Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Tanjung Balai Karimun Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Tanjung Balai Karimun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $634 in Bandung versus $666 in Tanjung Balai Karimun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $945 in Bandung versus $1,032 in Tanjung Balai Karimun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,257 in Bandung versus $1,397 in Tanjung Balai Karimun.

Living in Bandung costs roughly 5% less than in Tanjung Balai Karimun, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 53% lower, Tanjung Balai Karimun 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.26 Rp 22.9K

$1.51 Rp 27.4K

-16.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.09 Rp 164.8K

$12.42 Rp 225.2K

-26.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.30 Rp 59.9K

$3.48 Rp 63.1K

-5.17%

Cappuccino

$1.49 Rp 27.0K

$1.65 Rp 29.9K

-9.70%

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

$0.49 Rp 8,939

$0.51 Rp 9,251

-3.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,924

$0.28 Rp 5,137

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 Rp 62.9K

$2.44 Rp 44.3K

42.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Rp 64.8K

$3.55 Rp 64.4K

0.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Rp 22.1K

$1.22 Rp 22.0K

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 Rp 19.3K

$1.13 Rp 20.4K

-6.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 17.2K

$0.93 Rp 16.8K

2.15%

Eggs

$1.60 Rp 29.1K

$1.53 Rp 27.8K

4.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.91 Rp 161.5K

$8.02 Rp 145.5K

11.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 Rp 56.6K

$3.13 Rp 56.7K

-0.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 Rp 145.3K

$7.78 Rp 141.1K

2.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 41.2K

$2.38 Rp 43.2K

-4.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.5K

$1.44 Rp 26.1K

-10.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 Rp 31.3K

$1.88 Rp 34.0K

-7.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 Rp 29.0K

$1.51 Rp 27.3K

5.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 Rp 25.4K

$1.37 Rp 24.8K

2.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 Rp 48.6K

$1.96 Rp 35.6K

36.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 Rp 16.2K

$0.89 Rp 16.1K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,213

$0.41 Rp 7,477

9.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 45.1K

$2.56 Rp 46.5K

-3.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.04 Rp 399.7K

$20.88 Rp 378.8K

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 Rp 37.8K

$2.05 Rp 37.2K

1.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 Rp 62.1K

$3.21 Rp 58.3K

6.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,856

$0.32 Rp 5,844

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.57 Rp 191.8K

$9.80 Rp 177.7K

7.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 Rp 12.9K

$0.53 Rp 9,631

33.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 Rp 13.0K

$0.35 Rp 6,315

105.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 Rp 45.0K

$2.90 Rp 52.7K

-14.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 14.1K

$0.82 Rp 14.9K

-4.88%

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

$24.3K Rp 441.0M

$25.0K Rp 453.6M

-2.78%

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

$25.5K Rp 462.1M

$28.0K Rp 507.8M

-9.00%

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

$44.19 Rp 801.3K

$68.6 Rp 1.2M

-35.62%

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

$4.66 Rp 84.6K

$4.25 Rp 77.0K

9.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.53 Rp 408.7K

$22.79 Rp 413.4K

-1.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.16 Rp 401.9K

$23.17 Rp 420.1K

-4.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 Rp 119.7K

$6.10 Rp 110.7K

8.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.05 Rp 55.3K

$2.98 Rp 54.0K

2.35%

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

$92.8 Rp 1.7M

$94.0 Rp 1.7M

-1.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,565 Rp 137.2M

$7,511 Rp 136.2M

0.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.23 Rp 747.7K

$42.25 Rp 766.3K

-2.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.03 Rp 562.7K

$31.28 Rp 567.3K

-0.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.1 Rp 1.1M

$67.0 Rp 1.2M

-11.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.9 Rp 1.2M

$73.5 Rp 1.3M

-13.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 Rp 4.4M

$257 Rp 4.7M

-5.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$158 Rp 2.9M

-1.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 Rp 8.1M

$582 Rp 10.6M

-22.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 Rp 4.5M

$333 Rp 6.0M

-26.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$704 Rp 12.8M

$1,219 Rp 22.1M

-42.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$305 Rp 5.5M

$787 Rp 14.3M

-61.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 Rp 5.1M

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 7, 2026

Last update for Tanjung Balai Karimun: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Bandung and $257 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $9.00 in Bandung vs $12.00 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. Groceries flip the comparison at $213 vs $207, with Tanjung Balai Karimun 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 Tanjung Balai Karimun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Tanjung Balai Karimun. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bandung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $951 in Bandung and $999 in Tanjung Balai Karimun to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $242 in Bandung versus $257 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tanjung Balai Karimun pay roughly 3% 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 Tanjung Balai Karimun. 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 $634 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandung hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bandung and Tanjung Balai Karimun 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 5% less than in Tanjung Balai Karimun. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.