Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Pekanbaru Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Pekanbaru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $628 in Bandung versus $681 in Pekanbaru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $937 in Bandung versus $976 in Pekanbaru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,247 in Bandung versus $1,271 in Pekanbaru.

Living in Bandung costs roughly 8% less than in Pekanbaru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 53% lower, Pekanbaru 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.30 Rp 23.5K

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

-16.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.27 Rp 167.3K

$8.81 Rp 159.0K

5.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.42 Rp 61.8K

$2.52 Rp 45.5K

35.71%

Cappuccino

$1.45 Rp 26.2K

$1.42 Rp 25.6K

2.11%

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

$0.50 Rp 8,955

$0.47 Rp 8,461

6.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,465

$0.24 Rp 4,294

4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 Rp 60.6K

$2.12 Rp 38.2K

58.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 Rp 65.1K

$3.42 Rp 61.8K

5.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Rp 21.9K

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

-12.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 Rp 19.4K

$1.20 Rp 21.7K

-10.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 Rp 16.8K

$0.99 Rp 17.8K

-6.06%

Eggs

$1.58 Rp 28.6K

$1.71 Rp 31.0K

-7.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 Rp 167.2K

$17.23 Rp 311.0K

-46.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 Rp 54.4K

$2.66 Rp 48.1K

13.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.86 Rp 141.9K

$10.32 Rp 186.3K

-23.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.6K

$2.91 Rp 52.5K

-20.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.3K

$1.67 Rp 30.1K

-22.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 Rp 30.6K

$2.01 Rp 36.2K

-15.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 Rp 28.9K

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

70.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 26.8K

$0.96 Rp 17.3K

54.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 Rp 47.9K

$1.65 Rp 29.8K

60.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 Rp 17.4K

$1.51 Rp 27.2K

-36.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,329

$0.45 Rp 8,093

2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 44.7K

$2.21 Rp 39.9K

12.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.80 Rp 393.6K

$20.20 Rp 364.6K

7.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 Rp 37.7K

$2.81 Rp 50.7K

-25.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 Rp 61.9K

$3.97 Rp 71.7K

-13.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,346

$0.29 Rp 5,322

3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.23 Rp 184.7K

$9.47 Rp 171.0K

8.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 Rp 12.7K

$0.90 Rp 16.3K

-22.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 Rp 13.9K

$0.43 Rp 7,836

79.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 Rp 46.5K

$2.11 Rp 38.1K

22.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

-3.66%

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

$25.0K Rp 451.0M

$23.3K Rp 420.2M

7.32%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.5M

$25.2K Rp 455.6M

3.50%

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

$44.55 Rp 804.2K

$68.8 Rp 1.2M

-35.26%

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

$4.69 Rp 84.7K

$6.87 Rp 124.1K

-31.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.48 Rp 405.8K

$28.06 Rp 506.5K

-19.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.87 Rp 394.8K

$22.59 Rp 407.8K

-3.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.58 Rp 118.8K

$12.18 Rp 219.8K

-45.98%

Cinema Ticket

$3.11 Rp 56.1K

$3.15 Rp 56.9K

-1.27%

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

$94.2 Rp 1.7M

$175 Rp 3.2M

-46.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,688 Rp 138.8M

$3,107 Rp 56.1M

147.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.35 Rp 746.4K

$34.10 Rp 615.6K

21.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.15 Rp 562.3K

$37.47 Rp 676.4K

-16.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.2 Rp 1.1M

$64.7 Rp 1.2M

-9.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.6 Rp 1.1M

$74.6 Rp 1.3M

-14.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 Rp 4.3M

$254 Rp 4.6M

-5.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 Rp 2.8M

$122 Rp 2.2M

26.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 Rp 8.2M

$918 Rp 16.6M

-50.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 Rp 4.4M

$156 Rp 2.8M

58.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$727 Rp 13.1M

$1,072 Rp 19.3M

-32.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$308 Rp 5.6M

$679 Rp 12.3M

-54.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$283 Rp 5.1M

$187 Rp 3.4M

51.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

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

Last update for Bandung: July 27, 2026

Last update for Pekanbaru: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $240 in Bandung and $254 in Pekanbaru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 51% 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 $9.00 in Pekanbaru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $250 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 Pekanbaru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Pekanbaru. 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 51% 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: $240 in Bandung versus $254 in Pekanbaru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Pekanbaru. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandung – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $9.00 in Pekanbaru. 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 $628 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandung hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bandung and Pekanbaru 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 8% less than in Pekanbaru. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.