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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,270 per month in Bali vs $798 in Bintulu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,308 per month in Bali vs $1,224 in Bintulu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,345 per month in Bali vs $1,650 in Bintulu, rent included.

Bali costs about 59% more than Bintulu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bali and Bintulu are more affordable than the global median – Bali 5% lower, Bintulu 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.89 Rp 49.7K

$3.80 MYR 15.00

-23.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 Rp 472.8K

$17.58 MYR 69.4

56.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.26 Rp 73.3K

$5.76 MYR 22.73

-26.04%

Cappuccino

$2.28 Rp 39.2K

$2.80 MYR 11.08

-18.57%

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

$1.14 Rp 19.7K

$0.66 MYR 2.62

72.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 Rp 10.1K

$0.40 MYR 1.56

47.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 Rp 42.8K

$2.88 MYR 11.38

-13.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 Rp 56.4K

$4.89 MYR 19.33

-32.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 Rp 29.7K

$1.72 MYR 6.79

0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 Rp 41.4K

$1.36 MYR 5.37

77.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 19.8K

$1.25 MYR 4.95

-8.00%

Eggs

$2.32 Rp 39.9K

$2.20 MYR 8.68

5.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.80 Rp 237.2K

$16.34 MYR 64.5

-15.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 Rp 68.5K

$3.36 MYR 13.26

18.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.64 Rp 200.0K

$5.70 MYR 22.51

104.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 Rp 61.0K

$1.67 MYR 6.61

112.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 25.6K

$0.96 MYR 3.79

55.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 Rp 44.4K

$1.64 MYR 6.46

57.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

$1.10 MYR 4.36

102.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 31.1K

$0.49 MYR 1.95

269.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

$1.16 MYR 4.59

87.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 16.7K

$0.69 MYR 2.71

40.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 Rp 11.7K

$0.42 MYR 1.67

61.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 Rp 53.2K

$4.13 MYR 16.31

-24.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.57 Rp 387.8K

$19.15 MYR 75.6

17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 Rp 45.1K

$2.90 MYR 11.46

-9.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

$1.87 MYR 7.37

45.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,579

$1.16 MYR 4.57

-76.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.25 Rp 141.7K

$15.45 MYR 61.0

-46.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,786

$0.97 MYR 3.84

-53.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 7,824

$0.88 MYR 3.48

-47.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 Rp 103.7K

$2.35 MYR 9.28

157.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

$0.52 MYR 2.05

63.46%

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

$25.7K Rp 442.4M

$42.9K MYR 169.4K

-39.98%

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

$32.2K Rp 553.2M

$38.3K MYR 151.2K

-15.92%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$57.3 MYR 226

39.49%

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

$3.98 Rp 68.5K

$9.20 MYR 36.35

-56.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.26 Rp 417.0K

$29.24 MYR 115

-17.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.4 Rp 1.4M

$65.1 MYR 257

25.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.50 Rp 94.5K

$6.01 MYR 23.73

-8.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.37 Rp 57.9K

$4.11 MYR 16.25

-18.00%

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

$273 Rp 4.7M

$121 MYR 479

124.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,007 Rp 103.2M

$6,941 MYR 27.4K

-13.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 Rp 902.4K

$63.7 MYR 251

-17.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.80 Rp 632.5K

$34.25 MYR 135

7.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 Rp 1.5M

$75.3 MYR 298

12.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 Rp 1.3M

$87.8 MYR 347

-16.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 Rp 15.1M

$208 MYR 822

322.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 Rp 10.1M

$153 MYR 604

284.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,010 Rp 51.7M

$452 MYR 1,786

565.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 Rp 31.5M

$319 MYR 1,258

475.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,575 Rp 44.3M

$1,793 MYR 7,081

43.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,080 Rp 35.7M

$1,187 MYR 4,688

75.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$223 Rp 3.8M

$620 MYR 2,449

-64.12%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $880 in Bali versus $208 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 179% 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 $28 in Bali versus $18 in Bintulu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 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 59% 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 $1,905 per month in Bali and $1,196 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 $28.00 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 $1,270 in Bali and $798 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 $798, than in Bali at $1,270. 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 $798 versus $1,270 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.