Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Balikpapan Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Balikpapan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Bali vs $787 in Balikpapan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,300 per month in Bali vs $1,194 in Balikpapan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,334 per month in Bali vs $1,600 in Balikpapan, rent included.

Bali costs about 61% more than Balikpapan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Bali and Balikpapan are more affordable than the global median – Bali 5% lower, Balikpapan 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.88 Rp 51.9K

$1.58 Rp 28.5K

82.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.92 Rp 486.0K

$15.12 Rp 273.0K

78.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.08 Rp 73.6K

$3.32 Rp 59.9K

22.89%

Cappuccino

$2.29 Rp 41.4K

$1.79 Rp 32.3K

27.93%

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

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$0.41 Rp 7,361

182.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 Rp 11.2K

$0.38 Rp 6,938

63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 Rp 43.2K

$1.95 Rp 35.1K

22.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 Rp 60.1K

$3.09 Rp 55.8K

7.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 Rp 30.6K

$1.89 Rp 34.1K

-10.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 Rp 43.0K

$1.22 Rp 22.1K

95.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 Rp 20.6K

$1.31 Rp 23.7K

-12.98%

Eggs

$2.33 Rp 42.1K

$2.67 Rp 48.2K

-12.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.18 Rp 256.1K

$8.25 Rp 149.0K

71.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 Rp 74.7K

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

-17.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.65 Rp 210.4K

$7.72 Rp 139.3K

50.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 Rp 62.7K

$3.76 Rp 67.8K

-7.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 27.5K

$1.51 Rp 27.2K

0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 Rp 46.7K

$2.12 Rp 38.3K

22.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 Rp 38.4K

$1.26 Rp 22.8K

69.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.7K

$1.79 Rp 32.3K

1.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 39.6K

$3.74 Rp 67.6K

-41.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 Rp 17.2K

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

2.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 13.1K

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

-8.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 Rp 54.4K

$2.01 Rp 36.4K

50.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.76 Rp 392.8K

$20.19 Rp 364.5K

7.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 Rp 48.1K

$2.18 Rp 39.3K

22.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 Rp 48.7K

$4.38 Rp 79.1K

-38.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,830

$0.58 Rp 10.5K

-53.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.22 Rp 148.3K

$10.12 Rp 182.7K

-18.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,227

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

-61.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,591

$0.37 Rp 6,708

13.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 Rp 112.5K

$6.07 Rp 109.5K

2.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

8.22%

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

$26.2K Rp 473.0M

$24.5K Rp 443.0M

6.79%

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

$32.6K Rp 588.6M

$25.5K Rp 460.1M

27.94%

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

$80.2 Rp 1.4M

$93.1 Rp 1.7M

-13.89%

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

$3.93 Rp 70.9K

$3.12 Rp 56.4K

25.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.58 Rp 425.7K

$32.41 Rp 585.2K

-27.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.3 Rp 1.4M

$21.16 Rp 382.0K

279.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.51 Rp 99.5K

$6.02 Rp 108.6K

-8.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 Rp 62.6K

$3.01 Rp 54.4K

15.28%

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

$277 Rp 5.0M

$62.0 Rp 1.1M

346.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,008 Rp 108.5M

$7,605 Rp 137.3M

-20.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 Rp 927.3K

$42.03 Rp 758.8K

22.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.41 Rp 657.3K

$21.04 Rp 379.8K

73.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 Rp 1.5M

$125 Rp 2.3M

-33.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 Rp 1.3M

$123 Rp 2.2M

-39.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 Rp 15.7M

$222 Rp 4.0M

290.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$574 Rp 10.4M

$156 Rp 2.8M

266.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,974 Rp 53.7M

$488 Rp 8.8M

509.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,779 Rp 32.1M

$302 Rp 5.4M

489.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 Rp 43.5M

$1,090 Rp 19.7M

121.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,981 Rp 35.8M

$597 Rp 10.8M

231.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$224 Rp 4.0M

$192 Rp 3.5M

16.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-11.47%

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

Last update for Bali: July 26, 2026

Last update for Balikpapan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $867 in Bali versus $222 in Balikpapan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 17% higher in Bali, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Bali versus $15.00 in Balikpapan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $249 – making Balikpapan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Balikpapan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 61% more than Balikpapan, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Bali and $1,181 in Balikpapan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Balikpapan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Bali and $15.00 in Balikpapan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Bali and $787 in Balikpapan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Balikpapan, where all-in costs run around $787, than in Bali at $1,265. In Balikpapan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Balikpapan costs $787 versus $1,265 in Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Balikpapan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.