Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Samarinda Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Samarinda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Bali vs $693 in Samarinda, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,318 per month in Bali vs $1,065 in Samarinda, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,357 per month in Bali vs $1,438 in Samarinda, rent included.

Bali costs about 85% more than Samarinda, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Bali and Samarinda are more affordable than the global median – Bali 5% lower, Samarinda 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.88 Rp 49.8K

$1.57 Rp 27.2K

83.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.30 Rp 473.3K

$12.53 Rp 217.1K

117.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.17 Rp 72.3K

$5.74 Rp 99.5K

-27.35%

Cappuccino

$2.38 Rp 41.2K

$1.73 Rp 30.1K

37.57%

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

$1.10 Rp 19.1K

$0.53 Rp 9,257

107.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 Rp 10.6K

$0.38 Rp 6,593

60.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 Rp 43.0K

$2.49 Rp 43.2K

-0.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 54.9K

$3.51 Rp 60.8K

-9.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 Rp 28.9K

$1.22 Rp 21.2K

36.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 Rp 41.8K

$0.99 Rp 17.1K

143.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 Rp 19.7K

$0.79 Rp 13.6K

44.30%

Eggs

$2.26 Rp 39.3K

$1.53 Rp 26.5K

47.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.83 Rp 239.7K

$8.04 Rp 139.4K

72.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 Rp 71.7K

$3.98 Rp 69.0K

4.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.53 Rp 199.8K

$10.79 Rp 187.1K

6.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 Rp 60.1K

$5.64 Rp 97.8K

-38.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 25.7K

$1.22 Rp 21.1K

21.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 Rp 46.5K

$1.20 Rp 20.8K

123.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 Rp 36.7K

$1.57 Rp 27.2K

34.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.2K

$1.44 Rp 25.0K

32.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 36.7K

$1.98 Rp 34.3K

7.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.5K

$0.95 Rp 16.4K

6.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 11.9K

$0.61 Rp 10.5K

13.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 Rp 54.6K

$2.18 Rp 37.7K

44.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.59 Rp 391.5K

$21.90 Rp 379.6K

3.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 Rp 45.7K

$2.05 Rp 35.5K

28.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 Rp 45.0K

$3.12 Rp 54.0K

-16.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,073

$0.32 Rp 5,575

-9.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.5K

$9.65 Rp 167.2K

-15.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,336

$0.89 Rp 15.4K

-46.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,427

$0.35 Rp 6,051

22.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.25 Rp 108.4K

$2.84 Rp 49.2K

120.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 Rp 15.0K

$0.59 Rp 10.3K

47.46%

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

$26.0K Rp 449.9M

$24.3K Rp 421.9M

6.66%

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

$32.8K Rp 567.8M

$27.5K Rp 476.0M

19.29%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$69.3 Rp 1.2M

14.06%

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

$4.05 Rp 70.2K

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

-3.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.32 Rp 421.6K

$22.79 Rp 395.0K

6.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.5 Rp 1.4M

$23.00 Rp 398.7K

258.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.47 Rp 94.8K

$5.97 Rp 103.5K

-8.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 Rp 60.1K

$3.11 Rp 53.9K

11.58%

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

$269 Rp 4.7M

$92.0 Rp 1.6M

192.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,944 Rp 103.0M

$7,437 Rp 128.9M

-20.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 Rp 896.7K

$42.08 Rp 729.3K

22.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.29 Rp 629.0K

$30.65 Rp 531.2K

18.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 Rp 1.5M

$66.5 Rp 1.2M

26.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

$74.3 Rp 1.3M

0.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 Rp 14.8M

$262 Rp 4.5M

227.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$573 Rp 9.9M

$156 Rp 2.7M

266.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,908 Rp 50.4M

$584 Rp 10.1M

398.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 Rp 31.6M

$329 Rp 5.7M

454.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,664 Rp 46.2M

$1,140 Rp 19.8M

133.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,077 Rp 36.0M

$877 Rp 15.2M

136.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$219 Rp 3.8M

$343 Rp 5.9M

-35.97%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Samarinda: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $856 in Bali versus $262 in Samarinda. 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 56% higher in Samarinda, 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 $13.00 in Samarinda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $236 – making Samarinda 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 Samarinda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 85% more than Samarinda, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Bali and $1,039 in Samarinda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Samarinda, 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 $13.00 in Samarinda. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Bali and $693 in Samarinda. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Samarinda, where all-in costs run around $693, than in Bali at $1,278. In Samarinda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Samarinda costs $693 versus $1,278 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 Samarinda. 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.