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: $909 in Denpasar, Bali versus $616 in Batam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,516 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,017 in Batam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,123 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,418 in Batam.

Living in Denpasar, Bali is roughly 47% more expensive than in Batam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Denpasar, Bali 34% lower, Batam 55% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Denpasar, Bali
Batam
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.23 Rp 39.5K
$2.01 Rp 35.5K
10.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.92 Rp 423.6K
$8.68 Rp 153.7K
175.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.76 Rp 66.5K
$4.07 Rp 72.0K
-7.62%
Cappuccino
$1.77 Rp 31.4K
$2.14 Rp 38.0K
-17.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24 Rp 21.9K
$0.62 Rp 11.1K
100.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52 Rp 9,131
$0.31 Rp 5,506
67.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.94 Rp 34.4K
$2.60 Rp 46.0K
-25.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 Rp 51.9K
$3.72 Rp 65.9K
-21.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Denpasar, Bali
Batam
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 Rp 22.9K
$1.16 Rp 20.6K
11.21%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 Rp 32.9K
$1.09 Rp 19.3K
70.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.91 Rp 16.1K
$0.78 Rp 13.9K
16.67%
Eggs
$1.76 Rp 31.2K
$1.30 Rp 23.1K
35.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.64 Rp 259.2K
$7.71 Rp 136.5K
89.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.20 Rp 56.6K
$2.54 Rp 45.0K
25.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.81 Rp 173.7K
$4.61 Rp 81.6K
112.80%
Apples (1kg)
$3.04 Rp 53.8K
$2.19 Rp 38.7K
38.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.32 Rp 23.3K
$2.09 Rp 37.0K
-36.84%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.87 Rp 33.0K
$2.06 Rp 36.6K
-9.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.60 Rp 28.4K
$1.06 Rp 18.8K
50.94%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 Rp 27.0K
$0.97 Rp 17.2K
57.73%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 Rp 34.3K
$1.99 Rp 35.3K
-2.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.78 Rp 13.8K
$1.33 Rp 23.6K
-41.35%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.41 Rp 7,346
$0.45 Rp 8,033
-8.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.88 Rp 33.3K
$2.76 Rp 48.8K
-31.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.97 Rp 335.9K
$13.89 Rp 245.9K
36.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87 Rp 33.1K
$1.75 Rp 31.1K
6.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 Rp 44.3K
$2.49 Rp 44.1K
0.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Denpasar, Bali
Batam
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.24 Rp 4,267
$0.41 Rp 7,309
-41.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.36 Rp 130.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.43 Rp 7,657
$1.14 Rp 20.2K
-62.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.39 Rp 6,963
$0.60 Rp 10.6K
-35.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.06 Rp 54.1K
$3.58 Rp 63.3K
-14.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.73 Rp 13.0K
$0.79 Rp 14.0K
-7.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K Rp 399.3M
$28.5K Rp 504.0M
-20.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.3K Rp 500.7M
$24.7K Rp 438.2M
14.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Denpasar, Bali
Batam
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$75.9 Rp 1.3M
$72.0 Rp 1.3M
5.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.96 Rp 105.5K
$4.16 Rp 73.6K
43.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.71 Rp 296.0K
$23.70 Rp 419.6K
-29.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Denpasar, Bali
Batam
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.78 Rp 704.5K
$26.92 Rp 476.7K
47.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.21 Rp 233.9K
$5.63 Rp 99.7K
134.64%
Cinema Ticket
$3.11 Rp 55.0K
$2.66 Rp 47.0K
16.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Denpasar, Bali
Batam
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$370 Rp 6.6M
$83.4 Rp 1.5M
344.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,428 Rp 78.4M
$3,257 Rp 57.7M
35.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Denpasar, Bali
Batam
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.11 Rp 710.2K
$32.47 Rp 574.9K
23.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.66 Rp 542.9K
$19.15 Rp 339.0K
60.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.8 Rp 1.3M
$67.0 Rp 1.2M
5.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$67.9 Rp 1.2M
$25.03 Rp 443.1K
171.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Denpasar, Bali
Batam
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$585 Rp 10.4M
$274 Rp 4.8M
113.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$358 Rp 6.3M
$149 Rp 2.6M
140.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,846 Rp 32.7M
$823 Rp 14.6M
124.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$922 Rp 16.3M
$514 Rp 9.1M
79.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,456 Rp 25.8M
$556 Rp 9.8M
161.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,214 Rp 21.5M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Denpasar, Bali
Batam
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$284 Rp 5.0M
$354 Rp 6.3M
-19.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
13.17
4.63%

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

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: September 12, 2026

Last update for Batam: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $585 in Denpasar, Bali and $274 in Batam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Batam pays 24% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Denpasar, Bali vs $9.00 in Batam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $177 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
Is Batam cheaper than Denpasar, Bali?
Batam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Denpasar, Bali or Batam?
On paper, salaries run 24% lower in Batam. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Denpasar, Bali and Batam?
Rent for a central apartment: $585 in Denpasar, Bali versus $274 in Batam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Denpasar, Bali and in Batam?
Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Denpasar, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Denpasar, Bali and in Batam?
All in, you'll spend $909 per month in Denpasar, Bali versus $616 in Batam – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Denpasar, Bali or in Batam?
At $616 in Batam versus $909 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.
Is Denpasar, Bali or Batam more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Denpasar, Bali or Batam?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Batam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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