Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Sibolga Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Sibolga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Bali vs $613 in Sibolga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,318 per month in Bali vs $954 in Sibolga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,357 per month in Bali vs $1,296 in Sibolga, rent included.

Bali costs about 109% more than Sibolga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bali and Sibolga are more affordable than the global median – Bali 5% lower, Sibolga 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.88 Rp 49.8K

$1.51 Rp 26.3K

90.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.30 Rp 473.3K

$12.21 Rp 211.6K

123.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.17 Rp 72.3K

$3.44 Rp 59.6K

21.22%

Cappuccino

$2.38 Rp 41.2K

$1.68 Rp 29.1K

41.67%

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

$1.10 Rp 19.1K

$0.52 Rp 8,946

111.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 Rp 10.6K

$0.28 Rp 4,900

117.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 Rp 43.0K

$3.14 Rp 54.5K

-21.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 54.9K

$2.55 Rp 44.2K

24.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 Rp 28.9K

$1.18 Rp 20.4K

41.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 Rp 41.8K

$1.16 Rp 20.1K

107.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 Rp 19.7K

$0.94 Rp 16.3K

21.28%

Eggs

$2.26 Rp 39.3K

$1.53 Rp 26.5K

47.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.83 Rp 239.7K

$8.27 Rp 143.3K

67.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 Rp 71.7K

$2.28 Rp 39.6K

81.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.53 Rp 199.8K

$8.72 Rp 151.2K

32.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 Rp 60.1K

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

48.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 25.7K

$1.50 Rp 26.0K

-1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 Rp 46.5K

$1.86 Rp 32.3K

44.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 Rp 36.7K

$1.50 Rp 26.1K

40.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.2K

$0.70 Rp 12.1K

172.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 Rp 36.7K

$1.53 Rp 26.6K

38.56%

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

$0.33 Rp 5,673

109.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 Rp 54.6K

$1.76 Rp 30.6K

78.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.59 Rp 391.5K

$22.74 Rp 394.2K

-0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 Rp 45.7K

$2.25 Rp 39.0K

17.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 Rp 45.0K

$2.27 Rp 39.4K

14.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,073

$0.45 Rp 7,779

-35.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.5K

$9.94 Rp 172.3K

-17.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,336

$0.53 Rp 9,214

-9.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,427

$0.35 Rp 6,015

22.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.25 Rp 108.4K

$2.86 Rp 49.6K

118.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 Rp 15.0K

$1.03 Rp 17.8K

-15.53%

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

$26.0K Rp 449.9M

$24.9K Rp 431.8M

4.20%

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

$32.8K Rp 567.8M

$27.7K Rp 480.9M

18.08%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$26.40 Rp 457.6K

199.28%

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

$4.05 Rp 70.2K

$4.20 Rp 72.8K

-3.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.32 Rp 421.6K

$22.41 Rp 388.5K

8.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.5 Rp 1.4M

$22.64 Rp 392.4K

264.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.47 Rp 94.8K

$5.98 Rp 103.6K

-8.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 Rp 60.1K

$3.12 Rp 54.0K

11.22%

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

$269 Rp 4.7M

$24.44 Rp 423.5K

999.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,944 Rp 103.0M

$7,477 Rp 129.6M

-20.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 Rp 896.7K

$15.54 Rp 269.3K

232.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.29 Rp 629.0K

$18.49 Rp 320.5K

96.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 Rp 1.5M

$65.5 Rp 1.1M

28.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

2.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 Rp 14.8M

$261 Rp 4.5M

228.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$573 Rp 9.9M

$158 Rp 2.7M

261.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,908 Rp 50.4M

$596 Rp 10.3M

388.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 Rp 31.6M

$335 Rp 5.8M

444.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,664 Rp 46.2M

$1,202 Rp 20.8M

121.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,077 Rp 36.0M

$767 Rp 13.3M

170.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$219 Rp 3.8M

$167 Rp 2.9M

31.80%

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 Sibolga: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $856 in Bali versus $261 in Sibolga. 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 32% 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 $27.00 in Bali versus $12.00 in Sibolga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $205 – making Sibolga 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 Sibolga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 109% more than Sibolga, 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 $1,917 per month in Bali and $919 in Sibolga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sibolga, 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 $12.00 in Sibolga. 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 $613 in Sibolga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sibolga, where all-in costs run around $613, than in Bali at $1,278. In Sibolga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sibolga costs $613 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 Sibolga. 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.