Cost of Living Comparison Between Batam and Uluwatu, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Batam and Uluwatu, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $660 in Batam versus $1,759 in Uluwatu, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,103 in Batam versus $3,176 in Uluwatu, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,546 in Batam versus $4,593 in Uluwatu, Bali.

Living in Batam costs roughly 62% less than in Uluwatu, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Batam is 51% below, Uluwatu, Bali is 32% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Batam
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.79 Rp 50.1K
$4.27 Rp 76.7K
-34.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$9.30 Rp 167.2K
$39.90 Rp 717.1K
-76.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.54 Rp 63.5K
$6.16 Rp 110.6K
-42.53%
Cappuccino
$2.21 Rp 39.7K
$3.29 Rp 59.0K
-32.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 Rp 24.0K
$1.62 Rp 29.2K
-17.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.41 Rp 7,356
$0.89 Rp 15.9K
-53.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.80 Rp 50.4K
$3.53 Rp 63.5K
-20.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02 Rp 72.3K
$4.76 Rp 85.5K
-15.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Batam
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 Rp 21.8K
$1.87 Rp 33.7K
-35.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.21 Rp 21.8K
$2.63 Rp 47.3K
-53.99%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.85 Rp 15.3K
$1.27 Rp 22.8K
-33.07%
Eggs
$1.36 Rp 24.4K
$2.57 Rp 46.1K
-47.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.11 Rp 145.7K
$15.13 Rp 271.9K
-46.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.66 Rp 47.7K
$4.37 Rp 78.6K
-39.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.82 Rp 86.7K
$12.43 Rp 223.3K
-61.22%
Apples (1kg)
$2.38 Rp 42.7K
$3.96 Rp 71.2K
-39.90%
Banana (1kg)
$2.26 Rp 40.6K
$1.63 Rp 29.3K
38.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 Rp 39.2K
$2.90 Rp 52.1K
-24.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.10 Rp 19.8K
$2.35 Rp 42.2K
-53.19%
Potato (1kg)
$1.01 Rp 18.1K
$2.00 Rp 36.0K
-49.50%
Onion (1kg)
$2.16 Rp 38.8K
$2.30 Rp 41.4K
-6.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 Rp 26.3K
$1.08 Rp 19.4K
35.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.40 Rp 7,100
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
-50.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.65 Rp 47.7K
$3.28 Rp 59.0K
-19.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 Rp 245.8K
$24.45 Rp 439.4K
-44.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.97 Rp 35.5K
$2.89 Rp 52.0K
-31.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 Rp 47.4K
$2.87 Rp 51.6K
-8.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Batam
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.47 Rp 8,417
$0.36 Rp 6,518
30.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.91 Rp 303.8K
$10.28 Rp 184.8K
64.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.26 Rp 22.6K
$0.57 Rp 10.2K
121.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.65 Rp 11.7K
$0.57 Rp 10.2K
14.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.72 Rp 66.9K
$7.63 Rp 137.0K
-51.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
$1.06 Rp 19.0K
-21.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K Rp 533.1M
$32.2K Rp 578.0M
-7.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.2K Rp 344.2M
$40.3K Rp 723.6M
-52.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Batam
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$77.8 Rp 1.4M
$88.2 Rp 1.6M
-11.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.96 Rp 71.2K
$4.47 Rp 80.4K
-11.41%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.92 Rp 465.8K
$26.05 Rp 468.2K
-0.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Batam
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.33 Rp 545.1K
$115 Rp 2.1M
-73.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.04 Rp 144.6K
$7.75 Rp 139.3K
3.74%
Cinema Ticket
$3.08 Rp 55.4K
$4.70 Rp 84.5K
-34.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Batam
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$93.3 Rp 1.7M
$339 Rp 6.1M
-72.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,643 Rp 65.5M
$7,595 Rp 136.5M
-52.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Batam
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.31 Rp 634.6K
$60.8 Rp 1.1M
-41.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$20.55 Rp 369.3K
$42.63 Rp 766.1K
-51.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.4 Rp 1.3M
$97.9 Rp 1.8M
-26.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$26.40 Rp 474.4K
$86.1 Rp 1.5M
-69.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Batam
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$294 Rp 5.3M
$1,369 Rp 24.6M
-78.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$166 Rp 3.0M
$920 Rp 16.5M
-81.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$890 Rp 16.0M
$4,495 Rp 80.8M
-80.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$560 Rp 10.1M
$2,803 Rp 50.4M
-80.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$550 Rp 9.9M
$3,751 Rp 67.4M
-85.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,040 Rp 54.6M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Batam
Uluwatu, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$334 Rp 6.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.88
13.28
4.52%

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

Last update for Batam: July 13, 2026

Last update for Uluwatu, Bali: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $294 in Batam and $1,369 in Uluwatu, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $9.00 in Batam vs $40.00 in Uluwatu, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $312 per month, with Batam 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
Batam vs Uluwatu, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Uluwatu, Bali cheaper than Batam?
Batam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 166% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $990 in Batam and $2,638 in Uluwatu, Bali 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.
What is the rent difference between Batam and Uluwatu, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $294 in Batam versus $1,369 in Uluwatu, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Batam runs roughly 64% less than in Uluwatu, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $93.3 in Batam versus $339 in Uluwatu, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Batam or in Uluwatu, Bali?
At $660 in Batam versus $1,759 in Uluwatu, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Batam but tight or insufficient in Uluwatu, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Batam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Batam or Uluwatu, Bali more family-friendly?
For families, Batam is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Uluwatu, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Batam or Uluwatu, Bali?
Safety-wise, Batam and Uluwatu, Bali are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Batam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 166% less than in Uluwatu, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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