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: $635 in Bandung versus $711 in Samarinda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $934 in Bandung versus $1,092 in Samarinda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,234 in Bandung versus $1,474 in Samarinda.

Living in Bandung costs roughly 11% less than in Samarinda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 52% lower, Samarinda 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.31 Rp 23.2K

$1.57 Rp 27.8K

-16.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.21 Rp 163.1K

$12.17 Rp 215.6K

-24.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.36 Rp 59.6K

$5.76 Rp 102.0K

-41.67%

Cappuccino

$1.50 Rp 26.6K

$1.72 Rp 30.4K

-12.79%

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

$0.53 Rp 9,322

$0.53 Rp 9,357

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,830

$0.42 Rp 7,398

-35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 Rp 61.6K

$2.50 Rp 44.3K

38.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 Rp 63.8K

$3.48 Rp 61.6K

3.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

$1.22 Rp 21.6K

0.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

$0.97 Rp 17.1K

13.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.6K

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

23.68%

Eggs

$1.52 Rp 26.9K

$1.60 Rp 28.4K

-5.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 Rp 163.8K

$8.19 Rp 145.0K

12.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 54.7K

$4.00 Rp 70.8K

-22.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.73 Rp 136.9K

$11.17 Rp 197.9K

-30.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.7K

$5.70 Rp 101.0K

-58.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

$1.22 Rp 21.5K

5.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 Rp 30.3K

$1.16 Rp 20.6K

47.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.0K

$1.61 Rp 28.6K

-1.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 Rp 24.8K

$1.51 Rp 26.8K

-7.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 Rp 45.4K

$1.97 Rp 34.9K

29.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.3K

$0.95 Rp 16.9K

2.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,131

$0.56 Rp 9,899

-17.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 Rp 45.7K

$2.27 Rp 40.2K

13.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.40 Rp 396.8K

$21.72 Rp 384.8K

3.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 Rp 37.6K

$2.05 Rp 36.4K

3.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Rp 63.3K

$3.19 Rp 56.4K

11.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,751

$0.30 Rp 5,310

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.50 Rp 185.9K

$10.02 Rp 177.5K

4.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 Rp 13.3K

$0.94 Rp 16.7K

-20.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.34 Rp 6,077

126.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 Rp 43.4K

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

-17.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

$0.63 Rp 11.2K

33.33%

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

$24.9K Rp 440.9M

$24.2K Rp 429.4M

2.68%

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

$25.4K Rp 450.8M

$27.7K Rp 491.5M

-8.28%

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

$43.15 Rp 764.4K

$69.2 Rp 1.2M

-37.60%

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

$4.62 Rp 81.8K

$4.21 Rp 74.6K

9.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.12 Rp 409.6K

$22.53 Rp 399.1K

2.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.83 Rp 386.8K

$22.64 Rp 401.1K

-3.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.56 Rp 116.1K

$5.98 Rp 106.0K

9.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.01 Rp 53.3K

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

-2.59%

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

$92.2 Rp 1.6M

$92.5 Rp 1.6M

-0.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,546 Rp 133.7M

$7,495 Rp 132.8M

0.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.50 Rp 753.0K

$41.12 Rp 728.4K

3.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.38 Rp 538.2K

$30.13 Rp 533.8K

0.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.9 Rp 1.0M

$67.4 Rp 1.2M

-14.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.9 Rp 1.1M

$73.1 Rp 1.3M

-12.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 Rp 4.2M

$257 Rp 4.6M

-8.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 Rp 2.7M

$156 Rp 2.8M

-1.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 Rp 8.0M

$577 Rp 10.2M

-21.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 Rp 4.4M

$337 Rp 6.0M

-25.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$724 Rp 12.8M

$1,177 Rp 20.9M

-38.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$305 Rp 5.4M

$645 Rp 11.4M

-52.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$289 Rp 5.1M

$331 Rp 5.9M

-12.68%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Samarinda: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $235 in Bandung and $257 in Samarinda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samarinda pays 15% 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 Samarinda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $237 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 12% 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, Samarinda earns 15% 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: $235 in Bandung versus $257 in Samarinda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Samarinda. 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 $12.00 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 $635 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 12% less than in Samarinda. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.