Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Pontianak Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Pontianak

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $634 in Bandung versus $662 in Pontianak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $945 in Bandung versus $1,032 in Pontianak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,257 in Bandung versus $1,403 in Pontianak.

Living in Bandung costs roughly 4% less than in Pontianak, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 53% lower, Pontianak 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.26 Rp 22.6K

$1.48 Rp 26.6K

-14.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.09 Rp 162.8K

$12.25 Rp 219.5K

-25.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.30 Rp 59.2K

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

-0.60%

Cappuccino

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

$1.70 Rp 30.5K

-12.35%

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

$0.49 Rp 8,831

$0.51 Rp 9,199

-3.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,864

$0.28 Rp 5,070

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 Rp 62.2K

$3.01 Rp 53.9K

15.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$2.48 Rp 44.4K

43.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Rp 21.8K

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

4.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

$1.13 Rp 20.3K

-6.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

$0.88 Rp 15.7K

7.95%

Eggs

$1.60 Rp 28.7K

$1.54 Rp 27.6K

3.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.91 Rp 159.6K

$8.05 Rp 144.3K

10.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 Rp 55.9K

$3.21 Rp 57.6K

-2.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 Rp 143.6K

$8.00 Rp 143.4K

0.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.7K

$2.38 Rp 42.7K

-4.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.2K

$1.45 Rp 25.9K

-11.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 30.9K

$1.81 Rp 32.5K

-4.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 Rp 28.6K

$1.54 Rp 27.6K

3.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 Rp 25.1K

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

6.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 Rp 48.1K

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

36.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

$0.97 Rp 17.4K

-8.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,114

$0.41 Rp 7,381

9.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 44.5K

$1.87 Rp 33.5K

32.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.04 Rp 394.9K

$21.18 Rp 379.5K

4.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 Rp 37.4K

$2.08 Rp 37.3K

0.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 Rp 61.4K

$3.23 Rp 57.8K

5.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,785

$0.32 Rp 5,765

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.57 Rp 189.4K

$9.97 Rp 178.5K

6.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 Rp 12.7K

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

26.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

$0.38 Rp 6,719

89.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 Rp 44.4K

$2.88 Rp 51.7K

-13.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

-9.30%

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

$24.3K Rp 435.6M

$25.0K Rp 447.0M

-2.54%

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

$25.5K Rp 456.5M

$27.1K Rp 485.9M

-6.05%

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

$44.19 Rp 791.6K

$69.6 Rp 1.2M

-36.51%

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

$4.66 Rp 83.6K

$4.36 Rp 78.1K

6.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.53 Rp 403.7K

$23.01 Rp 412.3K

-2.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.16 Rp 397.0K

$22.69 Rp 406.5K

-2.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 Rp 118.2K

$6.05 Rp 108.4K

9.09%

Cinema Ticket

$3.05 Rp 54.6K

$3.00 Rp 53.7K

1.67%

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

$92.8 Rp 1.7M

$92.9 Rp 1.7M

-0.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,565 Rp 135.5M

$7,731 Rp 138.5M

-2.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.23 Rp 738.6K

$41.79 Rp 748.7K

-1.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.03 Rp 555.9K

$30.69 Rp 549.8K

1.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.1 Rp 1.1M

$66.7 Rp 1.2M

-11.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.9 Rp 1.1M

$73.7 Rp 1.3M

-13.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 Rp 4.3M

$259 Rp 4.6M

-6.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$159 Rp 2.8M

-1.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 Rp 8.1M

$595 Rp 10.7M

-24.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 Rp 4.4M

$334 Rp 6.0M

-26.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$704 Rp 12.6M

$1,207 Rp 21.6M

-41.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$305 Rp 5.5M

$734 Rp 13.1M

-58.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 Rp 5.0M

$335 Rp 6.0M

-16.41%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Pontianak: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Bandung and $259 in Pontianak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pontianak pays 20% 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: $9.00 in Bandung vs $12.00 in Pontianak. Groceries flip the comparison at $213 vs $208, with Pontianak 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 Pontianak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Pontianak. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bandung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Pontianak earns 20% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $242 in Bandung versus $259 in Pontianak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Pontianak pay roughly 2% 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 $12.00 in Pontianak. 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 $634 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandung hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bandung and Pontianak 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 4% less than in Pontianak. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.