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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $909 in Denpasar, Bali versus $625 in Palembang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,516 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,007 in Palembang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,123 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,389 in Palembang.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Denpasar, Bali 34% lower, Palembang 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$1.16 Rp 20.5K

92.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.92 Rp 423.6K

$16.43 Rp 290.9K

45.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.76 Rp 66.5K

$2.75 Rp 48.6K

36.73%

Cappuccino

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

37.21%

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

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

$0.84 Rp 14.9K

47.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 Rp 9,131

$0.25 Rp 4,340

108.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 Rp 34.4K

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

12.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 Rp 51.9K

$3.35 Rp 59.4K

-12.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

14.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 Rp 32.9K

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

69.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

8.33%

Eggs

$1.76 Rp 31.2K

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

36.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.64 Rp 259.2K

$7.39 Rp 130.8K

98.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 Rp 56.6K

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

9.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.81 Rp 173.7K

$7.61 Rp 134.7K

28.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 Rp 53.8K

$2.19 Rp 38.8K

38.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.3K

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

12.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 33.0K

$1.97 Rp 34.9K

-5.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 Rp 28.4K

$1.39 Rp 24.6K

15.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.0K

$1.40 Rp 24.9K

9.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 34.3K

$2.21 Rp 39.1K

-12.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.75 Rp 13.3K

4.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,346

$0.41 Rp 7,239

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 Rp 33.3K

$2.22 Rp 39.4K

-15.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.97 Rp 335.9K

$20.38 Rp 360.9K

-6.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 Rp 33.1K

$1.84 Rp 32.6K

1.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 Rp 44.3K

$3.02 Rp 53.5K

-17.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,267

$0.45 Rp 7,968

-46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.36 Rp 130.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 Rp 7,657

$0.53 Rp 9,459

-18.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 Rp 6,963

$0.31 Rp 5,494

25.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 Rp 54.1K

$2.72 Rp 48.2K

12.50%

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

$22.8K Rp 403.9M

-1.15%

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

$28.3K Rp 500.7M

$30.4K Rp 538.9M

-7.10%

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

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

$67.9 Rp 1.2M

11.76%

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

$5.96 Rp 105.5K

$4.52 Rp 80.1K

31.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.71 Rp 296.0K

$19.12 Rp 338.6K

-12.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.78 Rp 704.5K

$19.87 Rp 351.9K

100.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.21 Rp 233.9K

$7.34 Rp 129.9K

79.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.11 Rp 55.0K

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

12.68%

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

$370 Rp 6.6M

$97.1 Rp 1.7M

281.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,428 Rp 78.4M

$6,938 Rp 122.8M

-36.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.11 Rp 710.2K

$43.91 Rp 777.4K

-8.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.66 Rp 542.9K

$29.03 Rp 514.0K

5.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 Rp 1.3M

$73.1 Rp 1.3M

-3.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.9 Rp 1.2M

$72.9 Rp 1.3M

-6.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 Rp 10.4M

$234 Rp 4.2M

149.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 Rp 6.3M

$156 Rp 2.8M

129.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,846 Rp 32.7M

$539 Rp 9.5M

242.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$922 Rp 16.3M

$422 Rp 7.5M

118.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,456 Rp 25.8M

$1,249 Rp 22.1M

16.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,214 Rp 21.5M

$739 Rp 13.1M

64.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$284 Rp 5.0M

$312 Rp 5.5M

-8.74%

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 Palembang: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $585 in Denpasar, Bali and $234 in Palembang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palembang pays 10% 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 $16.00 in Palembang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $196 per month, with Palembang 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 Palembang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Denpasar, Bali and Palembang differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($909 vs $625 including rent). Palembang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Palembang. 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: $585 in Denpasar, Bali versus $234 in Palembang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Denpasar, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $909 per month in Denpasar, Bali versus $625 in Palembang – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $625 in Palembang versus $909 in Denpasar, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Palembang but tight or insufficient in Denpasar, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Palembang 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 Palembang 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 Palembang 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.