Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Makassar Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Makassar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $626 in Bandung versus $665 in Makassar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $941 in Bandung versus $1,003 in Makassar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,255 in Bandung versus $1,341 in Makassar.

Living in Bandung costs roughly 6% less than in Makassar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 53% lower, Makassar 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.32 Rp 23.6K

$3.03 Rp 54.3K

-56.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.48 Rp 170.1K

$9.36 Rp 167.9K

1.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.31 Rp 59.3K

$3.00 Rp 53.9K

10.33%

Cappuccino

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

-17.22%

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

$0.52 Rp 9,356

$0.65 Rp 11.7K

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,880

$0.40 Rp 7,137

-32.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 Rp 59.4K

$3.61 Rp 64.7K

-8.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 Rp 63.1K

$3.63 Rp 65.1K

-3.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$1.63 Rp 29.3K

-25.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

$1.08 Rp 19.4K

-0.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 17.1K

$0.64 Rp 11.4K

48.44%

Eggs

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

$1.43 Rp 25.7K

11.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 Rp 160.7K

$5.37 Rp 96.4K

66.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 Rp 56.3K

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

10.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 Rp 144.9K

$4.26 Rp 76.4K

89.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 42.6K

$2.23 Rp 40.1K

6.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.2K

$1.59 Rp 28.5K

-18.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 31.0K

$1.83 Rp 32.7K

-5.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

$1.57 Rp 28.1K

0.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

$1.25 Rp 22.5K

16.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 48.4K

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

73.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 Rp 16.2K

$0.45 Rp 7,996

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,584

$0.47 Rp 8,467

-10.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.53 Rp 45.3K

$2.52 Rp 45.2K

0.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.74 Rp 390.1K

$22.33 Rp 400.6K

-2.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 Rp 38.0K

$2.02 Rp 36.2K

4.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 Rp 63.5K

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

45.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,360

$0.30 Rp 5,294

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.26 Rp 184.0K

$4.56 Rp 81.9K

125.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

$0.29 Rp 5,126

162.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 Rp 46.5K

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

-17.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

3.85%

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

$24.4K Rp 438.0M

$16.7K Rp 299.7M

46.16%

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

$25.8K Rp 461.9M

$18.4K Rp 330.9M

39.61%

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

$44.02 Rp 789.7K

$66.8 Rp 1.2M

-34.12%

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

$4.47 Rp 80.3K

$3.59 Rp 64.4K

24.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.86 Rp 410.1K

$32.49 Rp 582.8K

-29.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.68 Rp 388.9K

$23.23 Rp 416.7K

-6.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 Rp 118.5K

$6.09 Rp 109.3K

8.37%

Cinema Ticket

$3.13 Rp 56.2K

$3.15 Rp 56.5K

-0.63%

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

$93.0 Rp 1.7M

$106 Rp 1.9M

-12.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,512 Rp 134.8M

$4,103 Rp 73.6M

83.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.31 Rp 741.1K

$29.14 Rp 522.7K

41.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.79 Rp 552.3K

$25.17 Rp 451.6K

22.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.6 Rp 1.1M

$83.2 Rp 1.5M

-29.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.3 Rp 1.2M

$43.19 Rp 774.8K

48.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 Rp 4.2M

$214 Rp 3.8M

9.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 Rp 2.7M

$168 Rp 3.0M

-9.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 Rp 8.3M

$425 Rp 7.6M

8.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 Rp 4.4M

$338 Rp 6.1M

-26.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$705 Rp 12.6M

$1,355 Rp 24.3M

-47.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$305 Rp 5.5M

$545 Rp 9.8M

-44.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 5.0M

$209 Rp 3.7M

32.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

52.50%

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

Last update for Bandung: July 12, 2026

Last update for Makassar: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $235 in Bandung and $214 in Makassar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 33% 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 Makassar. Groceries flip the comparison at $214 vs $188, with Makassar 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 Makassar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Makassar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bandung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 33% 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: $235 in Bandung versus $214 in Makassar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Makassar pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandung – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $9.00 in Makassar. 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 work as nomad bases, but Bandung delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $626 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandung hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bandung and Makassar 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 6% less than in Makassar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.