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: $644 in Bandung versus $607 in Medan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $939 in Bandung versus $933 in Medan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,234 in Bandung versus $1,260 in Medan.

Living in Bandung is roughly 6% more expensive than in Medan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 53% lower, Medan 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.39 Rp 24.8K

$1.72 Rp 30.6K

-19.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.39 Rp 255.6K

$8.73 Rp 155.1K

64.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.31 Rp 58.8K

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

11.82%

Cappuccino

$1.57 Rp 27.8K

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

1.29%

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

$0.42 Rp 7,456

$0.34 Rp 6,114

23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,472

$0.25 Rp 4,458

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 Rp 56.0K

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

82.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

$3.58 Rp 63.6K

-15.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 Rp 19.9K

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

-12.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 Rp 14.5K

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

-1.20%

Eggs

$1.49 Rp 26.5K

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

12.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 Rp 129.9K

$7.91 Rp 140.5K

-7.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.00 Rp 53.3K

$3.53 Rp 62.7K

-15.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.16 Rp 144.9K

$6.44 Rp 114.4K

26.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.4K

$2.43 Rp 43.2K

-6.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 Rp 19.2K

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

2.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

4.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 Rp 17.3K

$0.96 Rp 17.0K

1.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 Rp 19.5K

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

25.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.9K

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

9.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

$0.41 Rp 7,334

68.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,767

$0.44 Rp 7,756

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 Rp 47.3K

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

-11.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.71 Rp 403.5K

$16.41 Rp 291.5K

38.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 Rp 32.7K

$1.92 Rp 34.2K

-4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$3.04 Rp 54.0K

8.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,221

$0.27 Rp 4,759

7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.46 Rp 168.0K

$6.07 Rp 107.9K

55.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.53 Rp 9,394

64.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 Rp 9,226

$0.20 Rp 3,602

160.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 Rp 40.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

1.30%

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

$21.2K Rp 376.3M

$24.9K Rp 443.1M

-15.08%

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

$29.5K Rp 524.9M

$31.6K Rp 561.0M

-6.44%

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

$34.35 Rp 610.3K

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

-60.27%

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

$4.29 Rp 76.2K

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

30.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.31 Rp 343.0K

$23.34 Rp 414.6K

-17.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.65 Rp 331.4K

$17.06 Rp 303.1K

9.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.80 Rp 103.1K

$8.69 Rp 154.3K

-33.26%

Cinema Ticket

$2.86 Rp 50.8K

$3.43 Rp 61.0K

-16.62%

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

$97.1 Rp 1.7M

$114 Rp 2.0M

-15.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,509 Rp 151.2M

$1,720 Rp 30.6M

394.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.89 Rp 690.9K

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

-31.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.08 Rp 587.6K

$39.16 Rp 695.6K

-15.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$105 Rp 1.9M

-27.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 Rp 1.3M

$115 Rp 2.0M

-38.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 Rp 3.9M

$177 Rp 3.1M

23.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 Rp 3.2M

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

105.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 Rp 6.8M

$497 Rp 8.8M

-22.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 Rp 4.8M

$211 Rp 3.8M

26.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$718 Rp 12.7M

$1,148 Rp 20.4M

-37.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$310 Rp 5.5M

$571 Rp 10.1M

-45.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 Rp 5.1M

$214 Rp 3.8M

33.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

9.25

23.03%

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

Last update for Bandung: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medan: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $219 in Bandung and $177 in Medan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 33% 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 $9.00 in Medan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $182 per month, with Medan 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 Medan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medan wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Bandung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 33% 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: $219 in Bandung versus $177 in Medan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Bandung. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medan – 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 $1,000 a month, though Medan 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 Medan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $607 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medan 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 Medan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Bandung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.