Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Denpasar, Bali and Makassar

For one person, living is cheaper in Makassar: $632 a month against $897 in Denpasar, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Denpasar, Bali
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Denpasar, Bali Living Index
31

Cost of Living Index in Makassar
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Makassar Living Index

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Denpasar, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$897

/mo nomad

Makassar

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$632

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Makassar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $897 in Denpasar, Bali versus $632 in Makassar.

Denpasar, Bali $897
Makassar $632

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,498 in Denpasar, Bali versus $977 in Makassar.

Denpasar, Bali $1,498
Makassar $977

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,099 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,322 in Makassar.

Denpasar, Bali $2,099
Makassar $1,322

Living in Denpasar, Bali is roughly 42% more expensive than in Makassar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Denpasar, Bali 34% lower, Makassar 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.17 Rp 39.0K

$1.62 Rp 29.1K

33.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.40 Rp 421.2K

$8.67 Rp 156.1K

169.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$3.23 Rp 58.1K

19.20%

Cappuccino

$1.75 Rp 31.5K

$1.92 Rp 34.6K

-8.85%

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

$1.09 Rp 19.6K

$0.47 Rp 8,457

131.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,843

$0.33 Rp 6,013

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 Rp 32.5K

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

-26.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.9K

$3.13 Rp 56.4K

-4.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Rp 22.1K

$1.53 Rp 27.6K

-19.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 Rp 32.5K

$0.97 Rp 17.5K

85.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 18.1K

$0.57 Rp 10.3K

75.44%

Eggs

$1.67 Rp 30.1K

$1.54 Rp 27.7K

8.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.75 Rp 247.5K

$6.42 Rp 115.5K

114.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 Rp 55.7K

$3.42 Rp 61.6K

-9.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.82 Rp 176.7K

$5.23 Rp 94.2K

87.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 Rp 53.4K

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

21.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 Rp 22.0K

$1.31 Rp 23.6K

-6.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.9K

$1.96 Rp 35.3K

-4.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

$1.26 Rp 22.6K

26.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

$1.28 Rp 23.1K

18.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 35.0K

$1.48 Rp 26.6K

31.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 Rp 15.0K

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

13.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,874

$0.39 Rp 6,988

12.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.75 Rp 31.5K

$2.60 Rp 46.9K

-32.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.50 Rp 333.0K

$22.14 Rp 398.6K

-16.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 Rp 34.4K

$1.82 Rp 32.7K

4.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 Rp 42.3K

$2.87 Rp 51.7K

-18.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 Rp 4,158

$0.27 Rp 4,851

-14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.46 Rp 134.4K

$4.18 Rp 75.2K

78.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 Rp 7,507

$0.50 Rp 8,925

-16.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,696

$0.37 Rp 6,710

16.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 Rp 55.6K

$2.67 Rp 48.0K

15.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

-6.25%

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

$21.4K Rp 385.2M

$23.8K Rp 428.5M

-10.11%

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

$29.8K Rp 535.9M

$31.9K Rp 574.3M

-6.69%

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

$74.0 Rp 1.3M

$90.3 Rp 1.6M

-17.99%

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

$5.66 Rp 101.9K

$2.61 Rp 46.9K

116.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.94 Rp 304.9K

$25.29 Rp 455.3K

-33.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.92 Rp 700.5K

$21.58 Rp 388.5K

80.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.66 Rp 227.8K

$8.40 Rp 151.1K

50.71%

Cinema Ticket

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$3.36 Rp 60.5K

-11.01%

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

$373 Rp 6.7M

$94.2 Rp 1.7M

296.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,351 Rp 78.3M

$3,803 Rp 68.5M

14.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.22 Rp 687.9K

$26.97 Rp 485.5K

41.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.44 Rp 547.9K

$23.43 Rp 421.7K

29.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 Rp 1.2M

$75.0 Rp 1.3M

-9.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.9 Rp 1.2M

$39.92 Rp 718.5K

70.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 Rp 10.5M

$224 Rp 4.0M

161.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 Rp 6.3M

$143 Rp 2.6M

143.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,866 Rp 33.6M

$528 Rp 9.5M

253.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 Rp 16.1M

$364 Rp 6.6M

145.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,429 Rp 25.7M

$1,151 Rp 20.7M

24.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,199 Rp 21.6M

$794 Rp 14.3M

50.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$274 Rp 4.9M

$214 Rp 3.8M

28.24%

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 18, 2026

Last update for Makassar: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Denpasar, Bali

$348 38.8%

Makassar

$143 22.6% 59% $205

Groceries & Markets

Denpasar, Bali

$233 26%

Makassar

$193 30.6% 17.1% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Denpasar, Bali

$97 10.8%

Makassar

$118 18.7% 22.3% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Denpasar, Bali

$92 10.3%

Makassar

$74 11.8% 19.2% $18

Eating Out

Denpasar, Bali

$71 8%

Makassar

$67 10.7% 5.7% $4

Sport & Entertainment

Denpasar, Bali

$45 5%

Makassar

$28 4.5% 36.9% $17

Getting Around

Denpasar, Bali

$11 1.2%

Makassar

$7.6 1.2% 30.4% $3.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $586 in Denpasar, Bali and $224 in Makassar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Denpasar, Bali pays 28% 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: $23.00 in Denpasar, Bali vs $9.00 in Makassar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $193 per month, with Makassar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Denpasar, Bali

🇮🇩 Makassar

🕒 Local time

22:24 10:24 PM

Same time as Denpasar, Bali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

788,445

1,427,619

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Denpasar, Bali Makassar 610 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Denpasar, Bali
Makassar

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 Makassar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Denpasar, Bali and Makassar differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($897 vs $632 including rent). Makassar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 28% 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: $586 in Denpasar, Bali versus $224 in Makassar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $897 per month in Denpasar, Bali versus $632 in Makassar – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Makassar runs roughly 78% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $632 in Makassar versus $897 in Denpasar, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Makassar but tight or insufficient in Denpasar, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Makassar 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 Makassar 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 Makassar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.