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: $909 in Denpasar, Bali versus $629 in Sibolga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,516 in Denpasar, Bali versus $996 in Sibolga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,123 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,363 in Sibolga.

Living in Denpasar, Bali is roughly 45% more expensive than in Sibolga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Denpasar, Bali 34% lower, Sibolga 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$1.86 Rp 33.0K

19.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.92 Rp 423.6K

$12.51 Rp 221.6K

91.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.76 Rp 66.5K

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

21.68%

Cappuccino

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

$1.48 Rp 26.3K

19.59%

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

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

$0.43 Rp 7,596

188.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 Rp 9,131

$0.22 Rp 3,949

136.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 Rp 34.4K

$2.17 Rp 38.4K

-10.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 Rp 51.9K

$3.47 Rp 61.5K

-15.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

$1.29 Rp 22.8K

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 Rp 32.9K

$1.25 Rp 22.2K

48.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

$0.78 Rp 13.7K

16.67%

Eggs

$1.76 Rp 31.2K

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

36.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.64 Rp 259.2K

$7.00 Rp 123.9K

109.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 Rp 56.6K

$2.62 Rp 46.4K

22.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.81 Rp 173.7K

$8.03 Rp 142.2K

22.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 Rp 53.8K

$2.30 Rp 40.7K

32.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.3K

$1.37 Rp 24.2K

-3.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 33.0K

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

-1.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 Rp 28.4K

$1.45 Rp 25.8K

10.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.0K

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

4.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 34.3K

$1.89 Rp 33.5K

2.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.85 Rp 15.0K

-8.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,346

$0.41 Rp 7,250

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 Rp 33.3K

$2.93 Rp 51.8K

-35.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.97 Rp 335.9K

$22.84 Rp 404.5K

-16.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 Rp 33.1K

$1.83 Rp 32.4K

2.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 Rp 44.3K

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

-6.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,267

$0.32 Rp 5,678

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.36 Rp 130.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 Rp 7,657

$0.57 Rp 10.1K

-24.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 Rp 6,963

$0.34 Rp 6,029

14.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 Rp 54.1K

$2.94 Rp 52.1K

4.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.90 Rp 16.0K

-18.89%

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

$22.5K Rp 399.3M

$21.1K Rp 373.6M

6.89%

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

$28.3K Rp 500.7M

$30.5K Rp 540.2M

-7.31%

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

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

$70.7 Rp 1.3M

7.32%

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

$5.96 Rp 105.5K

$4.12 Rp 73.0K

44.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.71 Rp 296.0K

$19.28 Rp 341.4K

-13.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.78 Rp 704.5K

$19.00 Rp 336.5K

109.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.21 Rp 233.9K

$7.31 Rp 129.4K

80.71%

Cinema Ticket

$3.11 Rp 55.0K

$2.54 Rp 44.9K

22.44%

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

$370 Rp 6.6M

$108 Rp 1.9M

244.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,428 Rp 78.4M

$8,988 Rp 159.1M

-50.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.11 Rp 710.2K

$46.17 Rp 817.5K

-13.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.66 Rp 542.9K

$31.95 Rp 565.8K

-4.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 Rp 1.3M

$65.6 Rp 1.2M

7.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.9 Rp 1.2M

$70.6 Rp 1.2M

-3.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 Rp 10.4M

$214 Rp 3.8M

173.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 Rp 6.3M

$166 Rp 2.9M

115.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,846 Rp 32.7M

$598 Rp 10.6M

208.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$922 Rp 16.3M

$326 Rp 5.8M

182.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,456 Rp 25.8M

$1,187 Rp 21.0M

22.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,214 Rp 21.5M

$769 Rp 13.6M

57.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$284 Rp 5.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

9.46

45.67%

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

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: September 12, 2026

Last update for Sibolga: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $585 in Denpasar, Bali and $214 in Sibolga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Denpasar, Bali vs $13.00 in Sibolga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $203 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 45% in total monthly costs ($909 vs $629 including rent). Sibolga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,364 in Denpasar, Bali and $943 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: $585 in Denpasar, Bali versus $214 in Sibolga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Denpasar, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $909 per month in Denpasar, Bali versus $629 in Sibolga – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $629 in Sibolga versus $909 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 45% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.