Cost of Living: Bali vs Cape Town (2026)

Cape Town is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $1026/month there vs $1082/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Bali is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Bali has a rate of 0.31 per 100,000 and Cape Town has 45.53 per 100,000.

Bali scores 63 to Cape Town's 50 on livability — the gap is real. Cape Town has its charms, but the numbers favor Bali. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Bali: Indonesia Second Home Visa (complex process, 5 or 10 years). Cape Town: South Africa Remote Work Visa (easy to get, Up to 1 year (renewable up to 3 years)). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Bali is warmer in summer (84°F vs 75°F). Cape Town has milder summers, which suits those who prefer cooler weather. Climate preference is personal — use the weather section above to compare seasons.

Cape Town is easier for street-level English (100/100) than Bali (25/100). That's the score that matters for doctors, landlords, and bureaucracy. Office English can still run higher than street English in both cities.

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $1026/month in Cape Town, $1082/month in Bali (Numbeo). That's 5% cheaper rent in Cape Town.

Cape Town scores 7.2/10 on the EIU Democracy Index vs 6.4/10 for Bali. Both are functional democracies, though the gap matters if you're planning to stay long enough to care about local politics.

Cape Town scores higher on our composite healthcare index (58/100 vs 52/100 for Bali). That score combines clinical outcomes (IHME), universal coverage (WHO), and resident perception (Numbeo) — not just whether hospitals exist but whether the system actually works for settlers.