Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Purwokerto Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Purwokerto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $645 in Bandung versus $517 in Purwokerto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $942 in Bandung versus $847 in Purwokerto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,239 in Bandung versus $1,176 in Purwokerto.

Living in Bandung is roughly 25% more expensive than in Purwokerto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 53% lower, Purwokerto 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.40 Rp 24.9K

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

7.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.00 Rp 247.9K

$8.34 Rp 147.6K

67.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

$3.21 Rp 56.8K

4.36%

Cappuccino

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

$1.40 Rp 24.7K

10.71%

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

$0.45 Rp 8,040

$0.42 Rp 7,355

7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,043

$0.17 Rp 3,075

35.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 Rp 56.8K

$2.24 Rp 39.7K

43.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

$3.10 Rp 54.9K

1.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

-4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 Rp 18.4K

$0.89 Rp 15.7K

16.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.6K

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

6.02%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 25.5K

$1.48 Rp 26.3K

-2.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 Rp 129.6K

$7.26 Rp 128.5K

0.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

$2.88 Rp 51.0K

-1.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 Rp 145.9K

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

8.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 40.6K

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

2.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.7K

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.4K

$1.51 Rp 26.8K

-1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

4.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$1.94 Rp 34.3K

-2.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 Rp 11.6K

$0.67 Rp 11.8K

-1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,252

$0.36 Rp 6,299

13.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 Rp 49.4K

$2.39 Rp 42.4K

16.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.80 Rp 403.8K

$22.29 Rp 394.7K

2.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 Rp 34.1K

$1.87 Rp 33.2K

3.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

$3.12 Rp 55.3K

7.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,725

$0.22 Rp 3,902

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.57 Rp 169.5K

$11.88 Rp 210.3K

-19.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

$0.49 Rp 8,589

65.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 Rp 9,759

$0.33 Rp 5,793

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

-0.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

8.33%

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

$21.2K Rp 375.9M

$21.5K Rp 380.2M

-1.12%

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

$29.5K Rp 522.2M

$29.0K Rp 512.8M

1.83%

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

$33.79 Rp 598.3K

$34.43 Rp 609.6K

-1.86%

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

$4.39 Rp 77.7K

$2.78 Rp 49.2K

57.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.60 Rp 347.0K

$19.10 Rp 338.1K

2.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.96 Rp 335.7K

$19.74 Rp 349.6K

-3.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 Rp 104.9K

$11.29 Rp 199.9K

-47.56%

Cinema Ticket

$2.88 Rp 51.1K

$2.51 Rp 44.4K

14.74%

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

$93.8 Rp 1.7M

$94.4 Rp 1.7M

-0.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,255 Rp 146.2M

$7,263 Rp 128.6M

13.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.76 Rp 704.0K

$39.61 Rp 701.3K

0.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.16 Rp 587.1K

$31.60 Rp 559.6K

4.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

$73.0 Rp 1.3M

6.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 Rp 1.2M

$73.2 Rp 1.3M

-3.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 Rp 3.9M

$140 Rp 2.5M

58.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 Rp 3.2M

$72.3 Rp 1.3M

152.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 Rp 6.9M

$587 Rp 10.4M

-33.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 Rp 4.8M

$259 Rp 4.6M

3.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$738 Rp 13.1M

$1,409 Rp 25.0M

-47.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$311 Rp 5.5M

$288 Rp 5.1M

8.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 Rp 5.1M

$120 Rp 2.1M

138.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

8.45

34.67%

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

Last update for Bandung: September 13, 2026

Last update for Purwokerto: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $222 in Bandung and $140 in Purwokerto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 138% 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 $8.00 in Purwokerto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $191 per month, with Purwokerto 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 Purwokerto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Purwokerto wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Bandung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Purwokerto the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 138% 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: $222 in Bandung versus $140 in Purwokerto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Bandung. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Purwokerto – a meal for two runs $8.00 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 Purwokerto 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 Purwokerto delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $517 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Purwokerto hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bandung and Purwokerto 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 Purwokerto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Bandung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.