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: $647 in Bandung versus $652 in Semarang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $949 in Bandung versus $1,022 in Semarang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,251 in Bandung versus $1,391 in Semarang.

Living in Bandung costs roughly 1% less than in Semarang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 52% lower, Semarang 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.28 Rp 22.9K

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

-28.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.42 Rp 168.9K

$12.32 Rp 220.9K

-23.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.43 Rp 61.5K

$3.69 Rp 66.1K

-7.05%

Cappuccino

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

-4.00%

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

$0.49 Rp 8,717

$0.52 Rp 9,352

-5.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,452

$0.27 Rp 4,833

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$1.99 Rp 35.6K

64.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$3.01 Rp 53.9K

18.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

$1.02 Rp 18.4K

15.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

$1.03 Rp 18.5K

3.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

17.50%

Eggs

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

3.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.33 Rp 167.3K

$6.11 Rp 109.5K

52.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.02 Rp 54.2K

$2.93 Rp 52.6K

3.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 Rp 142.0K

$8.73 Rp 156.5K

-9.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 42.4K

$2.59 Rp 46.4K

-8.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.9K

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

-16.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 Rp 30.3K

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

-10.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 27.2K

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

-3.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 26.5K

$1.30 Rp 23.3K

13.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 Rp 47.8K

$1.88 Rp 33.8K

42.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

$0.91 Rp 16.3K

5.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,234

$0.41 Rp 7,300

12.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 Rp 46.0K

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

13.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.35 Rp 400.7K

$14.10 Rp 252.7K

58.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 Rp 37.6K

$2.58 Rp 46.3K

-18.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 Rp 62.5K

$2.88 Rp 51.5K

21.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,362

$0.26 Rp 4,661

15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.57 Rp 189.5K

$13.11 Rp 234.9K

-19.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

-18.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 Rp 12.7K

$0.31 Rp 5,634

129.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 Rp 46.4K

$2.88 Rp 51.6K

-10.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

-5.81%

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

$24.4K Rp 437.0M

$24.5K Rp 439.9M

-0.67%

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

$26.4K Rp 473.3M

$31.2K Rp 558.6M

-15.26%

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

$43.12 Rp 773.0K

$94.0 Rp 1.7M

-54.12%

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

$4.52 Rp 81.1K

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

64.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.94 Rp 411.3K

$23.89 Rp 428.2K

-3.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.48 Rp 385.1K

$23.84 Rp 427.4K

-9.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.62 Rp 118.7K

$5.06 Rp 90.6K

30.83%

Cinema Ticket

$3.16 Rp 56.6K

$3.05 Rp 54.6K

3.61%

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

$94.4 Rp 1.7M

$44.50 Rp 797.7K

112.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,577 Rp 135.8M

$2,399 Rp 43.0M

215.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.84 Rp 750.1K

$37.42 Rp 670.8K

11.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.57 Rp 547.9K

$32.67 Rp 585.6K

-6.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 Rp 1.1M

$66.9 Rp 1.2M

-11.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.7 Rp 1.1M

$43.76 Rp 784.5K

45.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 Rp 4.2M

$255 Rp 4.6M

-8.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$154 Rp 2.8M

1.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 Rp 8.0M

$536 Rp 9.6M

-16.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 Rp 4.4M

$413 Rp 7.4M

-40.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$723 Rp 13.0M

$1,187 Rp 21.3M

-39.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$309 Rp 5.5M

$564 Rp 10.1M

-45.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$284 Rp 5.1M

$184 Rp 3.3M

54.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

7.83

16.86%

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

Last update for Bandung: June 2, 2026

Last update for Semarang: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $234 in Bandung and $255 in Semarang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 54% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $9.00 in Bandung vs $12.00 in Semarang. Groceries flip the comparison at $215 vs $190, with Semarang cheaper for home cooking.

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

Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Semarang. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bandung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Bandung pays 54% more on average, 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: $234 in Bandung versus $255 in Semarang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Semarang pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandung – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $12.00 in Semarang. 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 $647 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandung 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 Bandung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Semarang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.