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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $937 in Denpasar, Bali versus $581 in Semarang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,548 in Denpasar, Bali versus $928 in Semarang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,159 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,274 in Semarang.

Living in Denpasar, Bali is roughly 61% more expensive than in Semarang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Denpasar, Bali 32% lower, Semarang 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.32 Rp 40.9K

$1.45 Rp 25.5K

60.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.34 Rp 428.6K

$10.54 Rp 185.6K

130.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.78 Rp 66.5K

$3.14 Rp 55.3K

20.38%

Cappuccino

$1.83 Rp 32.3K

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

47.58%

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

$1.16 Rp 20.4K

$0.49 Rp 8,635

136.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 Rp 8,928

$0.18 Rp 3,148

183.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 Rp 35.8K

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 Rp 52.5K

$3.43 Rp 60.3K

-13.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 Rp 22.0K

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

11.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 Rp 32.8K

$0.96 Rp 16.9K

94.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 15.8K

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

13.92%

Eggs

$1.69 Rp 29.7K

$1.38 Rp 24.3K

22.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.72 Rp 259.1K

$5.66 Rp 99.6K

160.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 Rp 58.0K

$2.36 Rp 41.6K

39.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.82 Rp 172.9K

$8.16 Rp 143.6K

20.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 Rp 52.6K

$2.52 Rp 44.5K

18.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

$1.53 Rp 27.0K

-18.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 32.7K

$1.81 Rp 31.9K

2.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 Rp 29.0K

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

5.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.1K

$1.79 Rp 31.5K

-13.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 34.9K

$2.23 Rp 39.3K

-11.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

1.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,269

$0.42 Rp 7,375

-2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.81 Rp 31.9K

$2.26 Rp 39.8K

-19.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.84 Rp 331.7K

$14.17 Rp 249.5K

32.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 Rp 34.6K

$2.35 Rp 41.4K

-16.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 Rp 41.9K

$2.70 Rp 47.5K

-11.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 Rp 3,860

$0.24 Rp 4,246

-8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.67 Rp 135.0K

$14.32 Rp 252.2K

-46.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 Rp 7,626

$0.89 Rp 15.6K

-51.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,526

$0.29 Rp 5,129

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 Rp 53.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 Rp 11.9K

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

-15.00%

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

$21.8K Rp 384.4M

$23.0K Rp 405.1M

-5.10%

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

$28.5K Rp 502.6M

$31.1K Rp 547.6M

-8.22%

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

$75.7 Rp 1.3M

$68.1 Rp 1.2M

11.27%

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

$5.84 Rp 102.9K

$2.69 Rp 47.3K

117.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.30 Rp 304.5K

$20.77 Rp 365.6K

-16.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.41 Rp 693.9K

$21.00 Rp 369.8K

87.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.91 Rp 227.4K

$4.76 Rp 83.8K

171.22%

Cinema Ticket

$3.09 Rp 54.4K

$2.22 Rp 39.1K

39.19%

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

$383 Rp 6.7M

$40.97 Rp 721.3K

834.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,468 Rp 78.7M

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

100.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.69 Rp 698.7K

$28.65 Rp 504.3K

38.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.07 Rp 547.0K

$29.45 Rp 518.4K

5.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.4 Rp 1.2M

$58.8 Rp 1.0M

18.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.1 Rp 1.2M

$39.84 Rp 701.5K

70.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 Rp 10.4M

$229 Rp 4.0M

158.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 Rp 6.4M

$143 Rp 2.5M

151.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,858 Rp 32.7M

$496 Rp 8.7M

274.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 Rp 15.9M

$394 Rp 6.9M

130.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,463 Rp 25.8M

$1,178 Rp 20.7M

24.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 Rp 21.1M

$557 Rp 9.8M

115.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$279 Rp 4.9M

$196 Rp 3.5M

42.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

7.83

75.99%

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

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: September 5, 2026

Last update for Semarang: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $591 in Denpasar, Bali and $229 in Semarang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Denpasar, Bali pays 42% 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 $11.00 in Semarang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $183 per month, with Semarang 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 Semarang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Denpasar, Bali and Semarang differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($937 vs $581 including rent). Semarang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 42% 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 $229 in Semarang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $937 per month in Denpasar, Bali versus $581 in Semarang – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Semarang runs roughly 87% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $581 in Semarang versus $937 in Denpasar, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Semarang but tight or insufficient in Denpasar, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Semarang 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 Semarang 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 Semarang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.