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: $961 in Denpasar, Bali versus $661 in Pontianak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,663 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,020 in Pontianak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,365 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,379 in Pontianak.

Living in Denpasar, Bali is roughly 45% more expensive than Pontianak, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Denpasar, Bali 28% lower, Pontianak 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.36 Rp 40.6K

$1.45 Rp 25.0K

62.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.50 Rp 369.5K

$12.20 Rp 209.7K

76.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.29 Rp 56.6K

$3.32 Rp 57.0K

-0.90%

Cappuccino

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$1.67 Rp 28.7K

13.77%

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

$0.88 Rp 15.1K

$0.51 Rp 8,849

72.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 Rp 8,603

$0.28 Rp 4,836

78.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 Rp 34.4K

$3.12 Rp 53.6K

-35.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 Rp 43.5K

$2.40 Rp 41.2K

5.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 Rp 25.0K

$1.18 Rp 20.2K

22.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 Rp 35.2K

$1.18 Rp 20.3K

73.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 Rp 15.7K

$0.93 Rp 15.9K

-1.08%

Eggs

$1.89 Rp 32.5K

$1.60 Rp 27.6K

18.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.86 Rp 203.9K

$7.88 Rp 135.5K

50.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 Rp 58.4K

$3.13 Rp 53.8K

8.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.82 Rp 168.8K

$7.98 Rp 137.2K

23.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 Rp 51.2K

$2.42 Rp 41.5K

23.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 21.8K

$1.43 Rp 24.5K

-11.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 37.9K

$1.87 Rp 32.1K

18.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 32.0K

$1.51 Rp 25.9K

23.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 26.6K

$1.33 Rp 22.9K

16.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 31.8K

$1.94 Rp 33.3K

-4.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

$0.94 Rp 16.2K

-9.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Rp 9,985

$0.45 Rp 7,656

28.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 Rp 45.1K

$1.80 Rp 30.9K

46.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.93 Rp 325.3K

$22.63 Rp 388.8K

-16.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 39.7K

$2.03 Rp 34.9K

13.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 Rp 38.1K

$3.24 Rp 55.7K

-31.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,489

$0.30 Rp 5,080

-13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.29 Rp 125.2K

$9.80 Rp 168.4K

-25.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.40 Rp 6,927

$0.53 Rp 9,027

-24.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,172

$0.37 Rp 6,379

13.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.61 Rp 96.5K

$2.88 Rp 49.5K

94.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 Rp 12.3K

$0.84 Rp 14.4K

-14.29%

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

$23.3K Rp 400.6M

$24.3K Rp 417.5M

-4.07%

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

$29.4K Rp 505.4M

$27.8K Rp 477.2M

5.91%

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

$72.6 Rp 1.2M

$70.1 Rp 1.2M

3.57%

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

$3.65 Rp 62.8K

$4.32 Rp 74.3K

-15.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.89 Rp 376.1K

$22.55 Rp 387.6K

-2.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.1 Rp 1.2M

$22.69 Rp 390.0K

200.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.62 Rp 79.3K

$6.02 Rp 103.4K

-23.26%

Cinema Ticket

$2.83 Rp 48.7K

$3.01 Rp 51.7K

-5.98%

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

$228 Rp 3.9M

$92.2 Rp 1.6M

147.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,033 Rp 86.5M

$7,613 Rp 130.8M

-33.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.85 Rp 805.1K

$42.22 Rp 725.6K

10.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.32 Rp 555.5K

$31.31 Rp 538.0K

3.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

$67.9 Rp 1.2M

11.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.6 Rp 1.2M

$73.8 Rp 1.3M

-8.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$525 Rp 9.0M

$255 Rp 4.4M

106.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 Rp 6.0M

$160 Rp 2.7M

117.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,754 Rp 30.1M

$581 Rp 10.0M

202.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,099 Rp 18.9M

$333 Rp 5.7M

229.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,596 Rp 27.4M

$1,374 Rp 23.6M

16.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,244 Rp 21.4M

$749 Rp 12.9M

66.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$290 Rp 5.0M

$345 Rp 5.9M

-15.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.15

45.14%

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

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: April 19, 2026

Last update for Pontianak: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $525 in Denpasar, Bali and $255 in Pontianak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pontianak pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $22 in Denpasar, Bali vs $12 in Pontianak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $212 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 45% in total monthly costs ($961 vs $661 including rent). Pontianak is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Pontianak earns 19% less. 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: $525 in Denpasar, Bali versus $255 in Pontianak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $961 per month in Denpasar, Bali versus $661 in Pontianak – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Pontianak runs roughly 34% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $661 in Pontianak versus $961 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 45% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.