Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambon and Bandung Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambon and Bandung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $660 in Ambon versus $651 in Bandung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,038 in Ambon versus $951 in Bandung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,416 in Ambon versus $1,250 in Bandung.

Living in Ambon is roughly 1% more expensive than in Bandung, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ambon 52% lower, Bandung 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.11 Rp 19.5K

$1.44 Rp 25.3K

-22.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.82 Rp 243.2K

$13.87 Rp 244.1K

-0.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.84 Rp 67.7K

$3.35 Rp 59.0K

14.63%

Cappuccino

$1.52 Rp 26.7K

$1.49 Rp 26.3K

2.01%

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

$0.44 Rp 7,725

$0.46 Rp 8,134

-4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 Rp 5,052

$0.23 Rp 4,032

26.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 Rp 43.3K

$3.05 Rp 53.6K

-19.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 Rp 61.2K

$3.06 Rp 53.9K

13.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

-8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 Rp 17.5K

$1.00 Rp 17.6K

-1.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.83 Rp 14.5K

4.82%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 25.4K

$1.50 Rp 26.3K

-4.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.45 Rp 131.2K

$7.37 Rp 129.8K

1.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.04 Rp 53.5K

$2.87 Rp 50.6K

5.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 Rp 135.3K

$7.81 Rp 137.5K

-1.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 40.4K

$2.20 Rp 38.8K

4.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.5K

$1.06 Rp 18.7K

20.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 Rp 29.6K

$1.50 Rp 26.4K

12.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 Rp 21.7K

$0.94 Rp 16.6K

30.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.3K

$1.11 Rp 19.5K

14.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 34.2K

$1.89 Rp 33.3K

2.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.71 Rp 12.4K

9.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,058

$0.44 Rp 7,660

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 Rp 38.8K

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

-16.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.79 Rp 366.0K

$22.98 Rp 404.6K

-9.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 Rp 32.3K

$1.94 Rp 34.2K

-5.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 Rp 52.5K

$3.33 Rp 58.6K

-10.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,660

$0.29 Rp 5,159

10.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.28 Rp 304.2K

$9.69 Rp 170.5K

78.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 Rp 8,853

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

-39.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 6,013

$0.53 Rp 9,244

-35.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 Rp 46.9K

$2.39 Rp 42.0K

11.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

-1.19%

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

$24.6K Rp 433.9M

$21.9K Rp 385.2M

12.65%

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

$28.8K Rp 507.8M

$29.1K Rp 512.4M

-0.90%

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

$71.4 Rp 1.3M

$34.81 Rp 612.8K

105.08%

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

$5.73 Rp 100.9K

$4.37 Rp 77.0K

31.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.19 Rp 337.8K

$19.10 Rp 336.2K

0.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.11 Rp 336.5K

$18.97 Rp 334.1K

0.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.56 Rp 168.3K

$6.09 Rp 107.2K

56.98%

Cinema Ticket

$1.39 Rp 24.4K

$2.79 Rp 49.1K

-50.18%

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

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$94.5 Rp 1.7M

-6.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,065 Rp 142.0M

$8,481 Rp 149.3M

-4.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.82 Rp 771.5K

$39.09 Rp 688.2K

12.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.99 Rp 492.9K

$33.10 Rp 582.7K

-15.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 Rp 1.3M

$77.3 Rp 1.4M

-7.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 Rp 1.2M

$71.8 Rp 1.3M

-2.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 Rp 3.5M

$218 Rp 3.8M

-9.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 Rp 3.0M

$186 Rp 3.3M

-8.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$629 Rp 11.1M

$384 Rp 6.8M

63.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 Rp 6.1M

$266 Rp 4.7M

29.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,135 Rp 20.0M

$723 Rp 12.7M

57.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$591 Rp 10.4M

$312 Rp 5.5M

89.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$126 Rp 2.2M

$288 Rp 5.1M

-56.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

11.38

-16.87%

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

Last update for Ambon: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bandung: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $198 in Ambon and $218 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 129% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14.00 in Ambon vs $14.00 in Bandung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $196 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 Bandung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Ambon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bandung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 129% lower in Bandung. 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: $198 in Ambon versus $218 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $660 per month in Ambon versus $651 in Bandung – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bandung runs roughly 78% less than in Ambon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bandung gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bandung delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $651 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandung hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ambon and Bandung 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 Bandung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Ambon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.