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: $909 in Denpasar, Bali versus $672 in Balikpapan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,516 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,070 in Balikpapan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,123 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,468 in Balikpapan.

Living in Denpasar, Bali is roughly 35% more expensive than in Balikpapan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

61.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.92 Rp 423.6K

$11.14 Rp 197.3K

114.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.76 Rp 66.5K

$3.17 Rp 56.1K

18.61%

Cappuccino

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

$1.45 Rp 25.8K

22.07%

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

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

$0.38 Rp 6,782

226.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 Rp 9,131

$0.37 Rp 6,529

40.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 Rp 34.4K

$2.40 Rp 42.5K

-19.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 Rp 51.9K

$3.53 Rp 62.5K

-17.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

$1.19 Rp 21.0K

8.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 Rp 32.9K

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

67.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

-22.22%

Eggs

$1.76 Rp 31.2K

$2.59 Rp 45.9K

-32.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.64 Rp 259.2K

$7.34 Rp 130.0K

99.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 Rp 56.6K

$2.97 Rp 52.6K

7.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.81 Rp 173.7K

$6.78 Rp 120.1K

44.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 Rp 53.8K

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.3K

$1.27 Rp 22.4K

3.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 33.0K

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 Rp 28.4K

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

28.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.0K

$1.31 Rp 23.3K

16.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 34.3K

$2.01 Rp 35.6K

-3.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

6.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,346

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

-40.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 Rp 33.3K

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

-1.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.97 Rp 335.9K

$20.60 Rp 364.7K

-7.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 Rp 33.1K

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

-2.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 Rp 44.3K

$3.00 Rp 53.0K

-16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,267

$0.55 Rp 9,817

-56.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.36 Rp 130.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 Rp 7,657

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

-62.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 Rp 6,963

$0.34 Rp 5,944

14.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 Rp 54.1K

$2.89 Rp 51.2K

5.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

-3.95%

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

$22.5K Rp 399.3M

$23.5K Rp 416.3M

-4.08%

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

$28.3K Rp 500.7M

$31.2K Rp 552.0M

-9.31%

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

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

$69.9 Rp 1.2M

8.64%

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

$5.96 Rp 105.5K

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

31.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.71 Rp 296.0K

$29.58 Rp 523.8K

-43.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.78 Rp 704.5K

$24.45 Rp 433.0K

62.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.21 Rp 233.9K

$8.64 Rp 153.1K

52.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.11 Rp 55.0K

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

9.12%

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

$370 Rp 6.6M

$94.7 Rp 1.7M

290.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,428 Rp 78.4M

$6,923 Rp 122.6M

-36.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.11 Rp 710.2K

$38.44 Rp 680.6K

4.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.66 Rp 542.9K

$19.51 Rp 345.5K

57.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 Rp 1.3M

$141 Rp 2.5M

-49.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.9 Rp 1.2M

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

-4.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 Rp 10.4M

$203 Rp 3.6M

187.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 Rp 6.3M

$156 Rp 2.8M

129.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,846 Rp 32.7M

$557 Rp 9.9M

231.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$922 Rp 16.3M

$367 Rp 6.5M

151.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,456 Rp 25.8M

$1,079 Rp 19.1M

34.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,214 Rp 21.5M

$709 Rp 12.6M

71.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$284 Rp 5.0M

$245 Rp 4.3M

15.89%

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 Balikpapan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $585 in Denpasar, Bali and $203 in Balikpapan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Denpasar, Bali pays 16% 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 $11.00 in Balikpapan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $203 per month, with Balikpapan 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 Balikpapan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Denpasar, Bali and Balikpapan differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($909 vs $672 including rent). Balikpapan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 16% 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 $203 in Balikpapan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $370 in Denpasar, Bali versus $94.7 in Balikpapan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Balikpapan – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $24.00 in Denpasar, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $672 in Balikpapan versus $909 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 35% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.