Last update: Oct 2026 Indonesia 275.9K

Cost of Living in Ambon

For one person, living costs in Ambon are estimated at $635 a month, including rent and utilities, which take about a third of the total. Other living expenses average about $14 a day.

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ambon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ambon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Living costs for one person come to about $635 monthly including rent, or $420 excluding housing.

$635 /mo

Estimated monthly costs for a couple: $1,020 with rent, or $685 without housing.

$1,020 /mo

Monthly costs for a family of three come to about $1,405 including rent, or $949 for daily expenses alone.

$1,405 /mo

Ambon sits 50–53% below the global median across household types. Within Asia, costs are well below average (40% lower) – one of the most affordable options in the region.

Currency
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🍽 Eating Out
Cost
Range
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.13 Rp 20.3K
$0.57 Rp 10.1K
$1.41 Rp 25.4K
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.05 Rp 252.2K
$8.52 Rp 152.8K
$22.71 Rp 407.6K
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.01 Rp 72.0K
$3.44 Rp 61.7K
$4.57 Rp 82.1K
Cappuccino
$1.54 Rp 27.6K
$0.76 Rp 13.7K
$2.56 Rp 45.9K
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46 Rp 8,269
$0.34 Rp 6,064
$0.57 Rp 10.3K
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 Rp 5,177
$0.16 Rp 2,934
$0.43 Rp 7,766
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.29 Rp 41.0K
$1.71 Rp 30.7K
$5.72 Rp 102.7K
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 Rp 63.1K
$2.58 Rp 46.3K
$5.74 Rp 103.0K
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cost
Range
Milk (1 liter)
$1.07 Rp 19.2K
$0.71 Rp 12.8K
$1.42 Rp 25.6K
White Bread (500g)
$0.99 Rp 17.8K
$0.88 Rp 15.8K
$1.11 Rp 19.9K
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.85 Rp 15.2K
$0.71 Rp 12.8K
$1.02 Rp 18.3K
Eggs
$1.36 Rp 24.5K
$0.82 Rp 14.7K
$1.63 Rp 29.2K
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.31 Rp 131.2K
$3.37 Rp 60.4K
$14.01 Rp 251.4K
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.91 Rp 52.3K
$1.65 Rp 29.6K
$4.14 Rp 74.2K
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.70 Rp 138.2K
$5.62 Rp 100.9K
$9.05 Rp 162.3K
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 Rp 40.7K
$1.43 Rp 25.7K
$3.88 Rp 69.7K
Banana (1kg)
$1.27 Rp 22.7K
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
$1.93 Rp 34.6K
Oranges (1kg)
$1.75 Rp 31.4K
$1.02 Rp 18.3K
$3.13 Rp 56.1K
Tomato (1kg)
$1.27 Rp 22.8K
$0.57 Rp 10.2K
$1.82 Rp 32.6K
Potato (1kg)
$1.23 Rp 22.1K
$0.68 Rp 12.2K
$1.62 Rp 29.1K
Onion (1kg)
$2.00 Rp 35.9K
$1.71 Rp 30.7K
$2.29 Rp 41.0K
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
$0.29 Rp 5,243
$1.61 Rp 28.8K
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.40 Rp 7,267
$0.32 Rp 5,710
$0.76 Rp 13.7K
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.20 Rp 39.4K
$2.15 Rp 38.5K
$2.30 Rp 41.3K
Wine (Bottle)
$20.92 Rp 375.4K
$10.33 Rp 185.4K
$30.29 Rp 543.4K
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 Rp 34.0K
$1.43 Rp 25.6K
$2.42 Rp 43.3K
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 Rp 53.3K
$2.24 Rp 40.2K
$4.21 Rp 75.5K
🚌 Getting Around
Cost
Range
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.32 Rp 5,686
$0.24 Rp 4,264
$0.41 Rp 7,310
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.76 Rp 300.8K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.52 Rp 9,321
$0.51 Rp 9,138
$1.03 Rp 18.5K
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.37 Rp 6,584
$0.25 Rp 4,573
$0.80 Rp 14.3K
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.79 Rp 50.0K
$1.76 Rp 31.5K
$3.23 Rp 57.9K
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$0.70 Rp 12.5K
$0.93 Rp 16.6K
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K Rp 388.3M
$17.9K Rp 320.4M
$25.5K Rp 457.7M
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K Rp 485.2M
$26.7K Rp 479.4M
$28.3K Rp 508.4M
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cost
Range
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$71.8 Rp 1.3M
$42.24 Rp 757.9K
$109 Rp 2.0M
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.66 Rp 101.5K
$4.25 Rp 76.2K
$7.08 Rp 127.0K
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.20 Rp 344.6K
$16.79 Rp 301.2K
$25.18 Rp 451.8K
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cost
Range
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.92 Rp 357.4K
$11.30 Rp 202.8K
$28.25 Rp 506.9K
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.58 Rp 136.1K
$2.53 Rp 45.4K
$7.58 Rp 136.1K
Cinema Ticket
$1.42 Rp 25.5K
$1.42 Rp 25.5K
$1.42 Rp 25.5K
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cost
Range
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$84.7 Rp 1.5M
$43.90 Rp 787.6K
$209 Rp 3.8M
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,772 Rp 157.4M
$4,373 Rp 78.5M
$12.7K Rp 227.4M
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cost
Range
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.14 Rp 774.0K
$23.59 Rp 423.2K
$83.2 Rp 1.5M
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.52 Rp 493.8K
$13.24 Rp 237.6K
$42.38 Rp 760.3K
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.0 Rp 1.3M
$44.04 Rp 790.1K
$102 Rp 1.8M
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 Rp 1.3M
$28.38 Rp 509.3K
$142 Rp 2.5M
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cost
Range
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$242 Rp 4.3M
$145 Rp 2.6M
$384 Rp 6.9M
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$143 Rp 2.6M
$54.4 Rp 975.4K
$217 Rp 3.9M
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$535 Rp 9.6M
$240 Rp 4.3M
$608 Rp 10.9M
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$384 Rp 6.9M
$207 Rp 3.7M
$531 Rp 9.5M
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,030 Rp 18.5M
$368 Rp 6.6M
$1,030 Rp 18.5M
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$805 Rp 14.4M
$98.4 Rp 1.8M
$805 Rp 14.4M
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cost
Range
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$124 Rp 2.2M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.46
6
15

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

Last update: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Ambon $635
Groceries & Markets
$194
Accommodation & Living
$143
Clothing & Footwear
$97
Monthly Utilities & Internet
$97
Eating Out
$61
Sport & Entertainment
$23
Getting Around
$20

Cost Breakdown

Expect to pay about $242 for a central one-bedroom, or $143 outside the center. At 196% of the average salary ($124), housing is the biggest financial pressure.

Average take-home pay sits at $124, while typical expenses reach $635. The gap means tight budgeting for locals, though expats with foreign income can live comfortably.

Expect to spend about $194 monthly on groceries. Dining out at a mid-range restaurant costs roughly $14.00 for two – well below the Asian average of $36.00.

Public transport is priced at around $16.76 per month – among the cheapest in Asia (average $33.00).

Cost Highlights

Average monthly net salary is lower than 98% of cities in Asia

Meal at budget restaurant is cheaper than 97% of cities in Asia

Good to know
🕒 Local time
02:06 2:06 AM
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
275,888
💱 Currency
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USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 17,943 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.57 USD). 1 EUR = 20,174 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.96 EUR).

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Ambon Median Internet Speeds (Updated April 2026)

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Cost of Living in Ambon - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ambon, Indonesia generally good value for travelers and expats, and how does it compare to other Indonesian cities?
Ambon presents a pleasantly balanced value for travelers, expats, and digital nomads who want access to amenities without the pace and price tag of bigger hubs. You may find housing and meals that feel affordable by comparison, especially if you choose simple stays and cook at home or dine at local spots. The Cost of Living in Ambon, Indonesia reflects a mix of fresh seafood, markets, and modest services that keep everyday expenses reasonable while preserving a high quality of life. Expect seasonal weather and travel nearby to shape your routines. Tip: sample several neighborhoods on short visits to find a comfortable balance between price, vibe, and connectivity.
What does daily life look like in Ambon, including housing search, food options, transport, and coworking or errands?
Housing options range from simple studios to modest apartments near the waterfront or up in hillside residential lanes. Use local agents, expat groups, and on-site visits to compare. For daily life, markets offer fresh fish, produce, and bread; cafes, coworking spaces, and growing community spaces are common, while internet access can vary by area. Transport leans on walking, motorbike taxis, and short rides; ferries link you to nearby islands for weekend escapes. Ambon, Indonesia living cost gives you a practical lens as you map a month-to-month plan, so prioritize pockets with kitchen space and reliable connectivity. Tip: test a week of groceries and commuting patterns before signing a lease.
How can you budget effectively, plan for seasonality, and choose a neighborhood that fits your lifestyle in Ambon, Indonesia?
Build a flexible budgeting framework: estimate essentials (housing, food, transport) and pad for occasional travel, utilities, and gear. In Ambon, you’ll notice a seasonal tilt in outdoor activities and seafood availability, so align your plans with the dry season for more predictable outings. Neighborhood fit matters: central areas offer easier access to markets and coworking spaces, while hillside lanes provide quieter living and better views. Use a mix of local eateries and self-catering to balance costs, and consider longer stays to negotiate better lease terms. Tip: keep a simple calendar of recurring costs and revisit your plan every few weeks to stay on track.
What is the average cost of living in Ambon?
A single person in Ambon typically spends $635 per month once rent is factored in. Strip out housing, and everyday essentials like groceries, utilities, transport, and personal spending land around $420. The final number shifts depending on your neighborhood, eating habits, and general lifestyle.
What is the average cost of living in Ambon in 2026?
As of 2026, monthly living costs in Ambon come to around $635 including rent, or roughly $420 excluding it. Numbers shift a bit by season and neighborhood, but this range works well as a planning baseline.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ambon?
Around $952 take-home puts you in a comfortable spot in Ambon – enough for rent, food, bills, and a bit of savings. Drop below that and you'll probably need to share a flat, stick to cooking at home, or pick a neighborhood further out.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ambon?
Rents for a 1-bedroom flat in Ambon range from $143 to $242, depending on location and condition. Central apartments sit at the top of that range; outer neighborhoods and suburbs deliver noticeably better value per square meter.
How expensive is a gym membership in Ambon?
Fitness in Ambon is cheap at around $19.92 monthly for a standard gym. It's one of the lighter items in the budget, making it easy to stay active without worrying about the cost.
How cheap is food in Ambon?
Ambon is great for eating affordably at home. Monthly grocery bills run about $194, and local produce is plentiful and well-priced, making home cooking both practical and cost-effective.
Can you live on $800 a month in Ambon?
$800 stretches far in Ambon – all-in monthly costs average only $635. The surplus means you can build savings, travel a bit, and live above the local average without much effort.
Is Ambon a good place to live?
Living in Ambon means access to low crime rates, beach access, great local cuisine at about $635 per month including rent. It works for a wide range of budgets, and most residents find the lifestyle-to-cost balance appealing. Your experience will depend on priorities like climate, culture, and career.
Can you save money living in Ambon?
Monthly expenses in Ambon run around $635, so putting money aside takes more than $952 in income. Keeping housing costs low and avoiding lifestyle creep are the keys to building a decent savings rate here.

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