Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Banda Aceh Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Banda Aceh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Bali vs $583 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,300 per month in Bali vs $906 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,334 per month in Bali vs $1,229 in Banda Aceh, rent included.

Bali costs about 117% more than Banda Aceh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bali and Banda Aceh are more affordable than the global median – Bali 5% lower, Banda Aceh 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.88 Rp 51.9K

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

84.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.92 Rp 486.0K

$12.45 Rp 224.7K

116.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.08 Rp 73.6K

$3.28 Rp 59.3K

24.39%

Cappuccino

$2.29 Rp 41.4K

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

99.13%

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

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$0.51 Rp 9,286

127.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 Rp 11.2K

$0.28 Rp 5,063

121.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 Rp 43.2K

$2.44 Rp 44.0K

-2.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 Rp 60.1K

$3.51 Rp 63.3K

-5.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 Rp 30.6K

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 Rp 43.0K

$1.18 Rp 21.4K

101.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 Rp 20.6K

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

78.12%

Eggs

$2.33 Rp 42.1K

$1.54 Rp 27.8K

51.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.18 Rp 256.1K

$8.00 Rp 144.3K

77.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 Rp 74.7K

$3.13 Rp 56.5K

32.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.65 Rp 210.4K

$7.96 Rp 143.7K

46.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 Rp 62.7K

$2.34 Rp 42.2K

48.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 27.5K

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 Rp 46.7K

$1.79 Rp 32.4K

44.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 Rp 38.4K

$1.49 Rp 27.0K

42.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.7K

$1.32 Rp 23.9K

37.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 39.6K

$1.96 Rp 35.4K

11.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 Rp 17.2K

$0.89 Rp 16.1K

6.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 13.1K

$0.45 Rp 8,115

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 Rp 54.4K

$2.56 Rp 46.2K

17.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.76 Rp 392.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 Rp 48.1K

$2.03 Rp 36.7K

31.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 Rp 48.7K

$3.21 Rp 57.9K

-16.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,830

$0.30 Rp 5,381

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.22 Rp 148.3K

$9.73 Rp 175.7K

-15.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,227

$0.53 Rp 9,542

-13.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,591

$0.34 Rp 6,201

23.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 Rp 112.5K

$2.85 Rp 51.4K

118.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

31.67%

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

$26.2K Rp 473.0M

$24.9K Rp 449.7M

5.20%

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

$32.6K Rp 588.6M

$27.7K Rp 499.6M

17.82%

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

$80.2 Rp 1.4M

$70.1 Rp 1.3M

14.32%

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

$3.93 Rp 70.9K

$4.20 Rp 75.8K

-6.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.58 Rp 425.7K

$23.02 Rp 415.5K

2.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.3 Rp 1.4M

$23.46 Rp 423.5K

242.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.51 Rp 99.5K

$6.13 Rp 110.7K

-10.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 Rp 62.6K

$3.03 Rp 54.6K

14.52%

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

$277 Rp 5.0M

$93.1 Rp 1.7M

197.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,008 Rp 108.5M

$7,626 Rp 137.7M

-21.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 Rp 927.3K

$31.92 Rp 576.2K

60.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.41 Rp 657.3K

$23.38 Rp 422.1K

55.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 Rp 1.5M

$35.46 Rp 640.1K

132.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 Rp 1.3M

$34.16 Rp 616.6K

118.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 Rp 15.7M

$258 Rp 4.6M

236.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$574 Rp 10.4M

$158 Rp 2.8M

263.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,974 Rp 53.7M

$579 Rp 10.5M

413.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,779 Rp 32.1M

$337 Rp 6.1M

428.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 Rp 43.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,981 Rp 35.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$224 Rp 4.0M

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Banda Aceh: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $867 in Bali versus $258 in Banda Aceh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Bali versus $12.00 in Banda Aceh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $165 – making Banda Aceh 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 Banda Aceh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 117% more than Banda Aceh, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $874 in Banda Aceh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Banda Aceh, 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 $12.00 in Banda Aceh. 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 $583 in Banda Aceh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Banda Aceh, where all-in costs run around $583, than in Bali at $1,265. In Banda Aceh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Banda Aceh costs $583 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 Banda Aceh. 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.