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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,288 per month in Bali vs $784 in Bintulu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,328 per month in Bali vs $1,232 in Bintulu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,367 per month in Bali vs $1,681 in Bintulu, rent included.

Bali costs about 64% more than Bintulu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bali and Bintulu are more affordable than the global median – Bali 4% lower, Bintulu 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 Rp 53.5K

$3.74 MYR 15.04

-20.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.53 Rp 478.5K

$17.52 MYR 70.5

51.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 Rp 73.7K

$5.71 MYR 22.98

-28.37%

Cappuccino

$2.25 Rp 40.6K

$2.91 MYR 11.72

-22.68%

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

$1.14 Rp 20.6K

$0.66 MYR 2.66

72.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 Rp 11.2K

$0.40 MYR 1.59

55.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 Rp 43.7K

$2.75 MYR 11.06

-12.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 Rp 59.5K

$5.00 MYR 20.14

-34.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

$1.73 MYR 6.95

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 Rp 43.6K

$1.36 MYR 5.49

77.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.28 MYR 5.14

-10.16%

Eggs

$2.31 Rp 41.6K

$2.19 MYR 8.83

5.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.70 Rp 247.0K

$16.56 MYR 66.7

-17.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 Rp 74.5K

$3.34 MYR 13.46

23.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 Rp 204.3K

$5.74 MYR 23.10

97.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 Rp 62.3K

$1.69 MYR 6.81

104.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

$0.97 MYR 3.88

57.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 48.7K

$1.63 MYR 6.58

65.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 Rp 38.7K

$1.12 MYR 4.52

91.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.9K

$0.52 MYR 2.10

251.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 Rp 38.4K

$1.15 MYR 4.63

85.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 Rp 17.7K

$0.72 MYR 2.90

36.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Rp 12.2K

$0.39 MYR 1.58

71.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 Rp 57.0K

$3.95 MYR 15.88

-20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.80 Rp 411.2K

$19.24 MYR 77.5

18.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 Rp 47.8K

$2.78 MYR 11.18

-4.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 49.1K

$1.94 MYR 7.82

40.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,830

$1.15 MYR 4.63

-76.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.46 Rp 152.6K

$15.56 MYR 62.6

-45.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,241

$0.97 MYR 3.92

-52.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,257

$0.86 MYR 3.47

-46.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 Rp 108.3K

$2.34 MYR 9.43

156.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

$0.51 MYR 2.06

60.78%

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

$26.0K Rp 468.8M

$41.9K MYR 168.8K

-38.01%

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

$31.9K Rp 574.7M

$37.5K MYR 151.0K

-15.07%

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

$79.7 Rp 1.4M

$57.1 MYR 230

39.67%

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

$3.92 Rp 70.7K

$9.31 MYR 37.49

-57.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 Rp 439.3K

$29.85 MYR 120

-18.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$64.7 MYR 260

27.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.30 Rp 95.5K

$5.79 MYR 23.31

-8.46%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 Rp 62.1K

$4.18 MYR 16.82

-17.70%

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

$267 Rp 4.8M

$121 MYR 486

121.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,920 Rp 106.8M

$6,933 MYR 27.9K

-14.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 Rp 920.0K

$61.3 MYR 247

-16.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.67 Rp 661.3K

$33.41 MYR 134

9.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 Rp 1.5M

$78.1 MYR 314

7.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 Rp 1.3M

$86.8 MYR 349

-13.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$854 Rp 15.4M

$209 MYR 842

308.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$574 Rp 10.3M

$153 MYR 615

275.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,981 Rp 53.8M

$465 MYR 1,872

540.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,784 Rp 32.2M

$321 MYR 1,291

456.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,374 Rp 42.8M

$1,779 MYR 7,161

33.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,973 Rp 35.6M

$1,201 MYR 4,834

64.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$223 Rp 4.0M

$624 MYR 2,511

-64.27%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bintulu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $854 in Bali versus $209 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 180% 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: $285 vs $223 – 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 64% 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 $1,932 per month in Bali and $1,176 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 $1,288 in Bali and $784 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 $784, than in Bali at $1,288. 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 $784 versus $1,288 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.