Cost of Living Comparison Between Denpasar, Bali and Ambon Cost of Living Comparison Between Denpasar, Bali and Ambon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $909 in Denpasar, Bali versus $658 in Ambon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,516 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,038 in Ambon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,123 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,417 in Ambon.

Living in Denpasar, Bali is roughly 38% more expensive than in Ambon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Denpasar, Bali 34% lower, Ambon 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

99.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.92 Rp 423.6K

$13.95 Rp 247.0K

71.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.76 Rp 66.5K

$3.91 Rp 69.3K

-3.84%

Cappuccino

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

$1.50 Rp 26.6K

18.00%

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

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

$0.47 Rp 8,319

163.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 Rp 9,131

$0.29 Rp 5,068

79.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 Rp 34.4K

$2.48 Rp 43.8K

-21.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 Rp 51.9K

$3.49 Rp 61.8K

-16.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

22.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 Rp 32.9K

$1.04 Rp 18.4K

78.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

$0.88 Rp 15.5K

3.41%

Eggs

$1.76 Rp 31.2K

$1.39 Rp 24.6K

26.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.64 Rp 259.2K

$7.25 Rp 128.4K

101.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 Rp 56.6K

$2.93 Rp 51.9K

9.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.81 Rp 173.7K

$7.64 Rp 135.3K

28.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 Rp 53.8K

$2.28 Rp 40.3K

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.3K

$1.32 Rp 23.4K

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 33.0K

$1.70 Rp 30.2K

10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 Rp 28.4K

$1.29 Rp 22.8K

24.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.0K

$1.31 Rp 23.2K

16.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 34.3K

$1.97 Rp 34.8K

-1.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,346

$0.41 Rp 7,302

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 Rp 33.3K

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

-15.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.97 Rp 335.9K

$21.27 Rp 376.6K

-10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 Rp 33.1K

$1.94 Rp 34.3K

-3.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 Rp 44.3K

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

-16.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,267

$0.24 Rp 4,243

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.36 Rp 130.4K

$16.99 Rp 300.9K

-56.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 Rp 7,657

$0.50 Rp 8,778

-14.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 Rp 6,963

$0.31 Rp 5,435

25.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 Rp 54.1K

$3.34 Rp 59.2K

-8.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

-3.95%

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

$22.5K Rp 399.3M

$23.0K Rp 406.6M

-1.80%

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

$28.3K Rp 500.7M

$31.1K Rp 550.3M

-9.02%

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

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

-2.06%

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

$5.96 Rp 105.5K

$5.82 Rp 103.1K

2.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.71 Rp 296.0K

$19.77 Rp 350.1K

-15.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.78 Rp 704.5K

$18.75 Rp 332.0K

112.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.21 Rp 233.9K

$7.70 Rp 136.3K

71.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.11 Rp 55.0K

$1.38 Rp 24.5K

125.36%

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

$370 Rp 6.6M

$94.2 Rp 1.7M

292.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,428 Rp 78.4M

$7,888 Rp 139.7M

-43.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.11 Rp 710.2K

$43.70 Rp 773.8K

-8.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.66 Rp 542.9K

$31.00 Rp 548.9K

-1.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 Rp 1.3M

$74.3 Rp 1.3M

-4.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.9 Rp 1.2M

$73.1 Rp 1.3M

-7.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 Rp 10.4M

$262 Rp 4.6M

123.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 Rp 6.3M

$161 Rp 2.9M

122.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,846 Rp 32.7M

$571 Rp 10.1M

223.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$922 Rp 16.3M

$359 Rp 6.4M

156.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,456 Rp 25.8M

$1,120 Rp 19.8M

30.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,214 Rp 21.5M

$618 Rp 10.9M

96.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$284 Rp 5.0M

$126 Rp 2.2M

126.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

9.46

45.67%

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

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: September 12, 2026

Last update for Ambon: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $585 in Denpasar, Bali and $262 in Ambon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Denpasar, Bali pays 126% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $24.00 in Denpasar, Bali vs $14.00 in Ambon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $196 per month, with Ambon 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

Denpasar, Bali vs Ambon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ambon wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Denpasar, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ambon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 126% higher in Denpasar, Bali, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $585 in Denpasar, Bali versus $262 in Ambon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $909 per month in Denpasar, Bali versus $658 in Ambon – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 131% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $658 in Ambon versus $909 in Denpasar, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ambon but tight or insufficient in Denpasar, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Ambon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ambon delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $658 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ambon hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Denpasar, Bali and Ambon 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 Ambon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.