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: $626 in Bandung versus $625 in Pontianak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $918 in Bandung versus $983 in Pontianak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,210 in Bandung versus $1,340 in Pontianak.

Monthly costs are close between Bandung and Pontianak; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.43 Rp 25.4K

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

-14.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.35 Rp 201.8K

$11.10 Rp 197.2K

2.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.44 Rp 61.1K

$3.39 Rp 60.3K

1.47%

Cappuccino

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$1.14 Rp 20.3K

35.09%

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

$0.44 Rp 7,868

$0.49 Rp 8,748

-10.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,082

$0.23 Rp 4,087

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.00 Rp 53.3K

$3.11 Rp 55.3K

-3.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 Rp 55.6K

$2.92 Rp 51.9K

7.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Rp 20.1K

$1.17 Rp 20.8K

-3.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 Rp 17.5K

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

-10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

Eggs

$1.46 Rp 26.0K

$1.44 Rp 25.6K

1.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.35 Rp 130.7K

$6.76 Rp 120.1K

8.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.86 Rp 50.8K

$2.91 Rp 51.7K

-1.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 Rp 143.7K

$7.78 Rp 138.2K

3.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 39.9K

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

-3.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 Rp 18.9K

$1.32 Rp 23.5K

-19.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.3K

$1.80 Rp 32.0K

-14.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.7K

$1.19 Rp 21.1K

-21.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 Rp 19.0K

$1.34 Rp 23.9K

-20.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 34.6K

$1.98 Rp 35.2K

-2.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 Rp 11.3K

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

-12.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,149

$0.43 Rp 7,727

-6.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 Rp 48.7K

$2.88 Rp 51.2K

-4.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.53 Rp 400.5K

$20.57 Rp 365.6K

9.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 Rp 32.9K

$1.82 Rp 32.3K

1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 Rp 59.1K

$2.96 Rp 52.6K

12.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,185

$0.26 Rp 4,618

11.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.26 Rp 164.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$0.44 Rp 7,778

86.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 Rp 9,040

$0.35 Rp 6,256

45.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 Rp 40.4K

$2.52 Rp 44.7K

-9.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

10.26%

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

$21.2K Rp 376.9M

$23.0K Rp 407.9M

-7.61%

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

$29.4K Rp 522.5M

$30.4K Rp 540.6M

-3.35%

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

$34.47 Rp 612.6K

$66.9 Rp 1.2M

-48.49%

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

$4.30 Rp 76.5K

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

-24.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.56 Rp 347.6K

$22.24 Rp 395.3K

-12.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.44 Rp 327.7K

$19.85 Rp 352.9K

-7.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.74 Rp 102.0K

$8.25 Rp 146.6K

-30.42%

Cinema Ticket

$2.75 Rp 48.9K

$2.74 Rp 48.6K

0.36%

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

$96.4 Rp 1.7M

$93.7 Rp 1.7M

2.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,416 Rp 149.6M

$6,984 Rp 124.1M

20.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.70 Rp 705.6K

$50.9 Rp 904.8K

-22.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.88 Rp 584.5K

$26.75 Rp 475.4K

22.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 Rp 1.4M

$71.0 Rp 1.3M

7.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

-0.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$215 Rp 3.8M

$224 Rp 4.0M

-4.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 Rp 3.2M

$152 Rp 2.7M

18.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 Rp 6.8M

$550 Rp 9.8M

-29.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 Rp 4.7M

$313 Rp 5.6M

-15.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$737 Rp 13.1M

$1,335 Rp 23.7M

-44.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$308 Rp 5.5M

$639 Rp 11.4M

-51.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$282 Rp 5.0M

$332 Rp 5.9M

-14.87%

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 Pontianak: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $215 in Bandung and $224 in Pontianak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pontianak pays 17% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $11.00 in Bandung vs $11.00 in Pontianak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $195 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 Pontianak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Pontianak. 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: $215 in Bandung versus $224 in Pontianak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bandung pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Pontianak – a meal for two runs $11.00 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 Pontianak 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 Pontianak delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $625 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Pontianak 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.

It comes down to priorities – Pontianak wins on affordability, Bandung on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.