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: $940 in Denpasar, Bali versus $693 in Samarinda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,630 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,065 in Samarinda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,320 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,438 in Samarinda.

Living in Denpasar, Bali is roughly 36% more expensive than Samarinda, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Denpasar, Bali 30% lower, Samarinda 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.38 Rp 41.3K

$1.57 Rp 27.2K

51.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.86 Rp 379.0K

$12.53 Rp 217.1K

74.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.30 Rp 57.2K

$5.74 Rp 99.5K

-42.51%

Cappuccino

$1.90 Rp 33.0K

$1.73 Rp 30.1K

9.83%

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

$0.89 Rp 15.4K

$0.53 Rp 9,257

67.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,522

$0.38 Rp 6,593

28.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 Rp 33.8K

$2.49 Rp 43.2K

-21.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 Rp 43.6K

$3.51 Rp 60.8K

-28.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 Rp 24.4K

$1.22 Rp 21.2K

15.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 Rp 35.4K

$0.99 Rp 17.1K

106.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 16.7K

$0.79 Rp 13.6K

21.52%

Eggs

$2.00 Rp 34.7K

$1.53 Rp 26.5K

30.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.70 Rp 202.8K

$8.04 Rp 139.4K

45.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 Rp 59.4K

$3.98 Rp 69.0K

-13.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.53 Rp 165.2K

$10.79 Rp 187.1K

-11.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 Rp 53.8K

$5.64 Rp 97.8K

-45.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 Rp 21.8K

$1.22 Rp 21.1K

3.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 39.6K

$1.20 Rp 20.8K

90.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 32.4K

$1.57 Rp 27.2K

19.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.0K

$1.44 Rp 25.0K

12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 Rp 30.9K

$1.98 Rp 34.3K

-10.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 Rp 14.0K

$0.95 Rp 16.4K

-14.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Rp 9,999

$0.61 Rp 10.5K

-4.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 Rp 45.8K

$2.18 Rp 37.7K

21.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.10 Rp 331.1K

$21.90 Rp 379.6K

-12.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 Rp 40.1K

$2.05 Rp 35.5K

13.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 Rp 39.1K

$3.12 Rp 54.0K

-27.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,527

$0.32 Rp 5,575

-18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.43 Rp 128.7K

$9.65 Rp 167.2K

-23.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.40 Rp 6,918

$0.89 Rp 15.4K

-55.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 Rp 7,189

$0.35 Rp 6,051

17.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 Rp 93.6K

$2.84 Rp 49.2K

90.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.2K

$0.59 Rp 10.3K

28.81%

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

$23.2K Rp 402.6M

$24.3K Rp 421.9M

-4.56%

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

$28.4K Rp 492.9M

$27.5K Rp 476.0M

3.56%

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

$73.2 Rp 1.3M

$69.3 Rp 1.2M

5.69%

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

$3.67 Rp 63.7K

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

-12.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.40 Rp 370.9K

$22.79 Rp 395.0K

-6.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.5 Rp 1.2M

$23.00 Rp 398.7K

202.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.67 Rp 80.9K

$5.97 Rp 103.5K

-21.78%

Cinema Ticket

$2.81 Rp 48.7K

$3.11 Rp 53.9K

-9.65%

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

$234 Rp 4.1M

$92.0 Rp 1.6M

154.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,114 Rp 88.6M

$7,437 Rp 128.9M

-31.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.27 Rp 801.9K

$42.08 Rp 729.3K

9.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 Rp 558.1K

$30.65 Rp 531.2K

5.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 Rp 1.3M

$66.5 Rp 1.2M

11.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.2 Rp 1.2M

$74.3 Rp 1.3M

-9.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 Rp 8.9M

$262 Rp 4.5M

95.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 Rp 6.0M

$156 Rp 2.7M

120.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 Rp 31.3M

$584 Rp 10.1M

208.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 Rp 18.4M

$329 Rp 5.7M

223.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,591 Rp 27.6M

$1,140 Rp 19.8M

39.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,226 Rp 21.2M

$877 Rp 15.2M

39.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$293 Rp 5.1M

$343 Rp 5.9M

-14.65%

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 26, 2026

Last update for Samarinda: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $512 in Denpasar, Bali and $262 in Samarinda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samarinda pays 17% 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 $13.00 in Samarinda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $236 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 36% in total monthly costs ($940 vs $693 including rent). Samarinda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Samarinda earns 17% 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: $512 in Denpasar, Bali versus $262 in Samarinda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $940 per month in Denpasar, Bali versus $693 in Samarinda – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Samarinda runs roughly 30% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $693 in Samarinda versus $940 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 36% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.