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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $909 in Denpasar, Bali versus $559 in Manado.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,516 in Denpasar, Bali versus $891 in Manado.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,123 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,222 in Manado.

Living in Denpasar, Bali is roughly 62% more expensive than in Manado, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Denpasar, Bali 34% lower, Manado 59% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Denpasar, Bali
Manado
Difference
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
$17.27 Rp 305.9K
38.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.76 Rp 66.5K
$2.75 Rp 48.7K
36.73%
Cappuccino
$1.77 Rp 31.4K
$1.84 Rp 32.6K
-3.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24 Rp 21.9K
$0.58 Rp 10.2K
113.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52 Rp 9,131
$0.24 Rp 4,214
116.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.94 Rp 34.4K
$3.48 Rp 61.6K
-44.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 Rp 51.9K
$2.75 Rp 48.7K
6.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Denpasar, Bali
Manado
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 Rp 22.9K
$1.42 Rp 25.2K
-9.15%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 Rp 32.9K
$1.12 Rp 19.8K
66.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.91 Rp 16.1K
$0.74 Rp 13.1K
22.97%
Eggs
$1.76 Rp 31.2K
$1.97 Rp 34.8K
-10.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.64 Rp 259.2K
$17.35 Rp 307.2K
-15.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.20 Rp 56.6K
$2.88 Rp 51.0K
11.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.81 Rp 173.7K
$6.35 Rp 112.5K
54.49%
Apples (1kg)
$3.04 Rp 53.8K
$2.31 Rp 40.9K
31.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.32 Rp 23.3K
$1.54 Rp 27.3K
-14.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.87 Rp 33.0K
$1.35 Rp 23.9K
38.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.60 Rp 28.4K
$0.97 Rp 17.2K
64.95%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 Rp 27.0K
$0.80 Rp 14.2K
91.25%
Onion (1kg)
$1.94 Rp 34.3K
$2.82 Rp 50.0K
-31.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.78 Rp 13.8K
$0.75 Rp 13.2K
4.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.41 Rp 7,346
$0.44 Rp 7,716
-6.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.88 Rp 33.3K
$2.40 Rp 42.5K
-21.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.97 Rp 335.9K
$20.77 Rp 367.9K
-8.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87 Rp 33.1K
$1.83 Rp 32.5K
2.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 Rp 44.3K
$2.95 Rp 52.2K
-15.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Denpasar, Bali
Manado
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.24 Rp 4,267
$0.30 Rp 5,249
-20.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.36 Rp 130.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.43 Rp 7,657
$0.53 Rp 9,361
-18.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.39 Rp 6,963
$0.33 Rp 5,770
18.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.06 Rp 54.1K
$2.91 Rp 51.6K
5.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.73 Rp 13.0K
$0.61 Rp 10.8K
19.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K Rp 399.3M
$24.2K Rp 429.3M
-6.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.3K Rp 500.7M
$31.3K Rp 554.2M
-9.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Denpasar, Bali
Manado
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$75.9 Rp 1.3M
$54.2 Rp 959.7K
40.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.96 Rp 105.5K
$4.37 Rp 77.4K
36.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.71 Rp 296.0K
$13.92 Rp 246.4K
20.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Denpasar, Bali
Manado
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.78 Rp 704.5K
$13.01 Rp 230.4K
205.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.21 Rp 233.9K
$8.34 Rp 147.6K
58.39%
Cinema Ticket
$3.11 Rp 55.0K
$2.51 Rp 44.4K
23.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Denpasar, Bali
Manado
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$370 Rp 6.6M
$127 Rp 2.3M
190.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,428 Rp 78.4M
$4,723 Rp 83.6M
-6.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Denpasar, Bali
Manado
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.11 Rp 710.2K
$56.8 Rp 1.0M
-29.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.66 Rp 542.9K
$20.47 Rp 362.5K
49.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.8 Rp 1.3M
$71.3 Rp 1.3M
-0.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$67.9 Rp 1.2M
$64.8 Rp 1.1M
4.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Denpasar, Bali
Manado
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$585 Rp 10.4M
$255 Rp 4.5M
129.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$358 Rp 6.3M
$83.5 Rp 1.5M
329.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,846 Rp 32.7M
$308 Rp 5.5M
498.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$922 Rp 16.3M
$176 Rp 3.1M
423.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,456 Rp 25.8M
$1,197 Rp 21.2M
21.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,214 Rp 21.5M
$665 Rp 11.8M
82.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Denpasar, Bali
Manado
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$284 Rp 5.0M
$213 Rp 3.8M
33.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
10
37.80%

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

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: September 12, 2026

Last update for Manado: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $585 in Denpasar, Bali and $255 in Manado. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Denpasar, Bali pays 34% 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 $17.00 in Manado for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $226 per month, with Manado 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 Manado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Denpasar, Bali and in Manado?
Denpasar, Bali and Manado differ by about 62% in total monthly costs ($909 vs $559 including rent). Manado is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Denpasar, Bali or Manado?
Average pay runs 34% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Denpasar, Bali and in Manado?
Rent for a central apartment: $585 in Denpasar, Bali versus $255 in Manado. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Denpasar, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Denpasar, Bali or Manado?
All in, you'll spend $909 per month in Denpasar, Bali versus $559 in Manado – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $559 in Manado versus $909 in Denpasar, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Manado but tight or insufficient in Denpasar, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Manado the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Denpasar, Bali and Manado?
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.
Is Denpasar, Bali or Manado safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Denpasar, Bali and Manado are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Denpasar, Bali or Manado?
Expats usually find Manado gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% 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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