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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Bali versus $675 in Ambon.

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

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

Living in Bali is roughly 89% more expensive than Ambon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.88 Rp 49.8K

$0.87 Rp 15.2K

231.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.30 Rp 473.3K

$12.06 Rp 209.0K

126.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.17 Rp 72.3K

$3.41 Rp 59.0K

22.29%

Cappuccino

$2.38 Rp 41.2K

$1.65 Rp 28.7K

44.24%

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

$1.10 Rp 19.1K

$0.54 Rp 9,371

103.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 Rp 10.6K

$0.26 Rp 4,521

134.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 Rp 43.0K

$2.51 Rp 43.5K

-1.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 54.9K

$3.45 Rp 59.7K

-8.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 Rp 28.9K

$1.23 Rp 21.3K

35.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 Rp 41.8K

$1.12 Rp 19.5K

115.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 Rp 19.7K

$0.95 Rp 16.4K

20.00%

Eggs

$2.26 Rp 39.3K

$1.57 Rp 27.2K

43.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.83 Rp 239.7K

$8.04 Rp 139.4K

72.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 Rp 71.7K

$3.15 Rp 54.6K

31.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.53 Rp 199.8K

$7.76 Rp 134.6K

48.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 Rp 60.1K

$2.39 Rp 41.4K

45.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 25.7K

$1.49 Rp 25.9K

-0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 Rp 46.5K

$1.88 Rp 32.6K

42.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 Rp 36.7K

$1.50 Rp 26.0K

40.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.2K

$1.36 Rp 23.6K

40.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 36.7K

$1.89 Rp 32.7K

12.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.5K

$0.95 Rp 16.5K

6.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 11.9K

$0.42 Rp 7,255

64.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 Rp 54.6K

$2.55 Rp 44.2K

23.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.59 Rp 391.5K

$22.04 Rp 381.9K

2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 Rp 45.7K

$2.11 Rp 36.5K

25.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 Rp 45.0K

$3.20 Rp 55.4K

-19.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,073

$0.30 Rp 5,145

-3.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.5K

$10.12 Rp 175.4K

-19.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,336

$0.53 Rp 9,197

-9.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,427

$0.37 Rp 6,478

16.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.25 Rp 108.4K

$2.95 Rp 51.1K

111.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 Rp 15.0K

$0.83 Rp 14.4K

4.82%

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

$26.0K Rp 449.9M

$25.0K Rp 432.7M

3.98%

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

$32.8K Rp 567.8M

$27.4K Rp 475.7M

19.35%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$70.6 Rp 1.2M

11.94%

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

$4.05 Rp 70.2K

$4.32 Rp 74.9K

-6.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.32 Rp 421.6K

$22.52 Rp 390.3K

7.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.5 Rp 1.4M

$23.17 Rp 401.5K

255.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.47 Rp 94.8K

$6.09 Rp 105.6K

-10.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 Rp 60.1K

$3.13 Rp 54.2K

10.86%

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

$269 Rp 4.7M

$91.9 Rp 1.6M

192.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,944 Rp 103.0M

$7,453 Rp 129.2M

-20.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 Rp 896.7K

$40.91 Rp 709.1K

26.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.29 Rp 629.0K

$30.37 Rp 526.4K

19.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 Rp 1.5M

$66.5 Rp 1.2M

26.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

$72.8 Rp 1.3M

2.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 Rp 14.8M

$262 Rp 4.5M

227.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$573 Rp 9.9M

$157 Rp 2.7M

264.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,908 Rp 50.4M

$586 Rp 10.2M

396.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 Rp 31.6M

$333 Rp 5.8M

447.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,664 Rp 46.2M

$1,052 Rp 18.2M

153.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,077 Rp 36.0M

$883 Rp 15.3M

135.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$219 Rp 3.8M

$177 Rp 3.1M

24.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.15

45.14%

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

Last update for Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Ambon: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $856 in Bali and $262 in Ambon. 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: $27.00 in Bali vs $12.00 in Ambon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $210 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

Bali vs Ambon: 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.

Bali pays 24% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $856 in Bali versus $262 in Ambon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,278 per month in Bali versus $675 in Ambon – 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, Bali and Ambon 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.