Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambon and Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambon and Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $653 in Ambon versus $1,295 in Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,004 in Ambon versus $2,292 in Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,354 in Ambon versus $3,289 in Bali.

Living in Ambon costs roughly 50% less than in Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ambon 51% lower, Bali 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

$2.90 Rp 51.9K

-67.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.09 Rp 216.5K

$27.50 Rp 492.7K

-56.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$4.08 Rp 73.1K

-18.63%

Cappuccino

$1.73 Rp 31.0K

$2.35 Rp 42.0K

-26.38%

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

$0.51 Rp 9,159

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

-53.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 Rp 4,266

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

-58.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 Rp 44.8K

$2.40 Rp 43.0K

4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 Rp 63.0K

$3.20 Rp 57.3K

10.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$1.66 Rp 29.7K

-28.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-48.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 16.1K

$1.15 Rp 20.6K

-21.74%

Eggs

$1.52 Rp 27.2K

$2.34 Rp 42.0K

-35.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.30 Rp 148.7K

$13.86 Rp 248.3K

-40.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.15 Rp 56.4K

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

-21.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.83 Rp 140.3K

$11.52 Rp 206.4K

-32.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 Rp 42.7K

$3.50 Rp 62.6K

-32.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 Rp 25.6K

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

-4.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 33.8K

$2.55 Rp 45.7K

-25.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

-33.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$1.85 Rp 33.1K

-28.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 33.5K

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-15.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.5K

$1.02 Rp 18.2K

-4.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,379

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-43.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$3.11 Rp 55.8K

-18.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.05 Rp 377.1K

$21.97 Rp 393.6K

-4.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 Rp 36.0K

$2.76 Rp 49.5K

-27.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 Rp 57.2K

$2.70 Rp 48.3K

18.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,312

$0.27 Rp 4,779

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.55 Rp 171.1K

$8.17 Rp 146.5K

16.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

$0.46 Rp 8,235

23.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,770

$0.46 Rp 8,225

-17.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 Rp 53.7K

$6.22 Rp 111.5K

-51.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$0.85 Rp 15.3K

-2.35%

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

$24.2K Rp 433.1M

$25.9K Rp 463.4M

-6.54%

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

$28.0K Rp 500.8M

$32.6K Rp 584.2M

-14.27%

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

$68.6 Rp 1.2M

$80.0 Rp 1.4M

-14.18%

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

$4.24 Rp 75.9K

$4.00 Rp 71.7K

6.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.52 Rp 403.5K

$23.97 Rp 429.5K

-6.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.02 Rp 412.4K

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

-71.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.22 Rp 111.4K

$5.33 Rp 95.5K

16.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.16 Rp 56.6K

$3.32 Rp 59.5K

-4.82%

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

$95.2 Rp 1.7M

$273 Rp 4.9M

-65.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,658 Rp 137.2M

$6,093 Rp 109.2M

25.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.09 Rp 754.1K

$51.5 Rp 922.7K

-18.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.27 Rp 542.2K

$36.05 Rp 645.9K

-16.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 Rp 1.2M

$82.6 Rp 1.5M

-18.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 Rp 1.3M

$72.6 Rp 1.3M

2.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$260 Rp 4.7M

$882 Rp 15.8M

-70.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 Rp 2.9M

$583 Rp 10.4M

-72.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 Rp 10.3M

$2,917 Rp 52.3M

-80.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 Rp 6.1M

$1,819 Rp 32.6M

-81.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,330 Rp 23.8M

$2,419 Rp 43.3M

-45.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$685 Rp 12.3M

$1,929 Rp 34.6M

-64.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$220 Rp 3.9M

-23.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

13.28

-31.10%

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

Last update for Ambon: June 9, 2026

Last update for Bali: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $260 in Ambon and $882 in Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bali pays 30% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $12.00 in Ambon vs $27.00 in Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $283 per month, with Ambon cheaper across the board.

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

Ambon vs Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ambon wins on cost – living expenses run 98% lower than in Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Bali earns 30% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $260 in Ambon versus $882 in Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $653 per month in Ambon versus $1,295 in Bali – a 98% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 17% less than in Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $653 in Ambon versus $1,295 in Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ambon but tight or insufficient in Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Ambon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ambon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $653 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ambon and Bali are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ambon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.