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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $904 in Denpasar, Bali versus $688 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,545 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,205 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,186 in Denpasar, Bali versus $1,722 in Surabaya.

Living in Denpasar, Bali is roughly 31% more expensive than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Denpasar, Bali 34% lower, Surabaya 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.33 Rp 41.0K

$1.66 Rp 29.3K

40.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.80 Rp 454.8K

$11.40 Rp 201.0K

126.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.76 Rp 66.3K

$3.24 Rp 57.2K

16.05%

Cappuccino

$1.83 Rp 32.2K

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

17.31%

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

$1.14 Rp 20.1K

$0.56 Rp 9,841

103.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,588

$0.26 Rp 4,572

107.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 Rp 32.2K

$2.25 Rp 39.6K

-18.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$4.37 Rp 77.0K

-35.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 Rp 22.8K

$1.21 Rp 21.4K

6.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 Rp 32.7K

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

38.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 16.7K

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

10.47%

Eggs

$1.71 Rp 30.2K

$1.21 Rp 21.2K

41.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.24 Rp 251.0K

$7.80 Rp 137.5K

82.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 Rp 55.6K

$2.96 Rp 52.2K

6.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 Rp 179.1K

$7.87 Rp 138.8K

29.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 Rp 51.3K

$2.02 Rp 35.7K

44.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

$1.33 Rp 23.4K

-2.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 32.9K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 Rp 29.1K

$1.52 Rp 26.9K

8.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 25.9K

$1.37 Rp 24.2K

7.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.0K

$1.93 Rp 34.0K

2.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

-16.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,337

$0.40 Rp 7,050

5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.83 Rp 32.2K

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

-6.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.06 Rp 336.0K

$25.35 Rp 447.0K

-24.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 Rp 32.8K

$1.71 Rp 30.1K

8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.7K

$2.89 Rp 50.9K

-20.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 Rp 3,875

$0.36 Rp 6,271

-38.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.39 Rp 130.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 Rp 7,591

$0.47 Rp 8,334

-8.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,537

$0.47 Rp 8,293

-8.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 Rp 56.4K

$2.70 Rp 47.7K

18.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 Rp 12.2K

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

-13.75%

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

$22.5K Rp 397.2M

$24.7K Rp 435.5M

-8.79%

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

$28.5K Rp 502.8M

$33.1K Rp 583.3M

-13.80%

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

$72.9 Rp 1.3M

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

-18.02%

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

$5.79 Rp 102.1K

$4.83 Rp 85.2K

19.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.73 Rp 294.9K

$19.84 Rp 349.7K

-15.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.09 Rp 706.9K

$18.57 Rp 327.4K

115.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.87 Rp 226.9K

$6.54 Rp 115.3K

96.79%

Cinema Ticket

$3.19 Rp 56.2K

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

20.38%

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

$382 Rp 6.7M

$286 Rp 5.0M

33.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,414 Rp 77.8M

$9,694 Rp 170.9M

-54.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.21 Rp 691.2K

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

-44.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.71 Rp 541.3K

$39.47 Rp 695.8K

-22.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 Rp 1.2M

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

-15.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 Rp 1.2M

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

-9.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 Rp 10.6M

$290 Rp 5.1M

107.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 Rp 6.3M

$150 Rp 2.6M

139.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,879 Rp 33.1M

$1,276 Rp 22.5M

47.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$893 Rp 15.7M

$618 Rp 10.9M

44.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,433 Rp 25.3M

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

-35.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,191 Rp 21.0M

$1,073 Rp 18.9M

10.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$285 Rp 5.0M

$277 Rp 4.9M

2.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

7.5

83.73%

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

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: August 30, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $602 in Denpasar, Bali and $290 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Denpasar, Bali pays 3% 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: $26.00 in Denpasar, Bali vs $11.00 in Surabaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $211 per month, with Surabaya 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 Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Denpasar, Bali and Surabaya differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($904 vs $688 including rent). Surabaya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 3% 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: $602 in Denpasar, Bali versus $290 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Denpasar, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $904 per month in Denpasar, Bali versus $688 in Surabaya – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $688 in Surabaya versus $904 in Denpasar, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Surabaya but tight or insufficient in Denpasar, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Surabaya 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 Surabaya 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 Surabaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.