Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Samarinda Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Samarinda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $645 in Bandung versus $668 in Samarinda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $942 in Bandung versus $1,042 in Samarinda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,239 in Bandung versus $1,417 in Samarinda.

Living in Bandung costs roughly 3% less than in Samarinda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.40 Rp 24.9K

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

-16.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.00 Rp 247.9K

$14.45 Rp 255.8K

-3.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

$3.33 Rp 59.0K

0.60%

Cappuccino

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

$1.51 Rp 26.7K

2.65%

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

$0.45 Rp 8,040

$0.45 Rp 8,041

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,043

$0.23 Rp 4,096

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 Rp 56.8K

$2.41 Rp 42.8K

33.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

$3.55 Rp 62.8K

-11.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

1.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 Rp 18.4K

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

20.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.6K

$0.66 Rp 11.7K

33.33%

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 25.5K

$1.47 Rp 26.0K

-2.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 Rp 129.6K

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

-3.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

$3.58 Rp 63.4K

-20.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 Rp 145.9K

$10.18 Rp 180.2K

-19.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 40.6K

$5.14 Rp 91.1K

-55.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.7K

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.4K

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

33.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

$1.44 Rp 25.5K

-34.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.33 Rp 23.5K

-16.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$1.89 Rp 33.5K

0.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 Rp 11.6K

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

-9.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,252

$0.56 Rp 9,912

-26.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 Rp 49.4K

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

33.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.80 Rp 403.8K

$20.88 Rp 369.8K

9.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 Rp 34.1K

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

11.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

13.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,725

$0.31 Rp 5,563

-12.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.57 Rp 169.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

$0.50 Rp 8,867

62.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 Rp 9,759

$0.29 Rp 5,160

89.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

$2.95 Rp 52.2K

-20.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

-3.70%

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

$21.2K Rp 375.9M

$26.2K Rp 464.2M

-19.03%

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

$29.5K Rp 522.2M

$30.6K Rp 542.1M

-3.67%

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

$33.79 Rp 598.3K

$69.6 Rp 1.2M

-51.42%

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

$4.39 Rp 77.7K

$4.76 Rp 84.3K

-7.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.60 Rp 347.0K

$19.69 Rp 348.7K

-0.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.96 Rp 335.7K

$20.10 Rp 355.8K

-5.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 Rp 104.9K

$7.41 Rp 131.2K

-20.11%

Cinema Ticket

$2.88 Rp 51.1K

$2.77 Rp 49.1K

3.97%

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

$93.8 Rp 1.7M

$98.8 Rp 1.7M

-5.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,255 Rp 146.2M

$6,725 Rp 119.1M

22.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.76 Rp 704.0K

$41.32 Rp 731.7K

-3.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.16 Rp 587.1K

$29.85 Rp 528.5K

11.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

3.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 Rp 1.2M

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

-11.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 Rp 3.9M

$198 Rp 3.5M

12.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 Rp 3.2M

$135 Rp 2.4M

34.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 Rp 6.9M

$483 Rp 8.5M

-19.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 Rp 4.8M

$358 Rp 6.3M

-24.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$738 Rp 13.1M

$1,143 Rp 20.2M

-35.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$311 Rp 5.5M

$687 Rp 12.2M

-54.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 Rp 5.1M

$340 Rp 6.0M

-15.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

9.46

20.30%

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

Last update for Bandung: September 13, 2026

Last update for Samarinda: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $222 in Bandung and $198 in Samarinda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samarinda pays 19% 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 $14.00 in Samarinda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $217 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 Samarinda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, salaries run 19% lower in Samarinda. 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: $222 in Bandung versus $198 in Samarinda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $93.8 in Bandung versus $98.8 in Samarinda. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandung – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $14.00 in Samarinda. 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 $645 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandung hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bandung and Samarinda 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 Samarinda. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.