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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $853 per month in Bintulu vs $1,275 in Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,321 per month in Bintulu vs $2,093 in Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,788 per month in Bintulu vs $2,912 in Bali, rent included.

Bintulu is about 33% cheaper than Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bintulu and Bali are more affordable than the global median – Bintulu 38% lower, Bali 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.99 MYR 16.25

$2.78 Rp 49.0K

43.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.47 MYR 75.2

$30.58 Rp 538.3K

-39.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.08 MYR 24.71

$4.71 Rp 83.0K

29.09%

Cappuccino

$2.88 MYR 11.73

$2.34 Rp 41.1K

23.08%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.82

$1.52 Rp 26.7K

-54.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.71

$0.67 Rp 11.8K

-37.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 MYR 12.13

$2.56 Rp 45.1K

16.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MYR 20.62

$3.67 Rp 64.6K

38.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 MYR 8.60

$1.52 Rp 26.7K

38.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 MYR 5.82

$2.12 Rp 37.3K

-32.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.41

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

19.82%

Eggs

$2.25 MYR 9.16

$2.02 Rp 35.5K

11.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.24 MYR 70.1

$16.67 Rp 293.5K

3.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 MYR 14.99

$3.75 Rp 66.0K

-1.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.86 MYR 23.83

$11.85 Rp 208.7K

-50.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.21

$3.51 Rp 61.9K

-49.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 MYR 3.89

$1.54 Rp 27.1K

-37.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 MYR 6.91

$2.25 Rp 39.6K

-24.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.74

$1.92 Rp 33.7K

-39.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 MYR 2.06

$1.73 Rp 30.5K

-70.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$2.30 Rp 40.5K

-47.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 MYR 3.08

$1.01 Rp 17.7K

-24.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 MYR 1.68

$0.51 Rp 9,046

-19.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MYR 16.58

$2.13 Rp 37.4K

91.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.46 MYR 79.2

$21.59 Rp 380.1K

-9.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 MYR 11.86

$2.20 Rp 38.8K

32.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MYR 7.91

$2.86 Rp 50.3K

-32.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 MYR 5.19

$0.25 Rp 4,377

408.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.64 MYR 67.7

$8.22 Rp 144.6K

102.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MYR 3.89

$0.49 Rp 8,567

95.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 MYR 3.61

$0.48 Rp 8,392

85.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 MYR 9.83

$5.52 Rp 97.1K

-56.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 MYR 2.30

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

-29.63%

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

$44.8K MYR 182.3K

$24.7K Rp 435.2M

81.29%

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

$39.9K MYR 162.2K

$31.8K Rp 559.5M

25.51%

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

$60.2 MYR 245

$82.8 Rp 1.5M

-27.21%

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

$32.61 MYR 133

$6.49 Rp 114.3K

402.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.84 MYR 125

$19.04 Rp 335.1K

61.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 MYR 283

$47.52 Rp 836.6K

46.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.52 MYR 50.9

$15.14 Rp 266.6K

-17.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 MYR 17.68

$3.77 Rp 66.3K

15.38%

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

$128 MYR 521

$446 Rp 7.9M

-71.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,430 MYR 30.2K

$5,332 Rp 93.9M

39.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 MYR 261

$44.63 Rp 785.8K

43.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.12 MYR 147

$33.69 Rp 593.1K

7.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 MYR 323

$77.2 Rp 1.4M

2.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.0 MYR 383

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

21.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 MYR 910

$1,003 Rp 17.7M

-77.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 MYR 644

$610 Rp 10.7M

-74.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 MYR 1,952

$3,095 Rp 54.5M

-84.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 MYR 1,400

$1,500 Rp 26.4M

-77.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,773 MYR 7,212

$2,478 Rp 43.6M

-28.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,154 MYR 4,694

$1,968 Rp 34.7M

-41.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$609 MYR 2,478

$220 Rp 3.9M

176.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

13.78

-67.34%

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

Last update for Bintulu: September 8, 2026

Last update for Bali: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $224 in Bintulu versus $1,003 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 177% 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 $31.00 in Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $278 – 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 49% 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 $1,280 per month in Bintulu and $1,913 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 $31.00 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 $853 in Bintulu and $1,275 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 $853, than in Bali at $1,275. 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 $853 versus $1,275 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.