Measurement units Temperature, distance and clock format
Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Manado
For one person, living is cheaper in Manado: $557 a month against $628 in Bandung, rent and utilities included – about $850 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Bandung outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.
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 Manado actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $628 in Bandung versus $557 in Manado.
Bandung $628
Manado $557
Estimated couple costs with rent: $929 in Bandung versus $881 in Manado.
Bandung $929
Manado $881
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,230 in Bandung versus $1,206 in Manado.
Bandung $1,230
Manado $1,206
🌍
Living in Bandung is roughly 13% more expensive than in Manado, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung54% lower, Manado59% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Bandung
Manado
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.42Rp 25.6K
$1.44Rp 25.9K
-1.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.68Rp 246.2K
$16.91Rp 304.4K
-19.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.23Rp 58.1K
$2.78Rp 50.0K
16.19%
Cappuccino
$1.48Rp 26.6K
$1.75Rp 31.6K
-15.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43Rp 7,689
$0.61Rp 11.0K
-29.51%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24Rp 4,341
$0.25Rp 4,526
-4.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.10Rp 55.9K
$3.42Rp 61.6K
-9.36%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06Rp 55.2K
$2.75Rp 49.6K
11.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bandung
Manado
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.07Rp 19.3K
$1.38Rp 24.8K
-22.46%
White Bread(500g)
$0.99Rp 17.7K
$1.10Rp 19.8K
-10.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.85Rp 15.2K
$0.77Rp 13.9K
10.39%
Eggs
$1.45Rp 26.2K
$1.85Rp 33.2K
-21.62%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.08Rp 127.4K
$16.47Rp 296.4K
-57.01%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.83Rp 51.0K
$2.73Rp 49.1K
3.66%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.77Rp 139.8K
$6.25Rp 112.5K
24.32%
Apples(1kg)
$2.27Rp 40.9K
$2.29Rp 41.2K
-0.87%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06Rp 19.0K
$1.51Rp 27.1K
-29.80%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.46Rp 26.4K
$1.30Rp 23.4K
12.31%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.95Rp 17.0K
$1.02Rp 18.3K
-6.86%
Potato(1kg)
$1.08Rp 19.5K
$0.83Rp 14.9K
30.12%
Onion(1kg)
$1.91Rp 34.5K
$2.78Rp 50.1K
-31.29%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.64Rp 11.5K
$0.80Rp 14.3K
-20.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.42Rp 7,573
$0.45Rp 8,183
-6.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.61Rp 47.0K
$2.38Rp 42.8K
9.66%
Wine(Bottle)
$22.34Rp 402.1K
$20.83Rp 374.9K
7.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.89Rp 34.1K
$1.83Rp 33.0K
3.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24Rp 58.3K
$3.02Rp 54.4K
7.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Bandung
Manado
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.29Rp 5,256
$0.30Rp 5,363
-3.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.57Rp 172.3K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.82Rp 14.7K
$0.52Rp 9,385
57.69%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.51Rp 9,203
$0.34Rp 6,183
50.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.22Rp 40.0K
$2.68Rp 48.2K
-17.16%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.85Rp 15.3K
$0.65Rp 11.7K
30.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7KRp 373.4M
$23.5KRp 422.4M
-11.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.6KRp 569.6M
$31.5KRp 566.9M
0.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bandung
Manado
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$33.38Rp 600.8K
$52.9Rp 951.8K
-36.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.38Rp 78.9K
$4.26Rp 76.6K
2.82%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.09Rp 343.7K
$14.10Rp 253.8K
35.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bandung
Manado
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$18.35Rp 330.3K
$13.16Rp 236.9K
39.44%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.99Rp 107.9K
$8.53Rp 153.5K
-29.78%
Cinema Ticket
$2.73Rp 49.2K
$2.56Rp 46.1K
6.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bandung
Manado
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$91.7Rp 1.7M
$126Rp 2.3M
-27.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,172Rp 147.1M
$4,771Rp 85.9M
71.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bandung
Manado
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.74Rp 697.3K
$55.1Rp 991.0K
-29.64%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.83Rp 572.9K
$20.35Rp 366.3K
56.41%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.6Rp 1.4M
$69.5Rp 1.3M
10.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.4Rp 1.3M
$64.5Rp 1.2M
10.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bandung
Manado
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$216Rp 3.9M
$253Rp 4.5M
-14.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$180Rp 3.2M
$81.6Rp 1.5M
120.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$380Rp 6.8M
$302Rp 5.4M
25.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$265Rp 4.8M
$169Rp 3.0M
56.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$726Rp 13.1M
$1,185Rp 21.3M
-38.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$301Rp 5.4M
$790Rp 14.2M
-61.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bandung
Manado
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$279Rp 5.0M
$215Rp 3.9M
29.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.38
10
13.80%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Bandung: October 19, 2026
Last update for Manado: October 19, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Bandung
$192 30.6%
Manado
$221 39.7% ↑ 15.2%$29
🏠Accommodation & Living
Bandung
$180 28.6%
Manado
$82 14.7% ↓ 54.6%$98
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Bandung
$98 15.7%
Manado
$94 16.9% ↓ 4.2%$4.1
🍽Eating Out
Bandung
$63 10.1%
Manado
$67 12% ↑ 6%$3.8
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bandung
$57 9.1%
Manado
$71 12.8% ↑ 25.3%$14
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Bandung
$24 3.8%
Manado
$18 3.3% ↓ 23.3%$5.5
🚌Getting Around
Bandung
$14 2.3%
Manado
$3.4 * 0.6% ↓ 75.7%$11
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Bandung
$416 33.8%
Manado
$490 40.6% ↑ 17.7%$74
🏠Accommodation & Living
Bandung
$265 21.5%
Manado
$169 14% ↓ 36.3%$96
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Bandung
$219 17.8%
Manado
$209 17.4% ↓ 4.2%$9.2
🍽Eating Out
Bandung
$187 15.2%
Manado
$210 17.4% ↑ 12.5%$23
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bandung
$61 5%
Manado
$75 6.3% ↑ 23.3%$14
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Bandung
$54 4.4%
Manado
$45 3.7% ↓ 15.9%$8.5
🚌Getting Around
Bandung
$29 2.3%
Manado
$7.5 * 0.6% ↓ 74.1%$21
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $216 in Bandung and $253 in Manado. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Bandung pays 30% 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 $17.00 in Manado for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $221 per month, with Bandung cheaper across the board.
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 Manado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bandung or Manado?
Manado wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Bandung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Manado the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Bandung or in Manado?
Average pay runs 30% 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 Manado?
Rent for a central apartment: $216 in Bandung versus $253 in Manado. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Bandung and in Manado?
Childcare runs $91.7 in Bandung versus $126 in Manado. 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 Manado?
Dining out is cheaper in Manado – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $14.00 in Bandung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Bandung or in Manado?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Manado gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Bandung or Manado?
Both work as nomad bases, but Manado delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $557 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Manado hard to pass up.
How safe is Bandung compared to Manado?
Safety-wise, Bandung and Manado are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Manado gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Bandung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.