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: $645 in Bandung versus $644 in Makassar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $942 in Bandung versus $980 in Makassar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,239 in Bandung versus $1,317 in Makassar.

Monthly costs are close between Bandung and Makassar; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.40 Rp 24.9K

$1.65 Rp 29.3K

-15.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.00 Rp 247.9K

$9.03 Rp 159.8K

55.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

$3.21 Rp 56.9K

4.36%

Cappuccino

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

$1.99 Rp 35.3K

-22.11%

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

$0.45 Rp 8,040

$0.50 Rp 8,874

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,043

$0.34 Rp 6,003

-32.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 Rp 56.8K

$2.59 Rp 45.8K

23.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

$3.27 Rp 58.0K

-3.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

$1.62 Rp 28.6K

-32.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 Rp 18.4K

$1.00 Rp 17.7K

4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.6K

$0.61 Rp 10.8K

44.26%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 25.5K

$1.50 Rp 26.6K

-4.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 Rp 129.6K

$6.60 Rp 116.8K

10.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

$3.51 Rp 62.1K

-18.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 Rp 145.9K

$5.28 Rp 93.6K

56.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 40.6K

$2.39 Rp 42.3K

-4.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.7K

$1.39 Rp 24.7K

-19.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.4K

$1.94 Rp 34.4K

-23.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

$1.79 Rp 31.6K

-46.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

-2.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$1.60 Rp 28.3K

18.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 Rp 11.6K

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

-17.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,252

$0.40 Rp 7,020

2.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 Rp 49.4K

$2.69 Rp 47.6K

3.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.80 Rp 403.8K

$22.97 Rp 406.7K

-0.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 Rp 34.1K

$1.84 Rp 32.6K

4.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

$2.30 Rp 40.7K

45.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,725

$0.27 Rp 4,734

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.57 Rp 169.5K

$4.35 Rp 77.0K

120.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

$0.51 Rp 9,032

58.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 Rp 9,759

$0.36 Rp 6,314

52.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

$2.89 Rp 51.2K

-19.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

-1.27%

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

$21.2K Rp 375.9M

$15.7K Rp 277.8M

35.34%

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

$29.5K Rp 522.2M

$16.9K Rp 299.4M

74.39%

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

$33.79 Rp 598.3K

$90.0 Rp 1.6M

-62.46%

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

$4.39 Rp 77.7K

$2.61 Rp 46.2K

68.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.60 Rp 347.0K

$25.25 Rp 447.2K

-22.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.96 Rp 335.7K

$21.32 Rp 377.5K

-11.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 Rp 104.9K

$23.06 Rp 408.3K

-74.33%

Cinema Ticket

$2.88 Rp 51.1K

$3.50 Rp 62.0K

-17.71%

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

$93.8 Rp 1.7M

$94.9 Rp 1.7M

-1.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,255 Rp 146.2M

$3,893 Rp 68.9M

112.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.76 Rp 704.0K

$27.74 Rp 491.2K

43.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.16 Rp 587.1K

$24.02 Rp 425.4K

38.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

3.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 Rp 1.2M

$40.90 Rp 724.2K

72.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 Rp 3.9M

$195 Rp 3.4M

14.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 Rp 3.2M

$152 Rp 2.7M

20.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 Rp 6.9M

$403 Rp 7.1M

-3.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 Rp 4.8M

$313 Rp 5.5M

-14.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$738 Rp 13.1M

$1,438 Rp 25.5M

-48.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$311 Rp 5.5M

$572 Rp 10.1M

-45.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 Rp 5.1M

$218 Rp 3.9M

30.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

89.67%

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

Last update for Bandung: September 13, 2026

Last update for Makassar: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $222 in Bandung and $195 in Makassar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 31% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $14.00 in Bandung vs $9.00 in Makassar. Groceries flip the comparison at $197 vs $199, with Bandung 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

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.

Rent for a central apartment: $222 in Bandung versus $195 in Makassar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $93.8 in Bandung versus $94.9 in Makassar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Makassar – a meal for two runs $9.00 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 Makassar 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 Makassar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $644 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Makassar 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.

It comes down to priorities – Makassar wins on affordability, Bandung on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.