Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Makassar

For one person, living is cheaper in Bandung: $623 a month against $640 in Makassar, rent and utilities included – about $200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Makassar outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Bandung, Indonesia
Makassar, Indonesia
Bandung
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$623
/mo nomad
Makassar
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$640
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bandung and in Makassar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bandung and in Makassar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $623 in Bandung versus $640 in Makassar.

  • Bandung $623
  • Makassar $640

Estimated couple costs with rent: $925 in Bandung versus $989 in Makassar.

  • Bandung $925
  • Makassar $989

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,226 in Bandung versus $1,338 in Makassar.

  • Bandung $1,226
  • Makassar $1,338

Living in Bandung costs roughly 3% less than in Makassar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bandung
Makassar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.40 Rp 25.4K
$1.61 Rp 29.2K
-13.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.70 Rp 248.9K
$9.07 Rp 164.8K
51.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.22 Rp 58.4K
$3.09 Rp 56.2K
4.21%
Cappuccino
$1.48 Rp 26.8K
$1.98 Rp 36.0K
-25.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 Rp 7,774
$0.49 Rp 8,981
-12.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.22 Rp 3,991
$0.33 Rp 5,947
-33.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.10 Rp 56.4K
$2.54 Rp 46.2K
22.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 Rp 56.3K
$3.18 Rp 57.8K
-2.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bandung
Makassar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 Rp 20.1K
$1.56 Rp 28.3K
-28.85%
White Bread (500g)
$0.97 Rp 17.6K
$1.02 Rp 18.6K
-4.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.86 Rp 15.6K
$0.57 Rp 10.4K
50.88%
Eggs
$1.41 Rp 25.6K
$1.50 Rp 27.3K
-6.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.94 Rp 126.0K
$6.43 Rp 116.8K
7.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.92 Rp 53.1K
$3.48 Rp 63.2K
-16.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.93 Rp 144.0K
$5.38 Rp 97.8K
47.40%
Apples (1kg)
$2.22 Rp 40.3K
$2.35 Rp 42.7K
-5.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.05 Rp 19.0K
$1.36 Rp 24.6K
-22.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.46 Rp 26.4K
$1.88 Rp 34.2K
-22.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.89 Rp 16.2K
$1.20 Rp 21.7K
-25.83%
Potato (1kg)
$1.09 Rp 19.7K
$1.26 Rp 22.9K
-13.49%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 Rp 35.2K
$1.48 Rp 27.0K
31.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.64 Rp 11.6K
$0.76 Rp 13.8K
-15.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.43 Rp 7,809
$0.41 Rp 7,416
4.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.56 Rp 46.5K
$2.71 Rp 49.2K
-5.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.37 Rp 406.3K
$22.04 Rp 400.2K
1.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.89 Rp 34.4K
$1.79 Rp 32.5K
5.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 Rp 57.3K
$2.93 Rp 53.2K
7.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Bandung
Makassar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,860
$0.29 Rp 5,304
-6.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.56 Rp 228.2K
$11.90 Rp 216.0K
5.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.84 Rp 15.3K
$0.49 Rp 8,832
71.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.54 Rp 9,729
$0.34 Rp 6,238
58.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.32 Rp 42.2K
$2.81 Rp 51.0K
-17.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.84 Rp 15.2K
$0.77 Rp 13.9K
9.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.8K Rp 376.9M
$22.9K Rp 415.9M
-9.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K Rp 585.3M
$32.4K Rp 588.5M
-0.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bandung
Makassar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$33.56 Rp 609.4K
$89.6 Rp 1.6M
-62.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.22 Rp 76.7K
$2.62 Rp 47.5K
61.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.17 Rp 348.2K
$24.31 Rp 441.5K
-21.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bandung
Makassar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$16.35 Rp 297.0K
$21.48 Rp 390.0K
-23.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.92 Rp 107.6K
$8.36 Rp 151.9K
-29.19%
Cinema Ticket
$2.83 Rp 51.3K
$3.36 Rp 61.0K
-15.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bandung
Makassar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$92.1 Rp 1.7M
$91.7 Rp 1.7M
0.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,239 Rp 149.6M
$3,715 Rp 67.5M
121.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bandung
Makassar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.89 Rp 706.2K
$27.01 Rp 490.6K
43.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.30 Rp 568.4K
$22.77 Rp 413.6K
37.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.7 Rp 1.4M
$74.5 Rp 1.4M
0.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.3 Rp 1.3M
$39.35 Rp 714.6K
76.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bandung
Makassar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$208 Rp 3.8M
$225 Rp 4.1M
-7.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$176 Rp 3.2M
$144 Rp 2.6M
22.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$372 Rp 6.8M
$553 Rp 10.0M
-32.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$264 Rp 4.8M
$363 Rp 6.6M
-27.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$706 Rp 12.8M
$1,146 Rp 20.8M
-38.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$298 Rp 5.4M
$795 Rp 14.4M
-62.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bandung
Makassar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$277 Rp 5.0M
$211 Rp 3.8M
31.17%
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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Makassar: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Bandung
$192
Makassar
$194 1% $1.9
Accommodation & Living
Bandung
$176
Makassar
$144 18.1% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Bandung
$96
Makassar
$74 23.6% $23
Eating Out
Bandung
$63
Makassar
$68 8.5% $5.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bandung
$57
Makassar
$116 105% $60
Sport & Entertainment
Bandung
$22
Makassar
$28 28.1% $6.2
Getting Around
Bandung
$17
Makassar
$15 11% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $208 in Bandung and $225 in Makassar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14 in Bandung vs $9 in Makassar. Groceries flip the comparison at $192 vs $194, with Bandung cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Bandung
🇮🇩 Makassar
🕒 Local time
15:31 3:31 PM
16:31 4:31 PM
1 h ahead of Bandung
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,390,120
1,427,619
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18,161 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,333 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.92 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bandung Makassar 1,320 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Bandung
  • Makassar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Bandung or Makassar?
Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 3% 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.
Are salaries higher in Bandung or in Makassar?
Average pay runs 31% higher in Bandung, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Bandung compared to Makassar?
Rent for a central apartment: $208 in Bandung versus $225 in Makassar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Bandung and in Makassar?
Childcare runs $92 in Bandung versus $92 in Makassar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Bandung and in Makassar?
Dining out is cheaper in Makassar – a meal for two runs $9 versus $14 in Bandung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $800/month in Bandung or in Makassar?
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.

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