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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $583 per month in Banda Aceh vs $628 in Bandung, rent included.

A couple spends around $906 per month in Banda Aceh vs $937 in Bandung, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,229 per month in Banda Aceh vs $1,247 in Bandung, rent included.

Banda Aceh is about 7% cheaper than Bandung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Banda Aceh and Bandung are more affordable than the global median – Banda Aceh 56% lower, Bandung 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.30 Rp 23.5K

20.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.45 Rp 224.7K

$9.27 Rp 167.3K

34.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.28 Rp 59.3K

$3.42 Rp 61.8K

-4.09%

Cappuccino

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.45 Rp 26.2K

-20.69%

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

$0.51 Rp 9,286

$0.50 Rp 8,955

2.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,063

$0.25 Rp 4,465

12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 Rp 44.0K

$3.36 Rp 60.6K

-27.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 Rp 63.3K

$3.61 Rp 65.1K

-2.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

$1.21 Rp 21.9K

-1.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.4K

$1.07 Rp 19.4K

10.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

$0.93 Rp 16.8K

-31.18%

Eggs

$1.54 Rp 27.8K

$1.58 Rp 28.6K

-2.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.00 Rp 144.3K

$9.26 Rp 167.2K

-13.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.13 Rp 56.5K

$3.01 Rp 54.4K

3.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.96 Rp 143.7K

$7.86 Rp 141.9K

1.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 42.2K

$2.31 Rp 41.6K

1.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

$1.29 Rp 23.3K

16.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 Rp 32.4K

$1.70 Rp 30.6K

5.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 27.0K

$1.60 Rp 28.9K

-6.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.9K

$1.48 Rp 26.8K

-10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 35.4K

$2.65 Rp 47.9K

-26.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 Rp 16.1K

$0.96 Rp 17.4K

-7.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,115

$0.46 Rp 8,329

-2.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.56 Rp 46.2K

$2.48 Rp 44.7K

3.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.80 Rp 393.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 Rp 36.7K

$2.09 Rp 37.7K

-2.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 Rp 57.9K

$3.43 Rp 61.9K

-6.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,381

$0.30 Rp 5,346

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.73 Rp 175.7K

$10.23 Rp 184.7K

-4.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,542

$0.70 Rp 12.7K

-24.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 6,201

$0.77 Rp 13.9K

-55.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 Rp 51.4K

$2.58 Rp 46.5K

10.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

-24.05%

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

$24.9K Rp 449.7M

$25.0K Rp 451.0M

-0.29%

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

$27.7K Rp 499.6M

$26.1K Rp 471.5M

5.96%

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

$70.1 Rp 1.3M

$44.55 Rp 804.2K

57.42%

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

$4.20 Rp 75.8K

$4.69 Rp 84.7K

-10.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.02 Rp 415.5K

$22.48 Rp 405.8K

2.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.46 Rp 423.5K

$21.87 Rp 394.8K

7.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 Rp 110.7K

$6.58 Rp 118.8K

-6.84%

Cinema Ticket

$3.03 Rp 54.6K

$3.11 Rp 56.1K

-2.57%

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

$93.1 Rp 1.7M

$94.2 Rp 1.7M

-1.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,626 Rp 137.7M

$7,688 Rp 138.8M

-0.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.92 Rp 576.2K

$41.35 Rp 746.4K

-22.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.38 Rp 422.1K

$31.15 Rp 562.3K

-24.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.46 Rp 640.1K

$58.2 Rp 1.1M

-39.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.16 Rp 616.6K

$63.6 Rp 1.1M

-46.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 Rp 4.6M

$240 Rp 4.3M

7.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 Rp 2.8M

$154 Rp 2.8M

2.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 Rp 10.5M

$454 Rp 8.2M

27.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 Rp 6.1M

$246 Rp 4.4M

36.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$727 Rp 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$308 Rp 5.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$283 Rp 5.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

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

Last update for Banda Aceh: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bandung: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $258 in Banda Aceh versus $240 in Bandung. 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 $12.00 in Banda Aceh versus $9.00 in Bandung. Groceries tell a different story – $165 in Banda Aceh vs $213 in Bandung – so Banda Aceh wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bandung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bandung is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $874 per month in Banda Aceh and $942 in Bandung. 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.

Kindergarten costs $93.1 per month in Banda Aceh and $94.2 in Bandung. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Bandung, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $583 in Banda Aceh and $628 in Bandung, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Banda Aceh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Bandung makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.