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: $661 in Ambon versus $628 in Bandung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,017 in Ambon versus $937 in Bandung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,373 in Ambon versus $1,247 in Bandung.

Living in Ambon is roughly 5% more expensive than in Bandung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ambon 50% lower, Bandung 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$0.88 Rp 16.0K

$1.30 Rp 23.5K

-32.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.22 Rp 220.9K

$9.27 Rp 167.5K

31.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.36 Rp 60.8K

$3.42 Rp 61.9K

-1.75%

Cappuccino

$1.74 Rp 31.4K

$1.45 Rp 26.2K

20.00%

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

$0.51 Rp 9,200

$0.50 Rp 8,969

2.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,741

$0.25 Rp 4,472

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 Rp 44.9K

$3.36 Rp 60.7K

-25.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 Rp 62.4K

$3.61 Rp 65.2K

-4.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 Rp 21.5K

$1.21 Rp 21.9K

-1.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 Rp 21.0K

$1.07 Rp 19.4K

8.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 Rp 16.8K

Eggs

$1.55 Rp 28.0K

$1.58 Rp 28.6K

-1.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 Rp 148.0K

$9.26 Rp 167.5K

-11.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.11 Rp 56.3K

$3.01 Rp 54.5K

3.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.07 Rp 145.9K

$7.86 Rp 142.1K

2.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 42.2K

$2.31 Rp 41.7K

1.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

$1.29 Rp 23.4K

16.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 Rp 32.8K

$1.70 Rp 30.7K

7.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.2K

$1.60 Rp 28.9K

-2.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 24.0K

$1.48 Rp 26.8K

-10.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 34.1K

$2.65 Rp 47.9K

-28.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 Rp 17.3K

$0.96 Rp 17.4K

-1.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,125

$0.46 Rp 8,342

-2.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 Rp 46.0K

$2.48 Rp 44.8K

2.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.90 Rp 359.8K

$21.80 Rp 394.2K

-8.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 Rp 38.5K

$2.09 Rp 37.8K

1.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 55.5K

$3.43 Rp 62.0K

-10.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,787

$0.30 Rp 5,354

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.70 Rp 175.4K

$10.23 Rp 185.0K

-5.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 10.3K

$0.70 Rp 12.7K

-18.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,747

$0.77 Rp 13.9K

-51.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 Rp 53.1K

$2.58 Rp 46.6K

13.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 15.1K

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

5.06%

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

$24.7K Rp 446.7M

$25.0K Rp 451.7M

-1.10%

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

$27.6K Rp 498.2M

$26.1K Rp 472.3M

5.49%

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

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

$44.55 Rp 805.5K

59.15%

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

$4.21 Rp 76.1K

$4.69 Rp 84.9K

-10.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.67 Rp 409.9K

$22.48 Rp 406.4K

0.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.43 Rp 423.6K

$21.87 Rp 395.4K

7.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 Rp 108.5K

$6.58 Rp 119.0K

-8.81%

Cinema Ticket

$3.04 Rp 54.9K

$3.11 Rp 56.2K

-2.25%

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

$91.5 Rp 1.7M

$94.2 Rp 1.7M

-2.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,444 Rp 134.6M

$7,688 Rp 139.0M

-3.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.02 Rp 759.7K

$41.35 Rp 747.6K

1.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.12 Rp 562.6K

$31.15 Rp 563.2K

-0.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.9 Rp 1.2M

$58.2 Rp 1.1M

14.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.5 Rp 1.3M

$63.6 Rp 1.1M

14.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 Rp 4.7M

$240 Rp 4.3M

8.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 Rp 2.9M

$154 Rp 2.8M

2.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 Rp 10.5M

$454 Rp 8.2M

28.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 Rp 5.9M

$246 Rp 4.5M

33.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,166 Rp 21.1M

$727 Rp 13.1M

60.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$611 Rp 11.0M

$308 Rp 5.6M

98.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.1M

$283 Rp 5.1M

-40.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

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

Last update for Ambon: July 28, 2026

Last update for Bandung: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $261 in Ambon and $240 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 67% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Ambon vs $9.00 in Bandung. Groceries flip the comparison at $207 vs $213, with Ambon cheaper for home cooking.

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 5% 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 67% 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: $261 in Ambon versus $240 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $661 per month in Ambon versus $628 in Bandung – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bandung runs roughly 5% 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 $628 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 5% less than in Ambon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.