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 $1,012 per month in Richards Bay vs $1,268 in Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,566 per month in Richards Bay vs $2,311 in Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Richards Bay vs $3,354 in Bali, rent included.

Richards Bay is about 20% cheaper than Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Richards Bay and Bali are more affordable than the global median – Richards Bay 24% lower, Bali 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.41 R 120

$2.96 Rp 52.4K

150.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.60 R 447

$27.51 Rp 487.3K

0.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 R 79.7

$4.03 Rp 71.4K

22.08%

Cappuccino

$1.98 R 31.99

$2.36 Rp 41.8K

-16.10%

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

$0.94 R 15.28

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

-18.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 R 11.37

$0.63 Rp 11.1K

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 R 22.39

$2.49 Rp 44.2K

-44.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 R 27.03

$3.33 Rp 59.0K

-49.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 R 15.47

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

-42.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 R 15.93

$2.36 Rp 41.7K

-58.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.27

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

30.91%

Eggs

$2.13 R 34.52

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-8.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 R 120

$13.84 Rp 245.1K

-46.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.44 R 71.9

$4.00 Rp 70.8K

11.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.33 R 86.3

$11.22 Rp 198.7K

-52.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.53

$3.60 Rp 63.8K

-57.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R 23.04

$1.47 Rp 26.0K

-3.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 R 22.30

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

-47.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 R 21.13

$2.21 Rp 39.2K

-40.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 R 17.76

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

-42.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 R 17.35

$2.16 Rp 38.3K

-50.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 R 16.41

$0.98 Rp 17.3K

3.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 R 15.74

$0.68 Rp 12.0K

42.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 R 38.41

$2.99 Rp 52.9K

-20.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.98 R 80.7

$22.97 Rp 406.8K

-78.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 R 23.74

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

-44.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 R 27.18

$2.62 Rp 46.4K

-35.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 R 26.50

$0.29 Rp 5,198

465.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.5 R 1,561

$8.06 Rp 142.8K

1096.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 R 26.62

$0.46 Rp 8,089

256.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 R 10.04

$0.46 Rp 8,171

34.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.68 R 108

$6.27 Rp 111.1K

6.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 R 21.63

$0.82 Rp 14.5K

63.41%

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

$20.3K R 327.8K

$26.4K Rp 467.5M

-23.26%

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

$24.8K R 401.3K

$31.6K Rp 559.8M

-21.55%

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

$128 R 2,069

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

60.25%

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

$29.29 R 474

$3.97 Rp 70.3K

637.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.08 R 552

$23.71 Rp 420.0K

43.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.44 R 525

$81.7 Rp 1.4M

-60.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.58 R 74.2

$5.31 Rp 94.1K

-13.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 R 107

$3.43 Rp 60.7K

91.84%

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

$91.0 R 1,472

$271 Rp 4.8M

-66.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,489 R 40.3K

$6,062 Rp 107.4M

-58.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.83 R 677

$51.3 Rp 909.4K

-18.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.82 R 305

$36.50 Rp 646.7K

-48.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 R 1,359

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

1.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 R 1,198

$74.1 Rp 1.3M

-0.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 R 6,466

$875 Rp 15.5M

-54.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 R 4,839

$576 Rp 10.2M

-48.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 R 13.5K

$2,911 Rp 51.6M

-71.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 R 9,569

$1,806 Rp 32.0M

-67.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$354 R 5,733

$2,426 Rp 43.0M

-85.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$517 R 8,375

$2,032 Rp 36.0M

-74.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,217 R 19.7K

$227 Rp 4.0M

436.67%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Bali: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Richards Bay versus $875 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 437% 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 $28.00 in Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $164 vs $284 – making Richards Bay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 25% 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 $1,518 per month in Richards Bay and $1,901 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 $28.00 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 $1,012 in Richards Bay and $1,268 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 $1,012, than in Bali at $1,268. 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 $1,012 versus $1,268 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.