape Town, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$12.20 R 196

-80.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.80 Rp 458.3K

$48.92 R 786

-47.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.76 Rp 66.8K

$5.65 R 90.8

-33.45%

Cappuccino

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$2.64 R 42.34

-30.68%

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

$1.14 Rp 20.3K

$1.31 R 21.12

-12.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,661

$1.06 R 16.99

-49.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$3.17 R 50.9

-42.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

$3.80 R 61.0

-26.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 Rp 23.0K

$1.38 R 22.15

-6.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 Rp 33.0K

$1.23 R 19.84

51.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

$2.18 R 34.99

-56.42%

Eggs

$1.71 Rp 30.5K

$3.04 R 48.85

-43.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.24 Rp 252.9K

$9.18 R 147

55.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 Rp 56.1K

$6.89 R 111

-54.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 Rp 180.5K

$9.32 R 150

9.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 Rp 51.7K

$1.89 R 30.39

53.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 Rp 23.1K

$2.03 R 32.67

-35.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 33.2K

$1.67 R 26.78

11.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 Rp 29.3K

$2.22 R 35.63

-25.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

$1.53 R 24.55

-3.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.2K

$1.62 R 25.96

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

$1.33 R 21.42

-39.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,393

$1.18 R 18.91

-64.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.83 Rp 32.4K

$3.59 R 57.7

-49.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.06 Rp 338.6K

$6.25 R 100

204.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 Rp 33.1K

$1.41 R 22.57

31.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 41.0K

$2.32 R 37.19

-0.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 Rp 3,904

$1.45 R 23.31

-84.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.39 Rp 131.3K

$61.5 R 988

-87.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 Rp 7,649

$0.65 R 10.36

-33.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,595

$1.62 R 25.98

-73.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 Rp 56.8K

$5.06 R 81.3

-36.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

$1.57 R 25.22

-56.05%

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

$22.5K Rp 400.3M

$37.1K R 595.7K

-39.25%

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

$28.5K Rp 506.7M

$33.2K R 533.1K

-14.06%

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

$72.9 Rp 1.3M

$121 R 1,938

-39.59%

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

$5.79 Rp 102.8K

$30.79 R 495

-81.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.73 Rp 297.2K

$39.59 R 636

-57.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.09 Rp 712.3K

$50.7 R 814

-20.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.87 Rp 228.6K

$11.80 R 190

9.07%

Cinema Ticket

$3.19 Rp 56.6K

$9.35 R 150

-65.88%

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

$382 Rp 6.8M

$265 R 4,261

44.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,414 Rp 78.4M

$6,560 R 105.4K

-32.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.21 Rp 696.5K

$57.6 R 925

-31.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.71 Rp 545.5K

$33.12 R 532

-7.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 Rp 1.2M

$121 R 1,941

-42.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 Rp 1.2M

$110 R 1,764

-38.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 Rp 10.7M

$1,035 R 16.6K

-41.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 Rp 6.4M

$727 R 11.7K

-50.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,879 Rp 33.4M

$1,896 R 30.5K

-0.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$893 Rp 15.9M

$1,359 R 21.8K

-34.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,433 Rp 25.5M

$2,488 R 40.0K

-42.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,191 Rp 21.2M

$1,614 R 25.9K

-26.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 Rp 5.1M

$1,642 R 26.4K

-82.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

11.02

25.05%

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

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $602 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,035 in Cape Town. 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 $26.00 in Denpasar, Bali versus $49.00 in Cape Town. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Denpasar, Bali vs $228 in Cape Town – 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

Denpasar, Bali vs Cape Town: 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 $1,357 per month in Denpasar, Bali and $2,460 in Cape Town. 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 $904 in Denpasar, Bali and $1,640 in Cape Town. 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.