Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Medan Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Medan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $626 in Bandung versus $640 in Medan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $941 in Bandung versus $988 in Medan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,255 in Bandung versus $1,336 in Medan.

Living in Bandung costs roughly 2% less than in Medan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 53% lower, Medan 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.32 Rp 23.6K

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

-29.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.48 Rp 170.1K

$10.72 Rp 192.3K

-11.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.31 Rp 59.3K

$3.28 Rp 58.9K

0.91%

Cappuccino

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

-17.22%

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

$0.52 Rp 9,356

$0.39 Rp 7,050

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,880

$0.27 Rp 4,869

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 Rp 59.4K

$1.55 Rp 27.9K

113.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 Rp 63.1K

$5.24 Rp 94.1K

-32.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

2.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

-9.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 17.1K

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

14.46%

Eggs

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

3.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 Rp 160.7K

$9.39 Rp 168.5K

-4.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 Rp 56.3K

$3.71 Rp 66.5K

-15.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 Rp 144.9K

$6.83 Rp 122.5K

18.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 42.6K

$2.32 Rp 41.7K

2.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.2K

$1.00 Rp 17.9K

29.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 31.0K

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

13.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

79.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

94.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 48.4K

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

112.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 Rp 16.2K

$0.45 Rp 8,160

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,584

$0.49 Rp 8,802

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.53 Rp 45.3K

$2.48 Rp 44.5K

2.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.74 Rp 390.1K

$15.90 Rp 285.2K

36.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 Rp 38.0K

$1.36 Rp 24.4K

55.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 Rp 63.5K

$3.17 Rp 56.9K

11.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,360

$0.32 Rp 5,826

-6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.26 Rp 184.0K

$9.59 Rp 172.0K

6.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

20.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

$0.22 Rp 3,955

245.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 Rp 46.5K

$6.17 Rp 110.8K

-58.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

-1.22%

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

$24.4K Rp 438.0M

$28.0K Rp 502.7M

-12.85%

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

$25.8K Rp 461.9M

$33.9K Rp 608.1M

-24.04%

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

$44.02 Rp 789.7K

$83.7 Rp 1.5M

-47.38%

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

$4.47 Rp 80.3K

$3.67 Rp 65.9K

21.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.86 Rp 410.1K

$34.25 Rp 614.4K

-33.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.68 Rp 388.9K

$23.20 Rp 416.2K

-6.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 Rp 118.5K

$7.12 Rp 127.7K

-7.30%

Cinema Ticket

$3.13 Rp 56.2K

$3.49 Rp 62.7K

-10.32%

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

$93.0 Rp 1.7M

$123 Rp 2.2M

-24.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,512 Rp 134.8M

$10.6K Rp 190.0M

-29.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.31 Rp 741.1K

$66.4 Rp 1.2M

-37.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.79 Rp 552.3K

$42.18 Rp 756.6K

-27.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.6 Rp 1.1M

$115 Rp 2.1M

-49.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.3 Rp 1.2M

$65.5 Rp 1.2M

-1.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 Rp 4.2M

$196 Rp 3.5M

20.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 Rp 2.7M

$100 Rp 1.8M

51.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 Rp 8.3M

$530 Rp 9.5M

-12.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 Rp 4.4M

$232 Rp 4.2M

6.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$705 Rp 12.6M

$1,110 Rp 19.9M

-36.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$305 Rp 5.5M

$550 Rp 9.9M

-44.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 5.0M

$213 Rp 3.8M

29.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

9.25

-1.08%

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

Last update for Bandung: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $235 in Bandung and $196 in Medan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $9.00 in Bandung vs $11.00 in Medan. Groceries flip the comparison at $214 vs $186, with Medan 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 Medan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Medan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bandung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

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.

Rent for a central apartment: $235 in Bandung versus $196 in Medan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medan pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandung – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $11.00 in Medan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bandung delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $626 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandung hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bandung and Medan 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 Bandung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Medan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.