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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $798 per month in Bintulu vs $1,270 in Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,224 per month in Bintulu vs $2,308 in Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,650 per month in Bintulu vs $3,345 in Bali, rent included.

Bintulu is about 37% cheaper than Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bintulu and Bali are more affordable than the global median – Bintulu 40% lower, Bali 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 MYR 15.00

$2.89 Rp 49.7K

31.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.58 MYR 69.4

$27.51 Rp 472.8K

-36.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 MYR 22.73

$4.26 Rp 73.3K

35.21%

Cappuccino

$2.80 MYR 11.08

$2.28 Rp 39.2K

22.81%

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

$0.66 MYR 2.62

$1.14 Rp 19.7K

-42.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MYR 1.56

$0.59 Rp 10.1K

-32.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 MYR 11.38

$2.49 Rp 42.8K

15.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 MYR 19.33

$3.28 Rp 56.4K

49.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MYR 6.79

$1.73 Rp 29.7K

-0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 MYR 5.37

$2.41 Rp 41.4K

-43.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.95

$1.15 Rp 19.8K

8.70%

Eggs

$2.20 MYR 8.68

$2.32 Rp 39.9K

-5.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.34 MYR 64.5

$13.80 Rp 237.2K

18.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.26

$3.99 Rp 68.5K

-15.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.70 MYR 22.51

$11.64 Rp 200.0K

-51.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.61

$3.55 Rp 61.0K

-52.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 MYR 3.79

$1.49 Rp 25.6K

-35.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.46

$2.58 Rp 44.4K

-36.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 MYR 4.36

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

-50.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$1.81 Rp 31.1K

-72.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.59

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

-46.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MYR 2.71

$0.97 Rp 16.7K

-28.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.67

$0.68 Rp 11.7K

-38.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MYR 16.31

$3.10 Rp 53.2K

33.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.15 MYR 75.6

$22.57 Rp 387.8K

-15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.46

$2.63 Rp 45.1K

10.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 MYR 7.37

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

-31.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 MYR 4.57

$0.27 Rp 4,579

329.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.45 MYR 61.0

$8.25 Rp 141.7K

87.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 MYR 3.84

$0.45 Rp 7,786

115.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 MYR 3.48

$0.46 Rp 7,824

91.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 MYR 9.28

$6.04 Rp 103.7K

-61.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 MYR 2.05

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

-38.82%

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

$42.9K MYR 169.4K

$25.7K Rp 442.4M

66.61%

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

$38.3K MYR 151.2K

$32.2K Rp 553.2M

18.93%

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

$57.3 MYR 226

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

-28.31%

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

$9.20 MYR 36.35

$3.98 Rp 68.5K

131.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.24 MYR 115

$24.26 Rp 417.0K

20.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.1 MYR 257

$81.4 Rp 1.4M

-20.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.01 MYR 23.73

$5.50 Rp 94.5K

9.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.11 MYR 16.25

$3.37 Rp 57.9K

21.96%

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

$121 MYR 479

$273 Rp 4.7M

-55.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,941 MYR 27.4K

$6,007 Rp 103.2M

15.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 MYR 251

$52.5 Rp 902.4K

21.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.25 MYR 135

$36.80 Rp 632.5K

-6.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 MYR 298

$84.4 Rp 1.5M

-10.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 MYR 347

$73.2 Rp 1.3M

19.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$208 MYR 822

$880 Rp 15.1M

-76.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 MYR 604

$589 Rp 10.1M

-74.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 MYR 1,786

$3,010 Rp 51.7M

-84.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 MYR 1,258

$1,834 Rp 31.5M

-82.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,793 MYR 7,081

$2,575 Rp 44.3M

-30.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 MYR 4,688

$2,080 Rp 35.7M

-42.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$620 MYR 2,449

$223 Rp 3.8M

178.68%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Bali: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $208 in Bintulu versus $880 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 179% 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 in Bintulu versus $28 in Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $285 – 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 59% 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 $1,196 per month in Bintulu and $1,905 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 $28.00 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 $798 in Bintulu and $1,270 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 $798, than in Bali at $1,270. 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 $798 versus $1,270 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.