Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Karawang Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Karawang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $632 in Bandung versus $445 in Karawang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $920 in Bandung versus $803 in Karawang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,208 in Bandung versus $1,161 in Karawang.

Living in Bandung is roughly 42% more expensive than in Karawang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 53% lower, Karawang 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.35 Rp 24.2K

$1.42 Rp 25.4K

-4.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.15 Rp 253.3K

$11.15 Rp 199.5K

26.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 Rp 58.1K

$3.41 Rp 61.0K

-4.69%

Cappuccino

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

2.08%

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

$0.41 Rp 7,361

$0.40 Rp 7,234

2.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 Rp 3,924

$0.19 Rp 3,321

15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.00 Rp 53.7K

$3.11 Rp 55.7K

-3.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 Rp 55.1K

$3.02 Rp 54.0K

1.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

$1.13 Rp 20.1K

-5.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

-1.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

-2.30%

Eggs

$1.41 Rp 25.3K

$1.48 Rp 26.5K

-4.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 Rp 127.2K

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

154.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.94 Rp 52.6K

$2.84 Rp 50.8K

3.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.05 Rp 144.0K

$7.81 Rp 139.8K

3.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

$1.76 Rp 31.4K

28.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 Rp 19.5K

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.3K

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

20.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

$0.48 Rp 8,633

97.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

16.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.6K

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

24.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 Rp 11.5K

$0.68 Rp 12.2K

-4.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,574

$0.42 Rp 7,569

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$22.17 Rp 396.7K

$22.55 Rp 403.6K

-1.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 Rp 32.8K

$1.87 Rp 33.5K

-1.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 Rp 57.6K

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

-2.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,795

$0.59 Rp 10.6K

-54.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.61 Rp 171.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 Rp 15.1K

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 Rp 9,208

$0.52 Rp 9,294

-1.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 Rp 39.6K

$1.13 Rp 20.3K

95.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

1.25%

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

$21.4K Rp 382.1M

$21.0K Rp 374.9M

1.92%

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

$28.6K Rp 511.0M

$28.5K Rp 510.6M

0.08%

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

$33.31 Rp 595.9K

$33.85 Rp 605.7K

-1.60%

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

$4.34 Rp 77.6K

$4.24 Rp 75.8K

2.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.23 Rp 344.0K

$12.59 Rp 225.2K

52.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.50 Rp 331.0K

$20.24 Rp 362.2K

-8.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 Rp 103.5K

$8.43 Rp 150.8K

-31.32%

Cinema Ticket

$2.74 Rp 49.0K

$2.82 Rp 50.4K

-2.84%

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

$92.4 Rp 1.7M

$43.23 Rp 773.5K

113.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,185 Rp 146.5M

$8,186 Rp 146.5M

-0.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.10 Rp 699.7K

$16.40 Rp 293.5K

138.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.89 Rp 570.6K

$27.34 Rp 489.2K

16.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 Rp 1.4M

$48.10 Rp 860.6K

61.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 Rp 1.3M

$48.99 Rp 876.6K

46.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 Rp 3.9M

$137 Rp 2.5M

57.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 Rp 3.3M

$69.2 Rp 1.2M

165.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$381 Rp 6.8M

$552 Rp 9.9M

-30.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 Rp 4.7M

$367 Rp 6.6M

-28.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$705 Rp 12.6M

$1,171 Rp 20.9M

-39.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$300 Rp 5.4M

$606 Rp 10.9M

-50.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

$401 Rp 7.2M

-30.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

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

Last update for Bandung: September 28, 2026

Last update for Karawang: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $216 in Bandung and $137 in Karawang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karawang pays 45% 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 Karawang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $174 per month, with Karawang 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 Karawang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karawang wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Bandung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Karawang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 45% lower in Karawang. 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: $216 in Bandung versus $137 in Karawang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $92.4 in Bandung versus $43.23 in Karawang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

Either city works on $800 a month, though Karawang 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 Karawang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $445 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Karawang hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bandung and Karawang 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 Karawang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Bandung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.