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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $940 in Denpasar, Bali versus $774 in Balikpapan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,630 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,193 in Balikpapan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,320 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,612 in Balikpapan.

Living in Denpasar, Bali is roughly 21% more expensive than Balikpapan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Denpasar, Bali 30% lower, Balikpapan 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.38 Rp 41.3K

$1.52 Rp 26.4K

56.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.86 Rp 379.0K

$15.63 Rp 270.8K

39.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.30 Rp 57.2K

$3.42 Rp 59.3K

-3.51%

Cappuccino

$1.90 Rp 33.0K

$1.81 Rp 31.4K

4.97%

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

$0.89 Rp 15.4K

$0.44 Rp 7,629

102.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,522

$0.39 Rp 6,718

25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 Rp 33.8K

$2.03 Rp 35.2K

-3.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 Rp 43.6K

$3.16 Rp 54.8K

-20.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 Rp 24.4K

$1.79 Rp 31.0K

-21.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 Rp 35.4K

$1.23 Rp 21.4K

65.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 16.7K

$1.28 Rp 22.1K

-25.00%

Eggs

$2.00 Rp 34.7K

$2.66 Rp 46.1K

-24.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.70 Rp 202.8K

$7.92 Rp 137.3K

47.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 Rp 59.4K

$4.80 Rp 83.2K

-28.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.53 Rp 165.2K

$7.99 Rp 138.5K

19.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 Rp 53.8K

$3.64 Rp 63.1K

-14.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 Rp 21.8K

$1.50 Rp 26.0K

-16.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 39.6K

$2.13 Rp 36.9K

7.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 32.4K

$1.19 Rp 20.7K

57.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.0K

$1.86 Rp 32.2K

-12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 Rp 30.9K

$3.77 Rp 65.3K

-52.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 Rp 14.0K

$1.00 Rp 17.3K

-19.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Rp 9,999

$0.81 Rp 14.0K

-28.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 Rp 45.8K

$2.06 Rp 35.8K

28.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.10 Rp 331.1K

$22.43 Rp 388.8K

-14.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 Rp 40.1K

$2.18 Rp 37.7K

6.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 Rp 39.1K

$4.38 Rp 76.0K

-48.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,527

$0.62 Rp 10.8K

-58.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.43 Rp 128.7K

$9.73 Rp 168.7K

-23.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.40 Rp 6,918

$1.24 Rp 21.6K

-67.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 Rp 7,189

$0.34 Rp 5,934

20.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 Rp 93.6K

$6.05 Rp 104.8K

-10.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.2K

$0.78 Rp 13.5K

-2.56%

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

$23.2K Rp 402.6M

$24.6K Rp 425.9M

-5.46%

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

$28.4K Rp 492.9M

$25.9K Rp 448.9M

9.80%

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

$73.2 Rp 1.3M

$91.7 Rp 1.6M

-20.19%

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

$3.67 Rp 63.7K

$3.06 Rp 53.0K

19.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.40 Rp 370.9K

$32.34 Rp 560.5K

-33.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.5 Rp 1.2M

$21.34 Rp 369.8K

225.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.67 Rp 80.9K

$6.26 Rp 108.4K

-25.40%

Cinema Ticket

$2.81 Rp 48.7K

$3.00 Rp 51.9K

-6.33%

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

$234 Rp 4.1M

$60.9 Rp 1.1M

284.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,114 Rp 88.6M

$7,667 Rp 132.9M

-33.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.27 Rp 801.9K

$41.90 Rp 726.2K

10.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 Rp 558.1K

$20.46 Rp 354.6K

57.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 Rp 1.3M

$125 Rp 2.2M

-40.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.2 Rp 1.2M

$121 Rp 2.1M

-44.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 Rp 8.9M

$217 Rp 3.8M

136.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 Rp 6.0M

$156 Rp 2.7M

120.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 Rp 31.3M

$497 Rp 8.6M

263.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 Rp 18.4M

$303 Rp 5.3M

250.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,591 Rp 27.6M

$1,193 Rp 20.7M

33.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,226 Rp 21.2M

$876 Rp 15.2M

39.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$293 Rp 5.1M

$204 Rp 3.5M

43.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-11.47%

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

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: April 26, 2026

Last update for Balikpapan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $512 in Denpasar, Bali and $217 in Balikpapan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Denpasar, Bali pays 43% 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 $16.00 in Balikpapan. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $251, with Denpasar, Bali cheaper for home cooking.

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

Denpasar, Bali and Balikpapan differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($940 vs $774 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Denpasar, Bali pays 43% more on average, 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: $512 in Denpasar, Bali versus $217 in Balikpapan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Balikpapan runs roughly 31% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $234 in Denpasar, Bali versus $60.9 in Balikpapan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $774 in Balikpapan versus $940 in Denpasar, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Balikpapan but tight or insufficient in Denpasar, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Balikpapan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 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 Balikpapan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.