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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $961 in Denpasar, Bali versus $664 in Batam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,660 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,132 in Batam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,360 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,600 in Batam.

Living in Denpasar, Bali is roughly 45% more expensive than Batam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.41 Rp 43.1K

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

-13.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.74 Rp 389.8K

$9.36 Rp 167.7K

132.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.26 Rp 58.4K

$3.63 Rp 65.1K

-10.19%

Cappuccino

$1.89 Rp 33.9K

$2.11 Rp 37.9K

-10.43%

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

$0.92 Rp 16.6K

$1.28 Rp 23.0K

-28.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 Rp 8,400

$0.41 Rp 7,417

14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

-31.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 Rp 45.9K

$4.06 Rp 72.8K

-36.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 Rp 36.6K

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

70.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 Rp 16.6K

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

6.98%

Eggs

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.35 Rp 24.2K

41.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.89 Rp 213.2K

$8.05 Rp 144.4K

47.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 Rp 61.2K

$2.65 Rp 47.5K

28.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.95 Rp 178.4K

$4.91 Rp 88.1K

102.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 55.4K

$2.39 Rp 42.9K

29.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 Rp 22.6K

$2.18 Rp 39.2K

-42.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 Rp 39.7K

$2.23 Rp 39.9K

-0.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.5K

$1.15 Rp 20.6K

57.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 28.9K

$0.99 Rp 17.8K

62.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

$2.10 Rp 37.6K

-14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

-41.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 Rp 10.3K

$0.40 Rp 7,145

42.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 Rp 47.3K

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

-3.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.27 Rp 345.5K

$14.28 Rp 255.9K

34.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 Rp 40.3K

$1.95 Rp 35.0K

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 Rp 40.0K

$2.61 Rp 46.7K

-14.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,273

$0.47 Rp 8,359

-48.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.34 Rp 131.5K

$16.67 Rp 298.8K

-55.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,842

$1.21 Rp 21.6K

-63.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 Rp 6,941

$0.63 Rp 11.4K

-38.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 Rp 97.6K

$3.74 Rp 67.0K

45.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

-2.63%

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

$23.5K Rp 422.1M

$29.8K Rp 533.5M

-20.87%

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

$29.1K Rp 522.1M

$18.7K Rp 335.2M

55.76%

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

$70.5 Rp 1.3M

$75.5 Rp 1.4M

-6.65%

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

$3.67 Rp 65.8K

$4.13 Rp 74.1K

-11.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.23 Rp 380.6K

$25.19 Rp 451.5K

-15.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.5 Rp 1.2M

$29.45 Rp 527.9K

135.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.45 Rp 79.8K

$8.27 Rp 148.3K

-46.19%

Cinema Ticket

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$3.12 Rp 56.0K

-6.73%

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

$227 Rp 4.1M

$91.3 Rp 1.6M

148.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 Rp 93.1M

$3,649 Rp 65.4M

42.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.61 Rp 853.5K

$35.38 Rp 634.1K

34.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.45 Rp 581.7K

$20.60 Rp 369.3K

57.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 Rp 1.4M

$71.9 Rp 1.3M

6.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.7 Rp 1.2M

$26.15 Rp 468.7K

155.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$528 Rp 9.5M

$300 Rp 5.4M

76.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 Rp 6.2M

$161 Rp 2.9M

113.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,801 Rp 32.3M

$915 Rp 16.4M

96.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 Rp 19.1M

$556 Rp 10.0M

91.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,476 Rp 26.5M

$563 Rp 10.1M

162.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,184 Rp 21.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$335 Rp 6.0M

$346 Rp 6.2M

-3.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

13.88

-4.32%

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

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Batam: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $528 in Denpasar, Bali and $300 in Batam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Batam pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $22.00 in Denpasar, Bali vs $9.00 in Batam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $186 per month, with Batam 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 Batam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Batam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Batam earns 3% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $528 in Denpasar, Bali versus $300 in Batam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Batam runs roughly 127% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $227 in Denpasar, Bali versus $91.3 in Batam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $664 in Batam versus $961 in Denpasar, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Batam but tight or insufficient in Denpasar, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Batam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Batam is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Denpasar, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Denpasar, Bali and Batam 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 Batam 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.