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: $1,295 in Bali versus $653 in Ambon.

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

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

Living in Bali is roughly 98% more expensive than Ambon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.90 Rp 51.9K

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

205.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.50 Rp 492.7K

$12.09 Rp 216.5K

127.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.08 Rp 73.1K

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

22.89%

Cappuccino

$2.35 Rp 42.0K

$1.73 Rp 31.0K

35.84%

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

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

$0.51 Rp 9,159

115.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

$0.24 Rp 4,266

141.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 Rp 43.0K

$2.50 Rp 44.8K

-4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 Rp 57.3K

$3.52 Rp 63.0K

-9.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 Rp 29.7K

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

40.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

95.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.6K

$0.90 Rp 16.1K

27.78%

Eggs

$2.34 Rp 42.0K

$1.52 Rp 27.2K

53.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.86 Rp 248.3K

$8.30 Rp 148.7K

66.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$3.15 Rp 56.4K

26.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.52 Rp 206.4K

$7.83 Rp 140.3K

47.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 Rp 62.6K

$2.38 Rp 42.7K

47.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

$1.43 Rp 25.6K

4.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 Rp 45.7K

$1.89 Rp 33.8K

34.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

49.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 33.1K

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

40.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.87 Rp 33.5K

17.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.2K

$0.97 Rp 17.5K

5.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.41 Rp 7,379

75.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 Rp 55.8K

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

23.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.97 Rp 393.6K

$21.05 Rp 377.1K

4.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.5K

$2.01 Rp 36.0K

37.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 Rp 48.3K

$3.19 Rp 57.2K

-15.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,779

$0.30 Rp 5,312

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 146.5K

$9.55 Rp 171.1K

-14.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

-19.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,225

$0.38 Rp 6,770

21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.5K

$3.00 Rp 53.7K

107.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.3K

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

2.41%

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

$25.9K Rp 463.4M

$24.2K Rp 433.1M

7.00%

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

$32.6K Rp 584.2M

$28.0K Rp 500.8M

16.64%

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

$80.0 Rp 1.4M

$68.6 Rp 1.2M

16.52%

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

$4.00 Rp 71.7K

$4.24 Rp 75.9K

-5.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.97 Rp 429.5K

$22.52 Rp 403.5K

6.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$23.02 Rp 412.4K

256.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.33 Rp 95.5K

$6.22 Rp 111.4K

-14.31%

Cinema Ticket

$3.32 Rp 59.5K

$3.16 Rp 56.6K

5.06%

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

$273 Rp 4.9M

$95.2 Rp 1.7M

186.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,093 Rp 109.2M

$7,658 Rp 137.2M

-20.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 Rp 922.7K

$42.09 Rp 754.1K

22.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.05 Rp 645.9K

$30.27 Rp 542.2K

19.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 Rp 1.5M

$67.4 Rp 1.2M

22.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 Rp 1.3M

$74.7 Rp 1.3M

-2.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$882 Rp 15.8M

$260 Rp 4.7M

239.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$583 Rp 10.4M

$159 Rp 2.9M

265.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,917 Rp 52.3M

$575 Rp 10.3M

407.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 Rp 32.6M

$338 Rp 6.1M

438.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,419 Rp 43.3M

$1,330 Rp 23.8M

81.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,929 Rp 34.6M

$685 Rp 12.3M

181.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$220 Rp 3.9M

$169 Rp 3.0M

30.33%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ambon: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $882 in Bali and $260 in Ambon. 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: $27.00 in Bali vs $12.00 in Ambon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $208 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 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.

Bali pays 30% 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: $882 in Bali versus $260 in Ambon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,295 per month in Bali versus $653 in Ambon – 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, 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 98% less than in Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.