Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Cheongju

For one person, living is cheaper in Bali: $1,236 a month against $1,398 in Cheongju, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. The total is higher in Cheongju despite lower rent and utilities.

60

Cost of Living Index in Bali
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Bali Living Index
68

Cost of Living Index in Cheongju
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Cheongju Living Index

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Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,236

/mo nomad

Cheongju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,398

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bali and in Cheongju

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bali and in Cheongju actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,236 per month in Bali vs $1,398 in Cheongju, rent included.

Bali $1,236
Cheongju $1,398

A couple spends around $2,086 per month in Bali vs $2,320 in Cheongju, rent included.

Bali $2,086
Cheongju $2,320

A family of three spends $2,937 per month in Bali vs $3,241 in Cheongju, rent included.

Bali $2,937
Cheongju $3,241

Bali is about 12% cheaper than Cheongju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Bali sits 8% below the global median, while Cheongju is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 Rp 49.6K

$7.64 ₩10.2K

-63.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.80 Rp 534.8K

$48.79 ₩65.1K

-38.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 Rp 83.0K

$6.13 ₩8,181

-24.47%

Cappuccino

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

$3.65 ₩4,868

-36.44%

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

$1.40 Rp 25.0K

$1.78 ₩2,369

-21.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 Rp 11.4K

$1.41 ₩1,880

-54.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 Rp 39.3K

$3.79 ₩5,051

-42.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 Rp 64.3K

$4.40 ₩5,866

-18.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

$2.35 ₩3,138

-36.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

$3.11 ₩4,143

-28.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$3.14 ₩4,193

-62.74%

Eggs

$2.02 Rp 36.3K

$2.71 ₩3,618

-25.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 Rp 296.4K

$11.18 ₩14.9K

47.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 65.9K

$10.27 ₩13.7K

-64.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 Rp 209.3K

$24.55 ₩32.8K

-52.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 Rp 61.8K

$11.41 ₩15.2K

-69.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

$3.56 ₩4,744

-58.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

$8.30 ₩11.1K

-73.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 Rp 32.7K

$5.91 ₩7,886

-69.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

$6.14 ₩8,190

-70.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.8K

$3.26 ₩4,351

-30.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.7K

$2.74 ₩3,650

-63.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 Rp 9,157

$1.29 ₩1,723

-60.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 Rp 38.6K

$3.32 ₩4,428

-35.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.44 Rp 384.7K

$18.55 ₩24.7K

15.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 Rp 41.0K

$2.47 ₩3,298

-7.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$3.35 ₩4,473

-14.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,698

$1.09 ₩1,455

-76.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.97 Rp 143.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,619

$3.57 ₩4,757

-86.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,681

$0.77 ₩1,021

-44.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 101.3K

$16.65 ₩22.2K

-66.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

$1.36 ₩1,817

-39.71%

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

$23.7K Rp 425.2M

$29.5K ₩39.4M

-19.71%

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

$31.7K Rp 569.5M

$33.4K ₩44.5M

-4.88%

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

$81.3 Rp 1.5M

$203 ₩270.6K

-59.90%

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

$6.53 Rp 117.2K

$24.35 ₩32.5K

-73.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 Rp 328.6K

$26.57 ₩35.4K

-31.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.85 Rp 840.7K

$52.5 ₩70.1K

-10.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.05 Rp 270.0K

$12.07 ₩16.1K

24.69%

Cinema Ticket

$3.69 Rp 66.2K

$12.10 ₩16.1K

-69.50%

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

$445 Rp 8.0M

$624 ₩832.9K

-28.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,218 Rp 93.6M

$22.0K ₩29.4M

-76.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.66 Rp 765.4K

$37.95 ₩50.6K

12.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.40 Rp 599.3K

$64.9 ₩86.6K

-48.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 Rp 1.3M

$95.1 ₩126.9K

-21.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 Rp 1.3M

$113 ₩150.6K

-34.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$996 Rp 17.9M

$347 ₩462.6K

187.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 Rp 10.7M

$267 ₩356.0K

123.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,054 Rp 54.8M

$1,158 ₩1.5M

163.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 Rp 27.1M

$758 ₩1.0M

99.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 Rp 43.6M

$7,214 ₩9.6M

-66.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,963 Rp 35.2M

$5,577 ₩7.4M

-64.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$220 Rp 4.0M

$2,595 ₩3.5M

-91.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.22

226.54%

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

Last update for Bali: October 10, 2026

Last update for Cheongju: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bali

$596 48.2%

Cheongju

$267 19.1% 55.2% $329

Groceries & Markets

Bali

$277 22.4%

Cheongju

$485 34.7% 75.4% $209

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bali

$106 8.6%

Cheongju

$254 18.2% 139% $148

Clothing & Footwear

Bali

$101 8.2%

Cheongju

$140 10% 38.3% $39

Eating Out

Bali

$90 7.3%

Cheongju

$164 11.7% 81.9% $74

Sport & Entertainment

Bali

$54 4.4%

Cheongju

$77 5.5% 41.4% $22

Getting Around

Bali

$12 0.9%

Cheongju

$12 * 0.8% 0.9% $0.1

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $996 in Bali versus $347 in Cheongju. 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 1078% higher in Cheongju, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Bali versus $49.00 in Cheongju. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $485 – making Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Bali

🇰🇷 Cheongju

🕒 Local time

05:37 5:37 AM

06:37 6:37 AM

1 h ahead of Bali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

835,669

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.57 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.96 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.67 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 17,943 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.57 USD). 1 EUR = 20,172 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.96 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,334 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD). 1 EUR = 1,500 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.67 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bali Cheongju 5,170 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Bali
Cheongju

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Cheongju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cheongju costs about 13% more than Bali, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,854 per month in Bali and $2,097 in Cheongju. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,236 in Bali and $1,398 in Cheongju. That's a gap of about 13%.

Kindergarten costs $445 per month in Bali and $624 in Cheongju. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,236, than in Cheongju at $1,398. In Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cheongju it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bali costs $1,236 versus $1,398 in Cheongju. 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 Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cheongju makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.