Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Pekanbaru Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Pekanbaru

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Bali vs $630 in Pekanbaru, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,141 per month in Bali vs $998 in Pekanbaru, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,016 per month in Bali vs $1,367 in Pekanbaru, rent included.

Bali costs about 101% more than Pekanbaru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bali and Pekanbaru are more affordable than the global median – Bali 8% lower, Pekanbaru 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.91 Rp 51.7K

$1.42 Rp 25.3K

104.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.94 Rp 567.5K

$8.31 Rp 147.7K

284.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.50 Rp 79.9K

$2.23 Rp 39.7K

101.79%

Cappuccino

$2.29 Rp 40.6K

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

80.31%

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

$1.39 Rp 24.6K

$0.42 Rp 7,533

230.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 Rp 10.6K

$0.22 Rp 3,889

172.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

$1.96 Rp 34.9K

12.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 Rp 64.0K

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

19.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.3K

$1.32 Rp 23.5K

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 Rp 38.8K

$1.16 Rp 20.6K

88.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

$0.83 Rp 14.7K

30.12%

Eggs

$2.01 Rp 35.7K

$1.72 Rp 30.5K

16.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 Rp 300.4K

$7.24 Rp 128.7K

133.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.76 Rp 66.7K

$2.50 Rp 44.4K

50.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 210.0K

$6.75 Rp 119.9K

75.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 Rp 60.3K

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

28.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

$1.66 Rp 29.6K

-11.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Rp 38.5K

$2.38 Rp 42.3K

-8.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.8K

$1.27 Rp 22.6K

44.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

$1.30 Rp 23.2K

36.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.1K

$2.03 Rp 36.0K

11.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

33.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,710

$0.37 Rp 6,512

32.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 Rp 37.9K

$2.18 Rp 38.7K

-2.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.73 Rp 403.7K

$20.35 Rp 361.6K

11.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 Rp 40.4K

$1.84 Rp 32.6K

23.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 Rp 47.5K

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

-9.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,405

$0.29 Rp 5,171

-13.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.56 Rp 152.1K

$8.60 Rp 152.8K

-0.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,706

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

-48.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 Rp 8,481

$0.37 Rp 6,493

29.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 Rp 103.3K

$2.95 Rp 52.5K

96.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

2.70%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$22.8K Rp 405.3M

7.75%

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

$32.1K Rp 570.7M

$26.8K Rp 476.2M

19.84%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$63.4 Rp 1.1M

30.30%

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

$6.47 Rp 115.0K

$6.32 Rp 112.3K

2.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.80 Rp 333.9K

$23.43 Rp 416.2K

-19.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.41 Rp 842.3K

$28.64 Rp 508.8K

65.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.42 Rp 273.9K

$8.34 Rp 148.2K

84.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.64 Rp 64.6K

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

20.53%

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

$443 Rp 7.9M

$94.8 Rp 1.7M

367.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,200 Rp 92.4M

$7,876 Rp 139.9M

-33.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.91 Rp 780.0K

$27.56 Rp 489.6K

59.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.14 Rp 606.5K

$30.07 Rp 534.2K

13.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 Rp 1.3M

$56.5 Rp 1.0M

33.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.4 Rp 1.4M

$80.5 Rp 1.4M

-3.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,004 Rp 17.8M

$193 Rp 3.4M

421.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$595 Rp 10.6M

$153 Rp 2.7M

289.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,169 Rp 56.3M

$562 Rp 10.0M

464.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,478 Rp 26.3M

$370 Rp 6.6M

299.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,472 Rp 43.9M

$1,260 Rp 22.4M

96.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,027 Rp 36.0M

$668 Rp 11.9M

203.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 Rp 3.9M

$181 Rp 3.2M

22.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

9.46

45.67%

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

Last update for Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Pekanbaru: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,004 in Bali versus $193 in Pekanbaru. 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 22% higher in Bali, 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 $32.00 in Bali versus $8.00 in Pekanbaru. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $280 vs $200 – making Pekanbaru 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 Pekanbaru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 101% more than Pekanbaru, 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 $1,899 per month in Bali and $945 in Pekanbaru. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pekanbaru, 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 $32.00 in Bali and $8.00 in Pekanbaru. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Bali and $630 in Pekanbaru. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pekanbaru, where all-in costs run around $630, than in Bali at $1,266. In Pekanbaru it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pekanbaru costs $630 versus $1,266 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 Pekanbaru. 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.