Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Semarang Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Semarang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $651 in Bandung versus $581 in Semarang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $951 in Bandung versus $928 in Semarang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,250 in Bandung versus $1,274 in Semarang.

Living in Bandung is roughly 12% more expensive than in Semarang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 53% lower, Semarang 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.44 Rp 25.3K

$1.45 Rp 25.5K

-0.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.87 Rp 244.1K

$10.54 Rp 185.6K

31.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.35 Rp 59.0K

$3.14 Rp 55.3K

6.69%

Cappuccino

$1.49 Rp 26.3K

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

20.16%

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

$0.46 Rp 8,134

$0.49 Rp 8,635

-6.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,032

$0.18 Rp 3,148

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 Rp 53.6K

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

74.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 Rp 53.9K

$3.43 Rp 60.3K

-10.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 Rp 17.6K

$0.96 Rp 16.9K

4.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.5K

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

5.06%

Eggs

$1.50 Rp 26.3K

$1.38 Rp 24.3K

8.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.37 Rp 129.8K

$5.66 Rp 99.6K

30.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.87 Rp 50.6K

$2.36 Rp 41.6K

21.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 Rp 137.5K

$8.16 Rp 143.6K

-4.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 38.8K

$2.52 Rp 44.5K

-12.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 Rp 18.7K

$1.53 Rp 27.0K

-30.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 26.4K

$1.81 Rp 31.9K

-17.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.6K

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

-39.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.5K

$1.79 Rp 31.5K

-37.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 33.3K

$2.23 Rp 39.3K

-15.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 Rp 12.4K

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

-14.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,660

$0.42 Rp 7,375

4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

$2.26 Rp 39.8K

17.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.98 Rp 404.6K

$14.17 Rp 249.5K

62.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 Rp 34.2K

$2.35 Rp 41.4K

-17.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 Rp 58.6K

$2.70 Rp 47.5K

23.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,159

$0.24 Rp 4,246

20.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.69 Rp 170.5K

$14.32 Rp 252.2K

-32.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

$0.89 Rp 15.6K

-6.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 Rp 9,244

$0.29 Rp 5,129

82.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 Rp 42.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

5.00%

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

$21.9K Rp 385.2M

$23.0K Rp 405.1M

-4.91%

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

$29.1K Rp 512.4M

$31.1K Rp 547.6M

-6.42%

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

$34.81 Rp 612.8K

$68.1 Rp 1.2M

-48.86%

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

$4.37 Rp 77.0K

$2.69 Rp 47.3K

62.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.10 Rp 336.2K

$20.77 Rp 365.6K

-8.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.97 Rp 334.1K

$21.00 Rp 369.8K

-9.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.09 Rp 107.2K

$4.76 Rp 83.8K

27.94%

Cinema Ticket

$2.79 Rp 49.1K

$2.22 Rp 39.1K

25.68%

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

$94.5 Rp 1.7M

$40.97 Rp 721.3K

130.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,481 Rp 149.3M

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

280.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.09 Rp 688.2K

$28.65 Rp 504.3K

36.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.10 Rp 582.7K

$29.45 Rp 518.4K

12.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 Rp 1.4M

$58.8 Rp 1.0M

31.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 Rp 1.3M

$39.84 Rp 701.5K

80.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$218 Rp 3.8M

$229 Rp 4.0M

-4.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 Rp 3.3M

$143 Rp 2.5M

30.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 Rp 6.8M

$496 Rp 8.7M

-22.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 Rp 4.7M

$394 Rp 6.9M

-32.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$723 Rp 12.7M

$1,178 Rp 20.7M

-38.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$312 Rp 5.5M

$557 Rp 9.8M

-43.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$288 Rp 5.1M

$196 Rp 3.5M

46.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

7.83

45.34%

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

Last update for Bandung: September 6, 2026

Last update for Semarang: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $218 in Bandung and $229 in Semarang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 47% 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 $11.00 in Semarang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $183 per month, with Semarang 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 Semarang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Semarang wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Bandung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Semarang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 47% 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: $218 in Bandung versus $229 in Semarang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Bandung. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Semarang – a meal for two runs $11.00 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 Semarang 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 Semarang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $581 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Semarang hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bandung and Semarang 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 Semarang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Bandung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.