Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Timika Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandung and Timika

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $651 in Bandung versus $638 in Timika.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $951 in Bandung versus $1,017 in Timika.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,250 in Bandung versus $1,396 in Timika.

Living in Bandung is roughly 2% more expensive than in Timika, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bandung 53% lower, Timika 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.44 Rp 25.3K

$1.68 Rp 29.7K

-14.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.87 Rp 244.1K

$14.11 Rp 248.3K

-1.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.35 Rp 59.0K

$3.41 Rp 60.1K

-1.76%

Cappuccino

$1.49 Rp 26.3K

$1.57 Rp 27.6K

-5.10%

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

$0.46 Rp 8,134

$0.45 Rp 7,943

2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,032

$0.25 Rp 4,434

-8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 Rp 53.6K

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

32.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 Rp 53.9K

$3.36 Rp 59.2K

-8.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

1.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 Rp 17.6K

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

-9.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.5K

$0.89 Rp 15.6K

-6.74%

Eggs

$1.50 Rp 26.3K

$1.49 Rp 26.1K

0.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.37 Rp 129.8K

$7.17 Rp 126.2K

2.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.87 Rp 50.6K

$2.93 Rp 51.5K

-2.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 Rp 137.5K

$7.86 Rp 138.4K

-0.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 38.8K

$2.28 Rp 40.1K

-3.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 Rp 18.7K

$1.33 Rp 23.4K

-20.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 26.4K

$1.77 Rp 31.1K

-15.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.6K

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

-24.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.5K

$1.32 Rp 23.3K

-15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 33.3K

$1.95 Rp 34.4K

-3.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 Rp 12.4K

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

-2.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,660

$0.43 Rp 7,591

2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

$2.79 Rp 49.0K

-5.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.98 Rp 404.6K

$20.36 Rp 358.5K

12.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 Rp 34.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 Rp 58.6K

$2.95 Rp 51.9K

12.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,159

$0.27 Rp 4,727

7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.69 Rp 170.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

$0.49 Rp 8,543

69.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 Rp 9,244

$0.33 Rp 5,787

60.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 Rp 42.0K

$2.92 Rp 51.5K

-18.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

13.51%

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

$21.9K Rp 385.2M

$23.6K Rp 414.6M

-7.11%

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

$29.1K Rp 512.4M

$30.5K Rp 536.9M

-4.55%

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

$34.81 Rp 612.8K

$67.6 Rp 1.2M

-48.50%

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

$4.37 Rp 77.0K

$4.51 Rp 79.5K

-3.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.10 Rp 336.2K

$19.59 Rp 344.9K

-2.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.97 Rp 334.1K

$20.49 Rp 360.8K

-7.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.09 Rp 107.2K

$8.54 Rp 150.3K

-28.69%

Cinema Ticket

$2.79 Rp 49.1K

$2.88 Rp 50.6K

-3.12%

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

$94.5 Rp 1.7M

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

-1.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,481 Rp 149.3M

$7,945 Rp 139.9M

6.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.09 Rp 688.2K

$44.69 Rp 786.9K

-12.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.10 Rp 582.7K

$29.88 Rp 526.1K

10.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.3 Rp 1.4M

$74.3 Rp 1.3M

4.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 Rp 1.3M

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

-0.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$218 Rp 3.8M

$222 Rp 3.9M

-2.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 Rp 3.3M

$156 Rp 2.7M

19.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 Rp 6.8M

$565 Rp 9.9M

-32.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 Rp 4.7M

$370 Rp 6.5M

-28.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$723 Rp 12.7M

$1,165 Rp 20.5M

-37.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$312 Rp 5.5M

$656 Rp 11.5M

-52.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$288 Rp 5.1M

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 6, 2026

Last update for Timika: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $218 in Bandung and $222 in Timika. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Bandung vs $14.00 in Timika for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $197 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 Timika: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Timika wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Bandung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Timika the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $976 in Bandung and $956 in Timika 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: $218 in Bandung versus $222 in Timika. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $94.5 in Bandung versus $96.2 in Timika. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Timika – a meal for two runs $14.00 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 Timika 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 Timika delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $638 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Timika hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bandung and Timika 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 Timika gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Bandung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.