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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $959 in Denpasar, Bali versus $696 in Samarinda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,681 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,067 in Samarinda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,404 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,439 in Samarinda.

Living in Denpasar, Bali is roughly 38% more expensive than in Samarinda, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Denpasar, Bali 28% lower, Samarinda 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.41 Rp 43.5K

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

58.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.01 Rp 397.4K

$12.05 Rp 217.5K

82.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 Rp 58.7K

$5.87 Rp 106.0K

-44.63%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.5K

$1.65 Rp 29.8K

9.09%

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

$0.87 Rp 15.7K

$0.49 Rp 8,909

77.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 Rp 8,400

$0.38 Rp 6,902

23.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 Rp 35.2K

$2.47 Rp 44.6K

-21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 Rp 47.0K

$3.58 Rp 64.7K

-27.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 Rp 26.0K

$1.17 Rp 21.1K

23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 Rp 36.7K

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

118.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 Rp 16.4K

$0.77 Rp 13.9K

18.18%

Eggs

$1.97 Rp 35.5K

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

23.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 Rp 213.2K

$7.96 Rp 143.6K

48.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 Rp 61.7K

$3.98 Rp 71.8K

-14.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.84 Rp 177.6K

$10.94 Rp 197.5K

-10.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 55.8K

$5.68 Rp 102.6K

-45.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 Rp 23.7K

$1.26 Rp 22.8K

3.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.9K

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

84.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 34.3K

$1.58 Rp 28.5K

20.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.8K

$1.45 Rp 26.1K

6.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 33.8K

$2.02 Rp 36.5K

-7.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

$0.91 Rp 16.5K

-9.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 Rp 10.6K

$0.55 Rp 10.0K

7.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 Rp 47.4K

$2.26 Rp 40.9K

16.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 Rp 335.3K

$20.14 Rp 363.6K

-7.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 Rp 40.9K

$2.04 Rp 36.7K

11.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 Rp 40.2K

$3.21 Rp 58.0K

-30.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,720

$0.32 Rp 5,810

-18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.54 Rp 136.1K

$10.05 Rp 181.4K

-24.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,948

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

-53.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,497

$0.38 Rp 6,821

10.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 Rp 102.2K

$2.85 Rp 51.4K

98.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 Rp 13.1K

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

12.50%

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

$23.9K Rp 431.9M

$24.5K Rp 441.9M

-2.27%

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

$28.4K Rp 513.6M

$27.4K Rp 495.4M

3.67%

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

$71.0 Rp 1.3M

$70.0 Rp 1.3M

1.39%

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

$3.55 Rp 64.2K

$4.32 Rp 78.1K

-17.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.30 Rp 384.6K

$23.17 Rp 418.2K

-8.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.6 Rp 1.2M

$23.10 Rp 417.0K

192.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.47 Rp 80.8K

$6.00 Rp 108.3K

-25.50%

Cinema Ticket

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

$3.15 Rp 56.8K

-11.43%

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

$234 Rp 4.2M

$95.0 Rp 1.7M

146.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,006 Rp 90.4M

$7,587 Rp 137.0M

-34.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.68 Rp 842.7K

$41.68 Rp 752.4K

12.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.96 Rp 595.0K

$30.38 Rp 548.5K

8.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 Rp 1.4M

$67.4 Rp 1.2M

11.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.9 Rp 1.2M

$75.3 Rp 1.4M

-12.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 Rp 9.6M

$257 Rp 4.6M

106.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 Rp 6.3M

$156 Rp 2.8M

123.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 Rp 32.3M

$581 Rp 10.5M

207.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 Rp 19.8M

$337 Rp 6.1M

225.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,426 Rp 25.7M

$1,237 Rp 22.3M

15.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,171 Rp 21.1M

$667 Rp 12.0M

75.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$279 Rp 5.0M

$322 Rp 5.8M

-13.36%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Samarinda: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $530 in Denpasar, Bali and $257 in Samarinda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samarinda pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $22.00 in Denpasar, Bali vs $12.00 in Samarinda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $231 per month, with Samarinda 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 Samarinda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Denpasar, Bali and Samarinda differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($959 vs $696 including rent). Samarinda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Samarinda. 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: $530 in Denpasar, Bali versus $257 in Samarinda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $959 per month in Denpasar, Bali versus $696 in Samarinda – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Samarinda runs roughly 33% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $696 in Samarinda versus $959 in Denpasar, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Samarinda but tight or insufficient in Denpasar, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Samarinda 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 Samarinda 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 Samarinda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.