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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,275 per month in Bali vs $853 in Bintulu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,093 per month in Bali vs $1,321 in Bintulu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,912 per month in Bali vs $1,788 in Bintulu, rent included.

Bali costs about 49% more than Bintulu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bali and Bintulu are more affordable than the global median – Bali 8% lower, Bintulu 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.78 Rp 49.0K

$3.99 MYR 16.25

-30.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.58 Rp 538.3K

$18.47 MYR 75.2

65.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 Rp 83.0K

$6.08 MYR 24.71

-22.53%

Cappuccino

$2.34 Rp 41.1K

$2.88 MYR 11.73

-18.75%

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

$1.52 Rp 26.7K

$0.69 MYR 2.82

120.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 Rp 11.8K

$0.42 MYR 1.71

59.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 Rp 45.1K

$2.98 MYR 12.13

-14.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 Rp 64.6K

$5.07 MYR 20.62

-27.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 Rp 26.7K

$2.11 MYR 8.60

-27.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 Rp 37.3K

$1.43 MYR 5.82

48.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.33 MYR 5.41

-16.54%

Eggs

$2.02 Rp 35.5K

$2.25 MYR 9.16

-10.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.67 Rp 293.5K

$17.24 MYR 70.1

-3.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.75 Rp 66.0K

$3.68 MYR 14.99

1.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 Rp 208.7K

$5.86 MYR 23.83

102.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 Rp 61.9K

$1.77 MYR 7.21

98.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.1K

$0.96 MYR 3.89

60.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 39.6K

$1.70 MYR 6.91

32.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 33.7K

$1.16 MYR 4.74

65.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 30.5K

$0.51 MYR 2.06

239.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 40.5K

$1.20 MYR 4.90

91.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.7K

$0.76 MYR 3.08

32.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 Rp 9,046

$0.41 MYR 1.68

24.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 Rp 37.4K

$4.08 MYR 16.58

-47.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.59 Rp 380.1K

$19.46 MYR 79.2

10.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 Rp 38.8K

$2.92 MYR 11.86

-24.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 50.3K

$1.94 MYR 7.91

47.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,377

$1.27 MYR 5.19

-80.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.22 Rp 144.6K

$16.64 MYR 67.7

-50.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,567

$0.96 MYR 3.89

-48.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 Rp 8,392

$0.89 MYR 3.61

-46.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.52 Rp 97.1K

$2.42 MYR 9.83

128.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.57 MYR 2.30

42.11%

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

$24.7K Rp 435.2M

$44.8K MYR 182.3K

-44.84%

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

$31.8K Rp 559.5M

$39.9K MYR 162.2K

-20.32%

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

$82.8 Rp 1.5M

$60.2 MYR 245

37.39%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.3K

$32.61 MYR 133

-80.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.04 Rp 335.1K

$30.84 MYR 125

-38.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.52 Rp 836.6K

$69.6 MYR 283

-31.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.14 Rp 266.6K

$12.52 MYR 50.9

20.93%

Cinema Ticket

$3.77 Rp 66.3K

$4.35 MYR 17.68

-13.33%

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

$446 Rp 7.9M

$128 MYR 521

248.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,332 Rp 93.9M

$7,430 MYR 30.2K

-28.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.63 Rp 785.8K

$64.2 MYR 261

-30.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.69 Rp 593.1K

$36.12 MYR 147

-6.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 Rp 1.4M

$79.5 MYR 323

-2.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

$94.0 MYR 383

-17.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 Rp 17.7M

$224 MYR 910

348.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 Rp 10.7M

$158 MYR 644

285.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,095 Rp 54.5M

$480 MYR 1,952

544.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 Rp 26.4M

$344 MYR 1,400

335.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,478 Rp 43.6M

$1,773 MYR 7,212

39.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,968 Rp 34.7M

$1,154 MYR 4,694

70.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$220 Rp 3.9M

$609 MYR 2,478

-63.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.5

206.22%

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

Last update for Bali: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Bali versus $224 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 177% 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 $31.00 in Bali versus $18.00 in Bintulu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $234 – 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 49% 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 $1,913 per month in Bali and $1,280 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 $31.00 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 $1,275 in Bali and $853 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 $853, than in Bali at $1,275. 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 $853 versus $1,275 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.