Cost of Living Comparison Between Bintulu and Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Bintulu and Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $793 per month in Bintulu vs $1,279 in Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,240 per month in Bintulu vs $2,322 in Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,687 per month in Bintulu vs $3,365 in Bali, rent included.

Bintulu is about 38% cheaper than Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bintulu and Bali are more affordable than the global median – Bintulu 41% lower, Bali 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.82 MYR 15.59

$2.90 Rp 51.9K

31.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.65 MYR 72.1

$26.61 Rp 476.5K

-33.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 MYR 23.69

$4.08 Rp 73.1K

42.16%

Cappuccino

$2.87 MYR 11.74

$2.25 Rp 40.3K

27.56%

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

$0.66 MYR 2.69

$1.12 Rp 20.0K

-41.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.59

$0.61 Rp 11.0K

-36.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 MYR 11.38

$2.44 Rp 43.7K

14.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 MYR 20.49

$3.33 Rp 59.6K

50.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.39

$1.73 Rp 31.0K

4.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 MYR 5.63

$2.38 Rp 42.6K

-42.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.42

$1.13 Rp 20.2K

17.70%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.97

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 MYR 66.2

$13.63 Rp 244.1K

18.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.45 MYR 14.11

$4.12 Rp 73.8K

-16.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.50 MYR 22.46

$11.61 Rp 207.8K

-52.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.69

$3.48 Rp 62.3K

-52.87%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 MYR 3.79

$1.55 Rp 27.7K

-40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.62

$2.59 Rp 46.4K

-37.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.34

$2.13 Rp 38.1K

-50.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

-73.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.87

$2.11 Rp 37.8K

-43.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 MYR 2.94

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

-28.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.61

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

-46.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 MYR 16.17

$3.01 Rp 54.0K

31.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.22 MYR 78.5

$21.99 Rp 393.8K

-12.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 MYR 11.61

$2.67 Rp 47.8K

6.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 MYR 7.50

$2.69 Rp 48.1K

-31.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 MYR 4.68

$0.27 Rp 4,777

325.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.72 MYR 64.2

$8.30 Rp 148.6K

89.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MYR 3.72

$0.49 Rp 8,830

85.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 MYR 3.72

$0.45 Rp 8,089

102.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 MYR 9.82

$6.20 Rp 111.0K

-61.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.09

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

-39.29%

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

$41.9K MYR 171.1K

$26.5K Rp 474.7M

57.98%

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

$37.8K MYR 154.4K

$32.0K Rp 573.0M

18.09%

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

$58.0 MYR 237

$81.2 Rp 1.5M

-28.49%

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

$9.07 MYR 37.04

$4.12 Rp 73.8K

120.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 MYR 122

$23.71 Rp 424.5K

26.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.8 MYR 264

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

-21.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.75 MYR 23.49

$5.43 Rp 97.3K

5.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 MYR 17.08

$3.46 Rp 61.9K

20.81%

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

$124 MYR 506

$267 Rp 4.8M

-53.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,948 MYR 28.4K

$5,952 Rp 106.6M

16.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 MYR 252

$51.5 Rp 922.4K

19.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.44 MYR 137

$36.70 Rp 657.1K

-8.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 MYR 310

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

-9.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.7 MYR 354

$74.0 Rp 1.3M

17.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$215 MYR 879

$884 Rp 15.8M

-75.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 MYR 609

$574 Rp 10.3M

-74.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,906

$2,921 Rp 52.3M

-84.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 MYR 1,296

$1,782 Rp 31.9M

-82.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,765 MYR 7,209

$2,449 Rp 43.9M

-27.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,143 MYR 4,667

$1,993 Rp 35.7M

-42.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$599 MYR 2,446

$223 Rp 4.0M

169.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

13.28

-66.11%

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

Last update for Bintulu: July 19, 2026

Last update for Bali: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $215 in Bintulu versus $884 in Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 169% higher in Bintulu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Bintulu versus $27.00 in Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $284 – making Bintulu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Bintulu vs Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 61% more than Bintulu, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,190 per month in Bintulu and $1,919 in Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bintulu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Bintulu and $27.00 in Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $793 in Bintulu and $1,279 in Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bintulu, where all-in costs run around $793, than in Bali at $1,279. In Bintulu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bintulu costs $793 versus $1,279 in Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bintulu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.