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: $634 in Bandung versus $511 in Karawang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $952 in Bandung versus $774 in Karawang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,269 in Bandung versus $1,037 in Karawang.

Living in Bandung is roughly 24% more expensive than Karawang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 53% lower, Karawang 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.27 Rp 22.1K

$1.33 Rp 23.0K

-4.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.29 Rp 161.1K

$9.19 Rp 159.3K

1.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.30 Rp 57.2K

$3.30 Rp 57.1K

Cappuccino

$1.50 Rp 26.0K

$1.45 Rp 25.1K

3.45%

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

$0.49 Rp 8,409

$0.47 Rp 8,201

4.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,308

$0.24 Rp 4,173

4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 Rp 59.7K

$3.34 Rp 57.9K

3.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 Rp 62.6K

$3.45 Rp 59.7K

4.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 20.3K

$1.22 Rp 21.2K

-4.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 Rp 18.5K

$1.06 Rp 18.4K

0.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.3K

$0.87 Rp 15.1K

1.15%

Eggs

$1.57 Rp 27.2K

$1.57 Rp 27.3K

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.97 Rp 155.5K

$3.02 Rp 52.4K

197.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 Rp 52.6K

$3.08 Rp 53.4K

-1.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 Rp 135.4K

$7.65 Rp 132.5K

2.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 40.8K

$2.05 Rp 35.5K

14.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.1K

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

6.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 Rp 29.6K

$1.41 Rp 24.4K

21.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 26.3K

$0.58 Rp 9,999

160.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 25.5K

$0.99 Rp 17.2K

48.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 Rp 46.0K

$1.75 Rp 30.3K

51.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 16.8K

$0.89 Rp 15.5K

8.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,310

$0.45 Rp 7,810

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 Rp 45.0K

$2.53 Rp 43.9K

2.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.38 Rp 405.2K

$23.18 Rp 401.8K

0.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 Rp 35.4K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 Rp 59.1K

$3.54 Rp 61.3K

-3.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,160

$0.65 Rp 11.2K

-53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.52 Rp 182.4K

$9.88 Rp 171.3K

6.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 Rp 13.2K

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

5.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 Rp 13.2K

$0.77 Rp 13.4K

-1.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 Rp 44.1K

$1.27 Rp 22.0K

100.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 13.8K

$0.79 Rp 13.6K

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

$25.0K Rp 432.6M

$24.2K Rp 418.9M

3.26%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.5M

$26.3K Rp 455.0M

-0.10%

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

$43.66 Rp 756.7K

$44.20 Rp 766.0K

-1.22%

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

$4.62 Rp 80.1K

$4.63 Rp 80.3K

-0.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.01 Rp 398.9K

$13.79 Rp 239.0K

66.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.48 Rp 372.2K

$22.20 Rp 384.7K

-3.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.32 Rp 109.5K

$15.09 Rp 261.6K

-58.12%

Cinema Ticket

$3.01 Rp 52.1K

$3.14 Rp 54.5K

-4.14%

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

$92.0 Rp 1.6M

$47.65 Rp 825.9K

92.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,439 Rp 128.9M

$7,597 Rp 131.7M

-2.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.16 Rp 730.7K

$18.16 Rp 314.8K

132.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.59 Rp 530.2K

$31.10 Rp 539.1K

-1.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.3 Rp 1.0M

$54.8 Rp 950.1K

8.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.6 Rp 1.1M

$54.0 Rp 935.8K

19.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 Rp 4.1M

$156 Rp 2.7M

52.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 Rp 2.7M

$76.4 Rp 1.3M

100.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 Rp 7.9M

$249 Rp 4.3M

82.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 Rp 4.3M

$123 Rp 2.1M

101.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$755 Rp 13.1M

$1,198 Rp 20.8M

-36.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$318 Rp 5.5M

$722 Rp 12.5M

-56.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$287 Rp 5.0M

$426 Rp 7.4M

-32.66%

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 Bandung: April 28, 2026

Last update for Karawang: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $238 in Bandung and $156 in Karawang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karawang pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $9.00 in Bandung vs $9.00 in Karawang. Groceries flip the comparison at $214 vs $185, with Karawang 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 Karawang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karawang wins on cost – living expenses run 24% 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, Karawang earns 48% less. 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: $238 in Bandung versus $156 in Karawang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Bandung. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Karawang – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $9.00 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 $511 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 24% less than in Bandung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.