Cost of Living Comparison Between Balikpapan and Da Nang Cost of Living Comparison Between Balikpapan and Da Nang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $672 in Balikpapan versus $868 in Da Nang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,070 in Balikpapan versus $1,419 in Da Nang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,468 in Balikpapan versus $1,970 in Da Nang.

Living in Balikpapan costs roughly 23% less than in Da Nang, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Balikpapan 51% lower, Da Nang 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$2.35 ₫61.1K

-41.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.14 Rp 197.3K

$19.28 ₫501.2K

-42.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.17 Rp 56.1K

$4.71 ₫122.5K

-32.70%

Cappuccino

$1.45 Rp 25.8K

$1.80 ₫46.8K

-19.44%

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

$0.38 Rp 6,782

$0.69 ₫18.0K

-44.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 Rp 6,529

$0.32 ₫8,201

15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 Rp 42.5K

$1.31 ₫34.0K

83.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 Rp 62.5K

$2.30 ₫59.7K

53.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 Rp 21.0K

$1.50 ₫38.9K

-20.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$1.25 ₫32.5K

-11.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

$1.05 ₫27.3K

11.43%

Eggs

$2.59 Rp 45.9K

$1.52 ₫39.6K

70.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.34 Rp 130.0K

$13.04 ₫339.0K

-43.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.97 Rp 52.6K

$4.05 ₫105.4K

-26.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 Rp 120.1K

$9.26 ₫240.7K

-26.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$2.60 ₫67.5K

-12.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.4K

$1.10 ₫28.7K

15.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

$1.29 ₫33.5K

31.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

$1.40 ₫36.3K

-10.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 Rp 23.3K

$1.13 ₫29.5K

15.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 Rp 35.6K

$1.22 ₫31.8K

64.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$1.01 ₫26.3K

-27.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

$0.52 ₫13.6K

32.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$1.57 ₫40.7K

21.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.60 Rp 364.7K

$7.48 ₫194.5K

175.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$0.83 ₫21.5K

130.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.0K

$2.18 ₫56.6K

37.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 Rp 9,817

$0.32 ₫8,196

71.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.04 ₫131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

$1.04 ₫26.9K

10.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 5,944

$0.62 ₫16.0K

-45.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 Rp 51.2K

$19.13 ₫497.2K

-84.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$0.83 ₫21.6K

-8.43%

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

$23.5K Rp 416.3M

$30.8K ₫799.4M

-23.55%

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

$31.2K Rp 552.0M

$28.4K ₫737.7M

9.86%

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

$69.9 Rp 1.2M

$88.5 ₫2.3M

-21.08%

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

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$6.00 ₫155.9K

-24.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.58 Rp 523.8K

$7.95 ₫206.6K

272.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.45 Rp 433.0K

$22.83 ₫593.6K

7.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.64 Rp 153.1K

$5.41 ₫140.6K

59.70%

Cinema Ticket

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

$3.13 ₫81.3K

-8.95%

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

$94.7 Rp 1.7M

$163 ₫4.2M

-41.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,923 Rp 122.6M

$15.3K ₫397.1M

-54.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.44 Rp 680.6K

$44.57 ₫1.2M

-13.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.51 Rp 345.5K

$27.95 ₫726.6K

-30.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 Rp 2.5M

$100 ₫2.6M

40.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

$80.2 ₫2.1M

-11.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 Rp 3.6M

$535 ₫13.9M

-61.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$342 ₫8.9M

-54.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 Rp 9.9M

$1,025 ₫26.6M

-45.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 Rp 6.5M

$787 ₫20.4M

-53.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,079 Rp 19.1M

$3,825 ₫99.5M

-71.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$709 Rp 12.6M

$1,283 ₫33.4M

-44.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$245 Rp 4.3M

$360 ₫9.3M

-31.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

10.72

-11.75%

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

Last update for Balikpapan: September 14, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $203 in Balikpapan and $535 in Da Nang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Da Nang pays 47% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $11.00 in Balikpapan vs $19.00 in Da Nang. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 vs $196, with Da Nang cheaper for home cooking.

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

Balikpapan vs Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Balikpapan and Da Nang differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($672 vs $868 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 47% lower in Da Nang. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $203 in Balikpapan versus $535 in Da Nang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $94.7 in Balikpapan versus $163 in Da Nang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Balikpapan – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $19.00 in Da Nang. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Balikpapan gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Balikpapan and Da Nang are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Balikpapan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Da Nang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.