Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Malang Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Malang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $645 in Bandung versus $476 in Malang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $942 in Bandung versus $743 in Malang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,239 in Bandung versus $1,010 in Malang.

Living in Bandung is roughly 36% more expensive than in Malang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 53% lower, Malang 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.40 Rp 24.9K

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

25.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.00 Rp 247.9K

$11.32 Rp 200.4K

23.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

$2.88 Rp 50.9K

16.32%

Cappuccino

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

20.16%

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

$0.45 Rp 8,040

$0.60 Rp 10.6K

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,043

$0.22 Rp 3,885

4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 Rp 56.8K

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

38.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

$4.13 Rp 73.1K

-23.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

8.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 Rp 18.4K

$1.10 Rp 19.4K

-5.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.6K

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

10.00%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 25.5K

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

13.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 Rp 129.6K

$6.04 Rp 107.0K

21.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

$3.11 Rp 55.1K

-8.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 Rp 145.9K

$7.25 Rp 128.5K

13.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 40.6K

$2.04 Rp 36.1K

12.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.7K

$1.29 Rp 22.8K

-13.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.4K

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

-3.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

$1.49 Rp 26.5K

-36.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

-12.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 Rp 11.6K

$0.51 Rp 8,976

29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,252

$0.41 Rp 7,221

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 Rp 49.4K

$2.75 Rp 48.7K

1.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.80 Rp 403.8K

$12.54 Rp 222.1K

81.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 Rp 34.1K

$1.76 Rp 31.2K

9.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

$2.96 Rp 52.4K

13.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,725

$0.60 Rp 10.7K

-55.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.57 Rp 169.5K

$5.58 Rp 98.8K

71.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

$0.48 Rp 8,540

68.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 Rp 9,759

$0.39 Rp 6,837

41.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

$5.69 Rp 100.7K

-58.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.69 Rp 12.1K

13.04%

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

$21.2K Rp 375.9M

$25.8K Rp 456.7M

-17.68%

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

$29.5K Rp 522.2M

$28.1K Rp 497.3M

5.01%

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

$33.79 Rp 598.3K

$31.73 Rp 561.8K

6.49%

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

$4.39 Rp 77.7K

$2.46 Rp 43.5K

78.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.60 Rp 347.0K

$20.00 Rp 354.2K

-2.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.96 Rp 335.7K

$14.87 Rp 263.3K

27.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 Rp 104.9K

$4.71 Rp 83.4K

25.69%

Cinema Ticket

$2.88 Rp 51.1K

$1.97 Rp 34.8K

46.19%

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

$93.8 Rp 1.7M

$31.19 Rp 552.3K

200.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,255 Rp 146.2M

$9,663 Rp 171.1M

-14.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.76 Rp 704.0K

$56.6 Rp 1.0M

-29.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.16 Rp 587.1K

$23.07 Rp 408.5K

43.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

$51.6 Rp 914.4K

50.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 Rp 1.2M

$36.37 Rp 644.0K

93.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 Rp 3.9M

$140 Rp 2.5M

59.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 Rp 3.2M

$92.0 Rp 1.6M

98.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 Rp 6.9M

$196 Rp 3.5M

99.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 Rp 4.8M

$154 Rp 2.7M

74.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$738 Rp 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$311 Rp 5.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 Rp 5.1M

$208 Rp 3.7M

37.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

184.50%

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

Last update for Bandung: September 13, 2026

Last update for Malang: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $222 in Bandung and $140 in Malang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 37% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $14.00 in Bandung vs $11.00 in Malang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $171 per month, with Malang 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 Malang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malang wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in Bandung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Malang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 37% 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 $140 in Malang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Bandung. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Malang – 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 $1,000 a month, though Malang 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 Malang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $476 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Malang hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bandung and Malang 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 Malang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Bandung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.