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: $959 in Denpasar, Bali versus $661 in Ambon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,681 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,017 in Ambon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,404 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,373 in Ambon.

Living in Denpasar, Bali is roughly 45% more expensive than in Ambon, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Denpasar, Bali 28% lower, Ambon 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.41 Rp 43.5K

$0.88 Rp 16.0K

173.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.01 Rp 397.4K

$12.22 Rp 220.6K

80.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 Rp 58.7K

$3.36 Rp 60.7K

-3.27%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.5K

$1.74 Rp 31.3K

3.45%

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

$0.87 Rp 15.7K

$0.51 Rp 9,186

70.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 Rp 8,400

$0.26 Rp 4,733

80.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 Rp 35.2K

$2.49 Rp 44.9K

-21.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 Rp 47.0K

$3.45 Rp 62.3K

-24.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 Rp 26.0K

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 Rp 36.7K

$1.16 Rp 21.0K

75.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 Rp 16.4K

$0.93 Rp 16.8K

-2.15%

Eggs

$1.97 Rp 35.5K

$1.55 Rp 27.9K

27.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 Rp 213.2K

$8.19 Rp 147.8K

44.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 Rp 61.7K

$3.11 Rp 56.2K

9.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.84 Rp 177.6K

$8.07 Rp 145.7K

21.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 55.8K

$2.34 Rp 42.2K

32.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 Rp 23.7K

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

-12.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.9K

$1.82 Rp 32.8K

21.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 34.3K

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

21.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.8K

$1.33 Rp 23.9K

15.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 33.8K

$1.89 Rp 34.1K

-1.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

$0.95 Rp 17.2K

-13.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 Rp 10.6K

$0.45 Rp 8,112

31.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 Rp 47.4K

$2.54 Rp 45.9K

3.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 Rp 335.3K

$19.90 Rp 359.2K

-6.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 Rp 40.9K

$2.13 Rp 38.4K

6.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 Rp 40.2K

$3.07 Rp 55.4K

-27.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,720

$0.32 Rp 5,778

-18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.54 Rp 136.1K

$9.70 Rp 175.2K

-22.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,948

$0.57 Rp 10.3K

-22.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,497

$0.37 Rp 6,736

13.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 Rp 102.2K

$2.94 Rp 53.0K

92.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 Rp 13.1K

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

-13.25%

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

$23.9K Rp 431.9M

$24.7K Rp 446.0M

-3.16%

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

$28.4K Rp 513.6M

$27.6K Rp 497.4M

3.26%

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

$71.0 Rp 1.3M

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

0.11%

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

$3.55 Rp 64.2K

$4.21 Rp 76.0K

-15.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.30 Rp 384.6K

$22.67 Rp 409.3K

-6.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.6 Rp 1.2M

$23.43 Rp 422.9K

188.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.47 Rp 80.8K

$6.00 Rp 108.4K

-25.50%

Cinema Ticket

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

$3.04 Rp 54.8K

-8.22%

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

$234 Rp 4.2M

$91.5 Rp 1.7M

155.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,006 Rp 90.4M

$7,444 Rp 134.4M

-32.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.68 Rp 842.7K

$42.02 Rp 758.5K

11.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.96 Rp 595.0K

$31.12 Rp 561.7K

5.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 Rp 1.4M

$66.9 Rp 1.2M

12.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.9 Rp 1.2M

$72.5 Rp 1.3M

-9.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 Rp 9.6M

$261 Rp 4.7M

102.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 Rp 6.3M

$158 Rp 2.9M

119.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 Rp 32.3M

$582 Rp 10.5M

207.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 Rp 19.8M

$329 Rp 5.9M

233.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,426 Rp 25.7M

$1,166 Rp 21.0M

22.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,171 Rp 21.1M

$611 Rp 11.0M

91.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$279 Rp 5.0M

$170 Rp 3.1M

64.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.15

45.14%

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

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ambon: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $530 in Denpasar, Bali and $261 in Ambon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Denpasar, Bali pays 64% 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: $22.00 in Denpasar, Bali vs $12.00 in Ambon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $207 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 45% 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 64% 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: $530 in Denpasar, Bali versus $261 in Ambon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $959 per month in Denpasar, Bali versus $661 in Ambon – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ambon runs roughly 29% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $661 in Ambon versus $959 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 $661 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 45% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.