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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $937 in Denpasar, Bali versus $627 in Pontianak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,548 in Denpasar, Bali versus $986 in Pontianak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,159 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,346 in Pontianak.

Living in Denpasar, Bali is roughly 50% more expensive than in Pontianak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Denpasar, Bali 32% lower, Pontianak 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.32 Rp 40.9K

$1.68 Rp 29.5K

38.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.34 Rp 428.6K

$14.10 Rp 248.2K

72.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.78 Rp 66.5K

$3.31 Rp 58.4K

14.20%

Cappuccino

$1.83 Rp 32.3K

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

59.13%

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

$1.16 Rp 20.4K

$0.51 Rp 9,010

127.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 Rp 8,928

$0.25 Rp 4,406

104.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 Rp 35.8K

$3.15 Rp 55.4K

-35.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 Rp 52.5K

$2.91 Rp 51.3K

2.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 Rp 22.0K

$1.18 Rp 20.8K

5.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 Rp 32.8K

$1.06 Rp 18.7K

76.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 15.8K

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

4.65%

Eggs

$1.69 Rp 29.7K

$1.43 Rp 25.1K

18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.72 Rp 259.1K

$7.94 Rp 139.7K

85.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 Rp 58.0K

$2.74 Rp 48.3K

20.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.82 Rp 172.9K

$6.61 Rp 116.4K

48.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 Rp 52.6K

$2.21 Rp 39.0K

35.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

$1.32 Rp 23.2K

-5.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 32.7K

$1.70 Rp 30.0K

9.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 Rp 29.0K

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

41.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.1K

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

24.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 34.9K

$2.10 Rp 36.9K

-5.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

$0.85 Rp 15.0K

-1.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,269

$0.41 Rp 7,241

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.81 Rp 31.9K

$2.84 Rp 50.0K

-36.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.84 Rp 331.7K

$20.36 Rp 358.4K

-7.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 Rp 34.6K

$1.93 Rp 33.9K

2.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 Rp 41.9K

$2.93 Rp 51.6K

-18.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 Rp 3,860

$0.29 Rp 5,174

-24.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.67 Rp 135.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 Rp 7,626

$0.46 Rp 8,103

-6.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,526

$0.32 Rp 5,605

34.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 Rp 53.5K

$2.94 Rp 51.7K

3.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 Rp 11.9K

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

-11.69%

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

$21.8K Rp 384.4M

$20.3K Rp 357.6M

7.49%

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

$28.5K Rp 502.6M

$30.0K Rp 527.7M

-4.76%

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

$75.7 Rp 1.3M

$67.7 Rp 1.2M

11.94%

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

$5.84 Rp 102.9K

$5.67 Rp 99.9K

3.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.30 Rp 304.5K

$22.67 Rp 399.1K

-23.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.41 Rp 693.9K

$20.51 Rp 361.2K

92.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.91 Rp 227.4K

$8.37 Rp 147.4K

54.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.09 Rp 54.4K

$2.76 Rp 48.5K

11.96%

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

$383 Rp 6.7M

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

291.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,468 Rp 78.7M

$6,709 Rp 118.1M

-33.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.69 Rp 698.7K

$43.49 Rp 765.7K

-8.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.07 Rp 547.0K

$29.60 Rp 521.1K

4.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.4 Rp 1.2M

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

-12.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.1 Rp 1.2M

$76.3 Rp 1.3M

-10.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 Rp 10.4M

$237 Rp 4.2M

149.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 Rp 6.4M

$158 Rp 2.8M

127.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,858 Rp 32.7M

$542 Rp 9.5M

242.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 Rp 15.9M

$369 Rp 6.5M

145.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,463 Rp 25.8M

$1,189 Rp 20.9M

23.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 Rp 21.1M

$719 Rp 12.7M

66.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$279 Rp 4.9M

$274 Rp 4.8M

2.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

37.80%

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

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: September 5, 2026

Last update for Pontianak: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $591 in Denpasar, Bali and $237 in Pontianak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Denpasar, Bali pays 2% 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 $14.00 in Pontianak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $193 per month, with Pontianak 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 Pontianak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Denpasar, Bali and Pontianak differ by about 50% in total monthly costs ($937 vs $627 including rent). Pontianak is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2% 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: $591 in Denpasar, Bali versus $237 in Pontianak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Denpasar, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $937 per month in Denpasar, Bali versus $627 in Pontianak – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $627 in Pontianak versus $937 in Denpasar, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pontianak but tight or insufficient in Denpasar, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Pontianak 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 Pontianak 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 Pontianak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.