Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Balikpapan Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Balikpapan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $645 in Bandung versus $672 in Balikpapan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $942 in Bandung versus $1,070 in Balikpapan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,239 in Bandung versus $1,468 in Balikpapan.

Living in Bandung costs roughly 4% less than in Balikpapan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 53% lower, Balikpapan 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.40 Rp 24.9K

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

1.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.00 Rp 247.9K

$11.14 Rp 197.3K

25.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

$3.17 Rp 56.1K

5.68%

Cappuccino

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

$1.45 Rp 25.8K

6.90%

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

$0.45 Rp 8,040

$0.38 Rp 6,782

18.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,043

$0.37 Rp 6,529

-37.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 Rp 56.8K

$2.40 Rp 42.5K

33.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

$3.53 Rp 62.5K

-10.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

$1.19 Rp 21.0K

-7.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 Rp 18.4K

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

-6.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.6K

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

-24.79%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 25.5K

$2.59 Rp 45.9K

-44.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 Rp 129.6K

$7.34 Rp 130.0K

-0.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

$2.97 Rp 52.6K

-4.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 Rp 145.9K

$6.78 Rp 120.1K

21.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 40.6K

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.7K

$1.27 Rp 22.4K

-11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.4K

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

-12.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

-24.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.31 Rp 23.3K

-15.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$2.01 Rp 35.6K

-5.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 Rp 11.6K

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

-9.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,252

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

-40.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 Rp 49.4K

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

46.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.80 Rp 403.8K

$20.60 Rp 364.7K

10.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 Rp 34.1K

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

1.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

$3.00 Rp 53.0K

11.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,725

$0.55 Rp 9,817

-50.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.57 Rp 169.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

-29.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 Rp 9,759

$0.34 Rp 5,944

61.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

$2.89 Rp 51.2K

-19.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

2.63%

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

$21.2K Rp 375.9M

$23.5K Rp 416.3M

-9.70%

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

$29.5K Rp 522.2M

$31.2K Rp 552.0M

-5.41%

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

$33.79 Rp 598.3K

$69.9 Rp 1.2M

-51.65%

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

$4.39 Rp 77.7K

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

-2.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.60 Rp 347.0K

$29.58 Rp 523.8K

-33.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.96 Rp 335.7K

$24.45 Rp 433.0K

-22.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 Rp 104.9K

$8.64 Rp 153.1K

-31.48%

Cinema Ticket

$2.88 Rp 51.1K

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

1.05%

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

$93.8 Rp 1.7M

$94.7 Rp 1.7M

-0.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,255 Rp 146.2M

$6,923 Rp 122.6M

19.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.76 Rp 704.0K

$38.44 Rp 680.6K

3.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.16 Rp 587.1K

$19.51 Rp 345.5K

69.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

$141 Rp 2.5M

-45.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 Rp 1.2M

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

-0.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 Rp 3.9M

$203 Rp 3.6M

9.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 Rp 3.2M

$156 Rp 2.8M

16.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 Rp 6.9M

$557 Rp 9.9M

-29.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 Rp 4.8M

$367 Rp 6.5M

-26.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$738 Rp 13.1M

$1,079 Rp 19.1M

-31.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$311 Rp 5.5M

$709 Rp 12.6M

-56.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 Rp 5.1M

$245 Rp 4.3M

16.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

9.46

20.30%

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

Last update for Bandung: September 13, 2026

Last update for Balikpapan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $222 in Bandung and $203 in Balikpapan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14.00 in Bandung vs $11.00 in Balikpapan. Groceries flip the comparison at $197 vs $203, with Bandung 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

Bandung vs Balikpapan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bandung and Balikpapan differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($645 vs $672 including rent). Bandung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 16% higher in Bandung, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $222 in Bandung versus $203 in Balikpapan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $93.8 in Bandung versus $94.7 in Balikpapan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandung – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $11.00 in Balikpapan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bandung 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, Bandung and Balikpapan 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 Bandung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Balikpapan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.