Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Binjai Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Binjai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $645 in Bandung versus $630 in Binjai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $942 in Bandung versus $999 in Binjai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,239 in Bandung versus $1,368 in Binjai.

Living in Bandung is roughly 2% more expensive than in Binjai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 53% lower, Binjai 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.40 Rp 24.9K

$1.87 Rp 33.1K

-25.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.00 Rp 247.9K

$13.39 Rp 237.1K

4.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

$3.68 Rp 65.1K

-8.97%

Cappuccino

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

$1.50 Rp 26.6K

3.33%

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

$0.45 Rp 8,040

$0.42 Rp 7,358

7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,043

$0.21 Rp 3,645

9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 Rp 56.8K

$2.50 Rp 44.3K

28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

$3.75 Rp 66.3K

-16.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

-4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 Rp 18.4K

$1.25 Rp 22.2K

-16.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.6K

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

22.22%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 25.5K

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

11.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 Rp 129.6K

$6.58 Rp 116.5K

11.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

$2.74 Rp 48.6K

4.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 Rp 145.9K

$8.08 Rp 143.1K

1.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 40.6K

$2.15 Rp 38.0K

6.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.7K

$1.40 Rp 24.8K

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.4K

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

1.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

$1.31 Rp 23.2K

-27.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.22 Rp 21.6K

-9.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

8.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 Rp 11.6K

$0.85 Rp 15.1K

-22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,252

$0.37 Rp 6,537

10.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 Rp 49.4K

$2.83 Rp 50.1K

-1.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.80 Rp 403.8K

$21.70 Rp 384.2K

5.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 Rp 34.1K

$1.87 Rp 33.1K

3.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

$2.64 Rp 46.7K

26.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,725

$0.25 Rp 4,483

8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.57 Rp 169.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

$0.56 Rp 9,978

44.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 Rp 9,759

$0.30 Rp 5,244

83.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

$2.66 Rp 47.1K

-12.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

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

$21.2K Rp 375.9M

$26.2K Rp 464.1M

-19.01%

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

$29.5K Rp 522.2M

$27.8K Rp 491.5M

6.23%

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

$33.79 Rp 598.3K

$69.3 Rp 1.2M

-51.27%

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

$4.39 Rp 77.7K

$4.25 Rp 75.3K

3.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.60 Rp 347.0K

$19.66 Rp 348.1K

-0.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.96 Rp 335.7K

$19.67 Rp 348.2K

-3.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 Rp 104.9K

$7.88 Rp 139.6K

-24.87%

Cinema Ticket

$2.88 Rp 51.1K

$3.16 Rp 55.9K

-8.86%

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

$93.8 Rp 1.7M

$92.1 Rp 1.6M

1.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,255 Rp 146.2M

$7,718 Rp 136.7M

6.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.76 Rp 704.0K

$39.81 Rp 704.9K

-0.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.16 Rp 587.1K

$25.09 Rp 444.2K

32.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

$70.1 Rp 1.2M

10.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 Rp 1.2M

$64.3 Rp 1.1M

9.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 Rp 3.9M

$248 Rp 4.4M

-10.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 Rp 3.2M

$141 Rp 2.5M

29.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 Rp 6.9M

$645 Rp 11.4M

-39.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 Rp 4.8M

$381 Rp 6.7M

-29.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$738 Rp 13.1M

$1,248 Rp 22.1M

-40.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$311 Rp 5.5M

$579 Rp 10.2M

-46.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 Rp 5.1M

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 Binjai: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $222 in Bandung and $248 in Binjai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Bandung vs $13.00 in Binjai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $194 per month, with Binjai cheaper across the board.

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 Binjai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Binjai wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Bandung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Binjai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $967 in Bandung and $945 in Binjai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $222 in Bandung versus $248 in Binjai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $93.8 in Bandung versus $92.1 in Binjai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Binjai – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $14.00 in Bandung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Binjai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Binjai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $630 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Binjai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bandung and Binjai 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 Binjai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Bandung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.