Cost of Living Comparison Between Banda Aceh and Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Banda Aceh and Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $583 per month in Banda Aceh vs $1,295 in Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $903 per month in Banda Aceh vs $2,292 in Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,223 per month in Banda Aceh vs $3,289 in Bali, rent included.

Banda Aceh is about 55% cheaper than Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Banda Aceh and Bali are more affordable than the global median – Banda Aceh 57% lower, Bali 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$2.90 Rp 51.9K

-46.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.53 Rp 224.5K

$27.50 Rp 492.7K

-54.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.42 Rp 61.2K

$4.08 Rp 73.1K

-16.18%

Cappuccino

$1.14 Rp 20.4K

$2.35 Rp 42.0K

-51.49%

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

$0.51 Rp 9,196

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

-53.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,070

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

-51.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 Rp 43.3K

$2.40 Rp 43.0K

0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 Rp 61.7K

$3.20 Rp 57.3K

7.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Rp 21.9K

$1.66 Rp 29.7K

-26.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-48.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

$1.15 Rp 20.6K

-49.57%

Eggs

$1.60 Rp 28.6K

$2.34 Rp 42.0K

-31.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 Rp 145.7K

$13.86 Rp 248.3K

-41.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 Rp 57.6K

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

-19.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.74 Rp 138.7K

$11.52 Rp 206.4K

-32.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 Rp 43.2K

$3.50 Rp 62.6K

-31.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 Rp 25.7K

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

-4.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 33.3K

$2.55 Rp 45.7K

-27.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 27.2K

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

-32.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

$1.85 Rp 33.1K

-28.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 33.8K

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-14.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 Rp 16.1K

$1.02 Rp 18.2K

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,426

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-43.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.56 Rp 45.9K

$3.11 Rp 55.8K

-17.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.97 Rp 393.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 Rp 36.7K

$2.76 Rp 49.5K

-25.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 Rp 56.7K

$2.70 Rp 48.3K

17.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,318

$0.27 Rp 4,779

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.10 Rp 180.9K

$8.17 Rp 146.5K

23.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,424

$0.46 Rp 8,235

15.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,741

$0.46 Rp 8,225

-17.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

$6.22 Rp 111.5K

-51.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 Rp 10.7K

$0.85 Rp 15.3K

-29.41%

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

$24.9K Rp 445.3M

$25.9K Rp 463.4M

-3.91%

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

$27.4K Rp 491.5M

$32.6K Rp 584.2M

-15.87%

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

$68.5 Rp 1.2M

$80.0 Rp 1.4M

-14.35%

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

$4.40 Rp 78.8K

$4.00 Rp 71.7K

10.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.25 Rp 416.6K

$23.97 Rp 429.5K

-3.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.74 Rp 407.4K

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

-72.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.18 Rp 110.8K

$5.33 Rp 95.5K

15.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.12 Rp 55.8K

$3.32 Rp 59.5K

-6.02%

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

$94.1 Rp 1.7M

$273 Rp 4.9M

-65.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,656 Rp 137.2M

$6,093 Rp 109.2M

25.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.50 Rp 582.2K

$51.5 Rp 922.7K

-36.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.01 Rp 412.2K

$36.05 Rp 645.9K

-36.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.01 Rp 627.3K

$82.6 Rp 1.5M

-57.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.18 Rp 594.4K

$72.6 Rp 1.3M

-54.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$256 Rp 4.6M

$882 Rp 15.8M

-71.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 Rp 2.9M

$583 Rp 10.4M

-72.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$595 Rp 10.7M

$2,917 Rp 52.3M

-79.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 Rp 6.1M

$1,819 Rp 32.6M

-81.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,419 Rp 43.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,929 Rp 34.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$220 Rp 3.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

13.28

-31.10%

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

Last update for Banda Aceh: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bali: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $256 in Banda Aceh versus $882 in Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Banda Aceh versus $27.00 in Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $165 vs $283 – making Banda Aceh 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

Banda Aceh vs Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 122% more than Banda Aceh, 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 $875 per month in Banda Aceh and $1,943 in Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Banda Aceh, 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 $13.00 in Banda Aceh and $27.00 in Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $583 in Banda Aceh and $1,295 in Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Banda Aceh, where all-in costs run around $583, than in Bali at $1,295. In Banda Aceh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Banda Aceh costs $583 versus $1,295 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 Banda Aceh. 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.