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: $675 in Ambon versus $1,278 in Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,036 in Ambon versus $2,318 in Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,397 in Ambon versus $3,357 in Bali.

Living in Ambon costs roughly 47% less than in Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ambon 50% lower, Bali 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.87 Rp 15.2K

$2.88 Rp 49.8K

-69.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.06 Rp 209.0K

$27.30 Rp 473.3K

-55.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.41 Rp 59.0K

$4.17 Rp 72.3K

-18.23%

Cappuccino

$1.65 Rp 28.7K

$2.38 Rp 41.2K

-30.67%

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

$0.54 Rp 9,371

$1.10 Rp 19.1K

-50.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,521

$0.61 Rp 10.6K

-57.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 Rp 43.5K

$2.48 Rp 43.0K

1.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 Rp 59.7K

$3.17 Rp 54.9K

8.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Rp 21.3K

$1.67 Rp 28.9K

-26.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 Rp 19.5K

$2.41 Rp 41.8K

-53.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 16.4K

$1.14 Rp 19.7K

-16.67%

Eggs

$1.57 Rp 27.2K

$2.26 Rp 39.3K

-30.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.04 Rp 139.4K

$13.83 Rp 239.7K

-41.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.15 Rp 54.6K

$4.14 Rp 71.7K

-23.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 Rp 134.6K

$11.53 Rp 199.8K

-32.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 41.4K

$3.47 Rp 60.1K

-31.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 25.9K

$1.48 Rp 25.7K

0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 32.6K

$2.68 Rp 46.5K

-29.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 26.0K

$2.11 Rp 36.7K

-28.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 Rp 23.6K

$1.91 Rp 33.2K

-28.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 32.7K

$2.12 Rp 36.7K

-10.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 Rp 16.5K

$1.01 Rp 17.5K

-5.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,255

$0.69 Rp 11.9K

-39.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 Rp 44.2K

$3.15 Rp 54.6K

-19.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.04 Rp 381.9K

$22.59 Rp 391.5K

-2.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 Rp 36.5K

$2.64 Rp 45.7K

-20.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 Rp 55.4K

$2.59 Rp 45.0K

23.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,145

$0.29 Rp 5,073

3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.12 Rp 175.4K

$8.17 Rp 141.5K

23.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,197

$0.48 Rp 8,336

10.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,478

$0.43 Rp 7,427

-13.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 Rp 51.1K

$6.25 Rp 108.4K

-52.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 14.4K

$0.87 Rp 15.0K

-4.60%

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

$25.0K Rp 432.7M

$26.0K Rp 449.9M

-3.83%

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

$27.4K Rp 475.7M

$32.8K Rp 567.8M

-16.21%

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

$70.6 Rp 1.2M

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

-10.67%

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

$4.32 Rp 74.9K

$4.05 Rp 70.2K

6.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.52 Rp 390.3K

$24.32 Rp 421.6K

-7.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.17 Rp 401.5K

$82.5 Rp 1.4M

-71.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.09 Rp 105.6K

$5.47 Rp 94.8K

11.33%

Cinema Ticket

$3.13 Rp 54.2K

$3.47 Rp 60.1K

-9.80%

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

$91.9 Rp 1.6M

$269 Rp 4.7M

-65.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,453 Rp 129.2M

$5,944 Rp 103.0M

25.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.91 Rp 709.1K

$51.7 Rp 896.7K

-20.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.37 Rp 526.4K

$36.29 Rp 629.0K

-16.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 Rp 1.2M

$84.4 Rp 1.5M

-21.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 Rp 1.3M

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

-2.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 Rp 4.5M

$856 Rp 14.8M

-69.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 Rp 2.7M

$573 Rp 9.9M

-72.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 Rp 10.2M

$2,908 Rp 50.4M

-79.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 Rp 5.8M

$1,824 Rp 31.6M

-81.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,052 Rp 18.2M

$2,664 Rp 46.2M

-60.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$883 Rp 15.3M

$2,077 Rp 36.0M

-57.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$177 Rp 3.1M

$219 Rp 3.8M

-19.49%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Ambon and $856 in Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bali pays 24% 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 $210 vs $284 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 89% 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 24% 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: $262 in Ambon versus $856 in Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $675 per month in Ambon versus $1,278 in Bali – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 24% less than in Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $675 in Ambon versus $1,278 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 $675 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 89% less than in Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.