Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Bintulu Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Bintulu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,279 per month in Bali vs $793 in Bintulu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,322 per month in Bali vs $1,240 in Bintulu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,365 per month in Bali vs $1,687 in Bintulu, rent included.

Bali costs about 61% more than Bintulu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bali and Bintulu are more affordable than the global median – Bali 4% lower, Bintulu 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.90 Rp 51.9K

$3.82 MYR 15.59

-24.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.61 Rp 476.5K

$17.65 MYR 72.1

50.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.08 Rp 73.1K

$5.80 MYR 23.69

-29.66%

Cappuccino

$2.25 Rp 40.3K

$2.87 MYR 11.74

-21.60%

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

$1.12 Rp 20.0K

$0.66 MYR 2.69

69.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 Rp 11.0K

$0.39 MYR 1.59

56.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 Rp 43.7K

$2.79 MYR 11.38

-12.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 Rp 59.6K

$5.02 MYR 20.49

-33.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 Rp 31.0K

$1.81 MYR 7.39

-4.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 Rp 42.6K

$1.38 MYR 5.63

72.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 20.2K

$1.33 MYR 5.42

-15.04%

Eggs

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$2.20 MYR 8.97

5.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.63 Rp 244.1K

$16.21 MYR 66.2

-15.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.12 Rp 73.8K

$3.45 MYR 14.11

19.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.61 Rp 207.8K

$5.50 MYR 22.46

111.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 Rp 62.3K

$1.64 MYR 6.69

112.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.7K

$0.93 MYR 3.79

66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 Rp 46.4K

$1.62 MYR 6.62

59.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 Rp 38.1K

$1.06 MYR 4.34

100.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

$0.49 MYR 2.01

283.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 Rp 37.8K

$1.19 MYR 4.87

77.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.72 MYR 2.94

40.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.39 MYR 1.61

87.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 Rp 54.0K

$3.96 MYR 16.17

-23.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.99 Rp 393.8K

$19.22 MYR 78.5

14.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 Rp 47.8K

$2.84 MYR 11.61

-5.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 Rp 48.1K

$1.84 MYR 7.50

46.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,777

$1.15 MYR 4.68

-76.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.30 Rp 148.6K

$15.72 MYR 64.2

-47.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,830

$0.91 MYR 3.72

-46.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,089

$0.91 MYR 3.72

-50.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 Rp 111.0K

$2.40 MYR 9.82

158.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

$0.51 MYR 2.09

64.71%

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

$26.5K Rp 474.7M

$41.9K MYR 171.1K

-36.70%

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

$32.0K Rp 573.0M

$37.8K MYR 154.4K

-15.32%

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

$81.2 Rp 1.5M

$58.0 MYR 237

39.83%

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

$4.12 Rp 73.8K

$9.07 MYR 37.04

-54.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.71 Rp 424.5K

$29.89 MYR 122

-20.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$64.8 MYR 264

27.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.43 Rp 97.3K

$5.75 MYR 23.49

-5.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.46 Rp 61.9K

$4.18 MYR 17.08

-17.22%

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

$267 Rp 4.8M

$124 MYR 506

115.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,952 Rp 106.6M

$6,948 MYR 28.4K

-14.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 Rp 922.4K

$61.7 MYR 252

-16.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.70 Rp 657.1K

$33.44 MYR 137

9.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$76.0 MYR 310

10.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 Rp 1.3M

$86.7 MYR 354

-14.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 Rp 15.8M

$215 MYR 879

310.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$574 Rp 10.3M

$149 MYR 609

285.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,921 Rp 52.3M

$467 MYR 1,906

526.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,782 Rp 31.9M

$317 MYR 1,296

461.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 Rp 43.9M

$1,765 MYR 7,209

38.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,993 Rp 35.7M

$1,143 MYR 4,667

74.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$223 Rp 4.0M

$599 MYR 2,446

-62.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.5

195.11%

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

Last update for Bali: July 20, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $884 in Bali versus $215 in Bintulu. 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 169% higher in Bintulu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Bali versus $18.00 in Bintulu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $222 – making Bintulu 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 Bintulu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 61% more than Bintulu, 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 $1,919 per month in Bali and $1,190 in Bintulu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bintulu, 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 $18.00 in Bintulu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,279 in Bali and $793 in Bintulu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bintulu, where all-in costs run around $793, than in Bali at $1,279. In Bintulu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bintulu costs $793 versus $1,279 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 Bintulu. 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.