Cost of Living Comparison Between Richards Bay and Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Richards Bay and Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,007 per month in Richards Bay vs $1,278 in Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,556 per month in Richards Bay vs $2,318 in Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,106 per month in Richards Bay vs $3,357 in Bali, rent included.

Richards Bay is about 21% cheaper than Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Richards Bay and Bali are more affordable than the global median – Richards Bay 25% lower, Bali 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 R 127

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

167.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.64 R 458

$27.30 Rp 471.5K

1.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 R 82.1

$4.17 Rp 72.0K

18.94%

Cappuccino

$1.93 R 31.97

$2.38 Rp 41.0K

-18.91%

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

$0.90 R 14.86

$1.10 Rp 19.0K

-18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 R 11.79

$0.61 Rp 10.6K

16.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 R 23.53

$2.48 Rp 42.8K

-42.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 R 27.11

$3.17 Rp 54.7K

-48.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 R 15.38

$1.67 Rp 28.8K

-44.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 R 16.25

$2.41 Rp 41.7K

-59.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.54

$1.14 Rp 19.7K

29.82%

Eggs

$2.20 R 36.39

$2.26 Rp 39.1K

-2.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.44 R 123

$13.83 Rp 238.8K

-46.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 R 73.3

$4.14 Rp 71.4K

7.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.46 R 90.4

$11.53 Rp 199.0K

-52.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 R 25.03

$3.47 Rp 59.9K

-56.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 R 22.73

$1.48 Rp 25.6K

-7.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 R 21.79

$2.68 Rp 46.3K

-50.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.44

$2.11 Rp 36.5K

-35.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 R 18.78

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

-40.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 R 17.02

$2.12 Rp 36.5K

-51.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 R 16.89

$1.01 Rp 17.4K

0.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 R 15.69

$0.69 Rp 11.9K

37.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 R 39.05

$3.15 Rp 54.4K

-25.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.89 R 80.9

$22.59 Rp 390.0K

-78.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 R 23.24

$2.64 Rp 45.5K

-46.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 R 29.05

$2.59 Rp 44.8K

-32.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 R 26.63

$0.29 Rp 5,053

455.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.0 R 1,572

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

1062.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 R 27.06

$0.48 Rp 8,304

241.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 R 9.60

$0.43 Rp 7,398

34.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.91 R 114

$6.25 Rp 108.0K

10.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 R 22.06

$0.87 Rp 15.0K

52.87%

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

$19.9K R 329.3K

$26.0K Rp 448.2M

-23.35%

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

$24.5K R 404.7K

$32.8K Rp 565.6M

-25.36%

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

$128 R 2,126

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

62.61%

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

$29.48 R 488

$4.05 Rp 69.9K

627.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.24 R 567

$24.32 Rp 420.0K

40.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.67 R 541

$82.5 Rp 1.4M

-60.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.54 R 75.1

$5.47 Rp 94.5K

-17.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.64 R 110

$3.47 Rp 59.9K

91.35%

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

$90.8 R 1,503

$269 Rp 4.6M

-66.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,453 R 40.6K

$5,944 Rp 102.6M

-58.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.31 R 684

$51.7 Rp 893.2K

-20.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.10 R 316

$36.29 Rp 626.6K

-47.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 R 1,441

$84.4 Rp 1.5M

3.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.3 R 1,196

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

-2.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 R 6,375

$856 Rp 14.8M

-55.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 R 4,837

$573 Rp 9.9M

-48.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 R 14.1K

$2,908 Rp 50.2M

-70.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 R 9,790

$1,824 Rp 31.5M

-67.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$778 R 12.9K

$2,664 Rp 46.0M

-70.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$685 R 11.3K

$2,077 Rp 35.9M

-67.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,103 R 18.3K

$219 Rp 3.8M

402.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.01

13.28

-9.56%

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

Last update for Richards Bay: April 26, 2026

Last update for Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $385 in Richards Bay versus $856 in 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 403% higher in Richards Bay, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Richards Bay versus $27.00 in Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $164 in Richards Bay vs $284 in Bali – so Richards Bay 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

Richards Bay vs Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 27% more than Richards Bay, 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 $1,511 per month in Richards Bay and $1,917 in Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Richards Bay and $27.00 in Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,007 in Richards Bay and $1,278 in Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Richards Bay, where all-in costs run around $1,007, than in Bali at $1,278. In Richards Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Richards Bay costs $1,007 versus $1,278 in Bali. 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 Richards Bay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.