Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Semarang Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Semarang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,275 per month in Bali vs $581 in Semarang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,093 per month in Bali vs $928 in Semarang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,912 per month in Bali vs $1,274 in Semarang, rent included.

Bali costs about 119% more than Semarang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bali and Semarang are more affordable than the global median – Bali 8% lower, Semarang 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.78 Rp 49.0K

$1.45 Rp 25.5K

91.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.58 Rp 538.3K

$10.54 Rp 185.6K

190.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 Rp 83.0K

$3.14 Rp 55.3K

50.00%

Cappuccino

$2.34 Rp 41.1K

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

88.71%

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

$1.52 Rp 26.7K

$0.49 Rp 8,635

210.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 Rp 11.8K

$0.18 Rp 3,148

272.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 Rp 45.1K

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

46.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 Rp 64.6K

$3.43 Rp 60.3K

7.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 Rp 26.7K

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 Rp 37.3K

$0.96 Rp 16.9K

120.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

40.51%

Eggs

$2.02 Rp 35.5K

$1.38 Rp 24.3K

46.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.67 Rp 293.5K

$5.66 Rp 99.6K

194.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.75 Rp 66.0K

$2.36 Rp 41.6K

58.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 Rp 208.7K

$8.16 Rp 143.6K

45.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 Rp 61.9K

$2.52 Rp 44.5K

39.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.1K

$1.53 Rp 27.0K

0.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 39.6K

$1.81 Rp 31.9K

24.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 33.7K

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

23.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 30.5K

$1.79 Rp 31.5K

-3.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 40.5K

$2.23 Rp 39.3K

3.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.7K

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

21.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 Rp 9,046

$0.42 Rp 7,375

21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 Rp 37.4K

$2.26 Rp 39.8K

-5.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.59 Rp 380.1K

$14.17 Rp 249.5K

52.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 Rp 38.8K

$2.35 Rp 41.4K

-6.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 50.3K

$2.70 Rp 47.5K

5.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,377

$0.24 Rp 4,246

4.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.22 Rp 144.6K

$14.32 Rp 252.2K

-42.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,567

$0.89 Rp 15.6K

-44.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 Rp 8,392

$0.29 Rp 5,129

65.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.52 Rp 97.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

1.25%

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

$24.7K Rp 435.2M

$23.0K Rp 405.1M

7.44%

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

$31.8K Rp 559.5M

$31.1K Rp 547.6M

2.17%

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

$82.8 Rp 1.5M

$68.1 Rp 1.2M

21.57%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.3K

$2.69 Rp 47.3K

141.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.04 Rp 335.1K

$20.77 Rp 365.6K

-8.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.52 Rp 836.6K

$21.00 Rp 369.8K

126.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.14 Rp 266.6K

$4.76 Rp 83.8K

218.07%

Cinema Ticket

$3.77 Rp 66.3K

$2.22 Rp 39.1K

69.82%

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

$446 Rp 7.9M

$40.97 Rp 721.3K

988.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,332 Rp 93.9M

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

139.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.63 Rp 785.8K

$28.65 Rp 504.3K

55.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.69 Rp 593.1K

$29.45 Rp 518.4K

14.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 Rp 1.4M

$58.8 Rp 1.0M

31.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

$39.84 Rp 701.5K

94.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 Rp 17.7M

$229 Rp 4.0M

338.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 Rp 10.7M

$143 Rp 2.5M

325.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,095 Rp 54.5M

$496 Rp 8.7M

524.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 Rp 26.4M

$394 Rp 6.9M

280.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,478 Rp 43.6M

$1,178 Rp 20.7M

110.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,968 Rp 34.7M

$557 Rp 9.8M

253.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$220 Rp 3.9M

$196 Rp 3.5M

12.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

7.83

75.99%

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

Last update for Bali: September 7, 2026

Last update for Semarang: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Bali versus $229 in Semarang. 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 12% 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 $31.00 in Bali versus $11.00 in Semarang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $183 – making Semarang 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 Semarang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 119% more than Semarang, 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 $1,913 per month in Bali and $872 in Semarang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Semarang, 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 $31.00 in Bali and $11.00 in Semarang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,275 in Bali and $581 in Semarang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Semarang, where all-in costs run around $581, than in Bali at $1,275. In Semarang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Semarang costs $581 versus $1,275 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 Semarang. 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.