Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Manado Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Manado

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $626 in Bandung versus $550 in Manado.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $918 in Bandung versus $889 in Manado.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,210 in Bandung versus $1,227 in Manado.

Living in Bandung is roughly 14% more expensive than in Manado, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 54% lower, Manado 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.43 Rp 25.4K

$1.38 Rp 24.5K

3.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.35 Rp 201.8K

$16.65 Rp 296.0K

-31.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.44 Rp 61.1K

$2.85 Rp 50.7K

20.70%

Cappuccino

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$1.83 Rp 32.4K

-15.85%

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

$0.44 Rp 7,868

$0.57 Rp 10.1K

-22.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,082

$0.23 Rp 4,054

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.00 Rp 53.3K

$3.34 Rp 59.3K

-10.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 Rp 55.6K

$2.76 Rp 49.0K

13.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Rp 20.1K

$1.37 Rp 24.4K

-17.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 Rp 17.5K

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

-10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

9.46%

Eggs

$1.46 Rp 26.0K

$1.86 Rp 33.0K

-21.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.35 Rp 130.7K

$17.05 Rp 303.1K

-56.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.86 Rp 50.8K

$2.84 Rp 50.4K

0.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 Rp 143.7K

$6.53 Rp 116.0K

23.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 39.9K

$2.40 Rp 42.7K

-6.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 Rp 18.9K

$1.49 Rp 26.4K

-28.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.3K

$1.28 Rp 22.8K

20.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.7K

$0.98 Rp 17.4K

-4.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 Rp 19.0K

$0.84 Rp 15.0K

27.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 34.6K

$2.81 Rp 49.9K

-30.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 Rp 11.3K

$0.88 Rp 15.6K

-27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,149

$0.44 Rp 7,819

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 Rp 48.7K

$2.30 Rp 40.9K

19.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.53 Rp 400.5K

$20.72 Rp 368.2K

8.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 Rp 32.9K

$1.84 Rp 32.7K

0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 Rp 59.1K

$2.90 Rp 51.5K

14.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,185

$0.32 Rp 5,768

-9.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.26 Rp 164.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$0.48 Rp 8,545

70.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 Rp 9,040

$0.39 Rp 6,879

30.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 Rp 40.4K

$3.05 Rp 54.1K

-25.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

$0.66 Rp 11.7K

30.30%

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

$21.2K Rp 376.9M

$21.4K Rp 380.3M

-0.91%

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

$29.4K Rp 522.5M

$30.7K Rp 546.4M

-4.37%

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

$34.47 Rp 612.6K

$54.3 Rp 965.4K

-36.54%

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

$4.30 Rp 76.5K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.56 Rp 347.6K

$14.06 Rp 249.9K

39.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.44 Rp 327.7K

$12.84 Rp 228.2K

43.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.74 Rp 102.0K

$8.32 Rp 147.9K

-31.01%

Cinema Ticket

$2.75 Rp 48.9K

$2.55 Rp 45.3K

7.84%

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

$96.4 Rp 1.7M

$124 Rp 2.2M

-22.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,416 Rp 149.6M

$4,624 Rp 82.2M

82.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.70 Rp 705.6K

$55.4 Rp 985.4K

-28.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.88 Rp 584.5K

$20.27 Rp 360.2K

62.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 Rp 1.4M

$68.7 Rp 1.2M

10.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

$62.7 Rp 1.1M

13.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$215 Rp 3.8M

$255 Rp 4.5M

-15.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 Rp 3.2M

$81.2 Rp 1.4M

122.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 Rp 6.8M

$294 Rp 5.2M

31.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 Rp 4.7M

$169 Rp 3.0M

55.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$737 Rp 13.1M

$1,178 Rp 20.9M

-37.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$308 Rp 5.5M

$714 Rp 12.7M

-56.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$282 Rp 5.0M

$216 Rp 3.8M

30.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

13.80%

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

Last update for Bandung: August 16, 2026

Last update for Manado: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $215 in Bandung and $255 in Manado. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 31% 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: $11.00 in Bandung vs $17.00 in Manado for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $224 per month, with Bandung 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 Manado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manado wins on cost – living expenses run 14% 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.

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: $215 in Bandung versus $255 in Manado. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $96.4 in Bandung versus $124 in Manado. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Manado – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $11.00 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 Manado 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 Manado delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $550 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Manado hard to pass up.

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.

Expats usually find Manado gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Bandung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.