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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $959 in Denpasar, Bali versus $591 in Sibolga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,681 in Denpasar, Bali versus $944 in Sibolga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,404 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,296 in Sibolga.

Living in Denpasar, Bali is roughly 62% more expensive than in Sibolga, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Denpasar, Bali 28% lower, Sibolga 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.41 Rp 43.5K

$1.55 Rp 28.0K

55.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.01 Rp 397.4K

$12.22 Rp 220.7K

80.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 Rp 58.7K

$3.48 Rp 62.7K

-6.61%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.5K

$1.67 Rp 30.1K

7.78%

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

$0.87 Rp 15.7K

$0.51 Rp 9,295

70.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 Rp 8,400

$0.28 Rp 5,108

67.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 Rp 35.2K

$3.11 Rp 56.1K

-37.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 Rp 47.0K

$2.65 Rp 47.9K

-1.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 Rp 26.0K

$1.22 Rp 22.1K

18.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 Rp 36.7K

$1.18 Rp 21.4K

72.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 Rp 16.4K

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

-2.15%

Eggs

$1.97 Rp 35.5K

$1.59 Rp 28.7K

23.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 Rp 213.2K

$8.33 Rp 150.3K

41.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 Rp 61.7K

$2.27 Rp 41.0K

50.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.84 Rp 177.6K

$9.10 Rp 164.2K

8.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 55.8K

$2.30 Rp 41.5K

34.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 Rp 23.7K

$1.51 Rp 27.3K

-13.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.9K

$1.89 Rp 34.1K

16.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 34.3K

$1.49 Rp 26.9K

27.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.8K

$0.71 Rp 12.9K

116.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 33.8K

$1.53 Rp 27.6K

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

$0.91 Rp 16.4K

-9.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 Rp 10.6K

$0.35 Rp 6,334

68.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 Rp 47.4K

$1.73 Rp 31.2K

52.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 Rp 335.3K

$23.19 Rp 418.7K

-19.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 Rp 40.9K

$2.31 Rp 41.7K

-1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 Rp 40.2K

$2.33 Rp 42.0K

-4.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,720

$0.41 Rp 7,381

-36.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.54 Rp 136.1K

$9.68 Rp 174.7K

-22.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,948

$0.53 Rp 9,591

-16.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,497

$0.37 Rp 6,753

13.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 Rp 102.2K

$2.86 Rp 51.7K

97.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 Rp 13.1K

$1.06 Rp 19.2K

-32.08%

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

$23.9K Rp 431.9M

$24.7K Rp 445.4M

-3.03%

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

$28.4K Rp 513.6M

$27.3K Rp 492.0M

4.40%

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

$71.0 Rp 1.3M

$26.79 Rp 483.7K

164.95%

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

$3.55 Rp 64.2K

$4.22 Rp 76.2K

-15.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.30 Rp 384.6K

$22.81 Rp 411.8K

-6.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.6 Rp 1.2M

$23.00 Rp 415.3K

194.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.47 Rp 80.8K

$6.08 Rp 109.8K

-26.48%

Cinema Ticket

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

$3.09 Rp 55.8K

-9.71%

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

$234 Rp 4.2M

$24.11 Rp 435.3K

870.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,006 Rp 90.4M

$7,603 Rp 137.3M

-34.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.68 Rp 842.7K

$15.45 Rp 278.8K

202.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.96 Rp 595.0K

$18.19 Rp 328.3K

81.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 Rp 1.4M

$66.2 Rp 1.2M

13.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.9 Rp 1.2M

$74.7 Rp 1.3M

-11.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 Rp 9.6M

$260 Rp 4.7M

103.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 Rp 6.3M

$159 Rp 2.9M

118.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 Rp 32.3M

$583 Rp 10.5M

207.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 Rp 19.8M

$332 Rp 6.0M

230.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,426 Rp 25.7M

$1,293 Rp 23.3M

10.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,171 Rp 21.1M

$622 Rp 11.2M

88.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$279 Rp 5.0M

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 Sibolga: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $530 in Denpasar, Bali and $260 in Sibolga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $22.00 in Denpasar, Bali vs $12.00 in Sibolga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $209 per month, with Sibolga 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 Sibolga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Denpasar, Bali and Sibolga differ by about 62% in total monthly costs ($959 vs $591 including rent). Sibolga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,438 in Denpasar, Bali and $887 in Sibolga to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $530 in Denpasar, Bali versus $260 in Sibolga. 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 $591 in Sibolga – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sibolga runs roughly 28% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $591 in Sibolga versus $959 in Denpasar, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sibolga but tight or insufficient in Denpasar, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Sibolga 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 Sibolga 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 Sibolga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.