Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Denpasar, Bali and Balikpapan

For one person, living is cheaper in Balikpapan: $669 a month against $905 in Denpasar, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

43

Cost of Living Index in Denpasar, Bali
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Denpasar, Bali Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in Balikpapan
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Balikpapan Living Index

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Denpasar, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$905

/mo nomad

Balikpapan

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$669

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Denpasar, Bali and in Balikpapan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Denpasar, Bali and in Balikpapan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $905 in Denpasar, Bali versus $669 in Balikpapan.

Denpasar, Bali $905
Balikpapan $669

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,497 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,057 in Balikpapan.

Denpasar, Bali $1,497
Balikpapan $1,057

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,089 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,444 in Balikpapan.

Denpasar, Bali $2,089
Balikpapan $1,444

Living in Denpasar, Bali is roughly 35% more expensive than in Balikpapan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Denpasar, Bali 34% lower, Balikpapan 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.23 Rp 40.6K

$1.40 Rp 25.4K

59.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.40 Rp 425.0K

$10.88 Rp 197.7K

115.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.84 Rp 69.7K

$3.02 Rp 54.8K

27.15%

Cappuccino

$1.76 Rp 31.9K

$1.34 Rp 24.4K

31.34%

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

$1.16 Rp 21.1K

$0.35 Rp 6,320

231.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,771

$0.39 Rp 7,034

38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 Rp 32.7K

$2.25 Rp 40.8K

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 51.6K

$3.51 Rp 63.7K

-19.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Rp 22.1K

$1.13 Rp 20.5K

7.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 Rp 32.3K

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

69.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 Rp 17.8K

$1.17 Rp 21.3K

-16.24%

Eggs

$1.72 Rp 31.3K

$2.43 Rp 44.1K

-29.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.45 Rp 262.5K

$7.14 Rp 129.7K

102.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 Rp 58.4K

$2.98 Rp 54.1K

8.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.52 Rp 172.8K

$8.63 Rp 156.8K

10.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 Rp 53.1K

$2.18 Rp 39.6K

33.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 Rp 22.7K

$1.31 Rp 23.7K

-4.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 34.1K

$1.54 Rp 28.0K

22.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.8K

$1.19 Rp 21.6K

33.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 27.1K

$1.20 Rp 21.8K

24.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 34.0K

$1.95 Rp 35.5K

-4.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 Rp 15.3K

$0.84 Rp 15.3K

1.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 Rp 7,096

$0.72 Rp 13.0K

-45.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.81 Rp 32.8K

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

1.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 Rp 326.4K

$21.12 Rp 383.5K

-14.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 Rp 34.8K

$1.79 Rp 32.6K

6.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 Rp 44.4K

$2.98 Rp 54.0K

-18.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 Rp 4,164

$0.23 Rp 4,151

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.97 Rp 144.8K

$11.50 Rp 208.8K

-30.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 Rp 7,630

$1.11 Rp 20.2K

-62.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,754

$0.29 Rp 5,189

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 Rp 55.8K

$2.81 Rp 51.0K

9.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 Rp 13.6K

$0.75 Rp 13.7K

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

$21.6K Rp 392.1M

$23.2K Rp 420.9M

-6.84%

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

$29.5K Rp 536.2M

$31.4K Rp 570.2M

-5.97%

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

$73.6 Rp 1.3M

$64.1 Rp 1.2M

14.78%

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

$5.88 Rp 106.7K

$4.19 Rp 76.1K

40.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.22 Rp 294.5K

$29.48 Rp 535.4K

-44.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.04 Rp 636.3K

$23.84 Rp 432.9K

46.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.85 Rp 233.4K

$8.27 Rp 150.3K

55.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.03 Rp 54.9K

$2.82 Rp 51.3K

7.45%

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

$378 Rp 6.9M

$91.6 Rp 1.7M

312.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,463 Rp 81.0M

$9,145 Rp 166.1M

-51.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.59 Rp 719.1K

$37.81 Rp 686.7K

4.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.73 Rp 539.9K

$18.66 Rp 338.9K

59.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.0 Rp 1.2M

$140 Rp 2.5M

-52.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.8 Rp 1.2M

$70.6 Rp 1.3M

-5.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 Rp 10.7M

$197 Rp 3.6M

200.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 Rp 6.5M

$143 Rp 2.6M

151.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,857 Rp 33.7M

$559 Rp 10.2M

232.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$889 Rp 16.2M

$362 Rp 6.6M

145.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,448 Rp 26.3M

$1,323 Rp 24.0M

9.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,176 Rp 21.4M

$777 Rp 14.1M

51.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$279 Rp 5.1M

$238 Rp 4.3M

17.55%

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Balikpapan: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Denpasar, Bali

$360 39.8%

Balikpapan

$143 21.4% 60.2% $217

Groceries & Markets

Denpasar, Bali

$233 25.8%

Balikpapan

$206 30.8% 11.6% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Denpasar, Bali

$96 10.6%

Balikpapan

$98 14.6% 2.2% $2.1

Clothing & Footwear

Denpasar, Bali

$91 10.1%

Balikpapan

$120 18% 31.5% $29

Eating Out

Denpasar, Bali

$72 8%

Balikpapan

$58 8.6% 20% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Denpasar, Bali

$41 4.5%

Balikpapan

$29 4.4% 28.2% $12

Getting Around

Denpasar, Bali

$11 1.3%

Balikpapan

$15 2.2% 30.6% $3.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $591 in Denpasar, Bali and $197 in Balikpapan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Denpasar, Bali pays 18% 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: $23 in Denpasar, Bali vs $11 in Balikpapan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $206 per month, with Balikpapan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Denpasar, Bali

🇮🇩 Balikpapan

🕒 Local time

13:50 1:50 PM

Same time as Denpasar, Bali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

788,445

701,066

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.91 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.91 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Denpasar, Bali Balikpapan 840 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Denpasar, Bali
Balikpapan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Balikpapan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $905 in Denpasar, Bali and $669 in Balikpapan, so Balikpapan is about 26% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 18% 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: $591 in Denpasar, Bali versus $197 in Balikpapan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Denpasar, Bali runs roughly 31% less than in Balikpapan. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $378 in Denpasar, Bali versus $92 in Balikpapan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Balikpapan gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Denpasar, Bali and Balikpapan are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Balikpapan wins on affordability, Denpasar, Bali on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.