Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Palembang Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Palembang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,290 per month in Bali vs $661 in Palembang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,302 per month in Bali vs $1,043 in Palembang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,314 per month in Bali vs $1,426 in Palembang, rent included.

Bali costs about 95% more than Palembang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bali and Palembang are more affordable than the global median – Bali 3% lower, Palembang 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

138.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.11 Rp 486.3K

$17.90 Rp 321.1K

51.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.25 Rp 76.2K

$3.05 Rp 54.7K

39.34%

Cappuccino

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$1.40 Rp 25.2K

60.00%

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

$1.15 Rp 20.6K

$0.90 Rp 16.2K

27.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 Rp 10.5K

$0.26 Rp 4,653

123.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 Rp 43.4K

$1.79 Rp 32.0K

35.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 Rp 59.5K

$3.75 Rp 67.2K

-11.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 Rp 29.9K

$1.31 Rp 23.5K

26.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

121.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 Rp 19.6K

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

-21.01%

Eggs

$2.25 Rp 40.5K

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

77.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.93 Rp 249.9K

$7.96 Rp 142.9K

75.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 73.6K

$3.14 Rp 56.3K

30.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.34 Rp 203.4K

$8.48 Rp 152.2K

33.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 Rp 65.7K

$2.30 Rp 41.3K

59.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.6K

$1.46 Rp 26.2K

5.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 Rp 47.7K

$1.85 Rp 33.3K

43.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

$1.57 Rp 28.1K

40.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

32.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 Rp 37.3K

$1.98 Rp 35.5K

5.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$0.97 Rp 17.4K

7.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

$0.50 Rp 9,028

38.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 Rp 55.7K

$2.42 Rp 43.5K

28.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.34 Rp 400.8K

$20.22 Rp 362.7K

10.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 Rp 47.1K

$2.05 Rp 36.8K

27.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 Rp 47.5K

$3.23 Rp 57.9K

-17.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,795

$0.48 Rp 8,661

-43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.19 Rp 146.8K

$9.59 Rp 172.1K

-14.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,070

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

-21.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,228

$0.34 Rp 6,143

35.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.99 Rp 107.5K

$2.84 Rp 50.9K

110.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.6K

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

7.89%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.7M

$24.8K Rp 445.6M

4.50%

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

$32.6K Rp 584.7M

$28.1K Rp 503.8M

16.05%

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

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

$70.2 Rp 1.3M

13.08%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$4.18 Rp 74.9K

-2.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.04 Rp 431.3K

$23.42 Rp 420.1K

2.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.6 Rp 1.4M

$22.79 Rp 408.7K

253.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.47 Rp 98.1K

$6.02 Rp 108.0K

-9.14%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$2.98 Rp 53.5K

10.40%

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

$273 Rp 4.9M

$94.2 Rp 1.7M

189.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,104 Rp 109.5M

$7,485 Rp 134.3M

-18.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 Rp 942.1K

$41.82 Rp 750.1K

25.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.11 Rp 665.7K

$30.61 Rp 549.1K

21.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 Rp 1.5M

$65.9 Rp 1.2M

26.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 Rp 1.3M

$72.9 Rp 1.3M

-0.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 Rp 15.4M

$262 Rp 4.7M

228.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 Rp 10.4M

$158 Rp 2.8M

267.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,932 Rp 52.6M

$593 Rp 10.6M

394.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,801 Rp 32.3M

$328 Rp 5.9M

449.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,406 Rp 43.2M

$976 Rp 17.5M

146.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,957 Rp 35.1M

$601 Rp 10.8M

225.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 Rp 4.0M

$300 Rp 5.4M

-26.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.15

45.14%

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

Last update for Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Palembang: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $860 in Bali versus $262 in Palembang. 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 36% higher in Palembang, 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 Palembang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $210 – making Palembang 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 Palembang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 95% more than Palembang, 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 $1,935 per month in Bali and $991 in Palembang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,290 in Bali and $661 in Palembang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Palembang, where all-in costs run around $661, than in Bali at $1,290. In Palembang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Palembang costs $661 versus $1,290 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 Palembang. 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.