Cost of Living Comparison Between Karawang and Bandung Cost of Living Comparison Between Karawang and Bandung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $448 in Karawang versus $626 in Bandung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $815 in Karawang versus $918 in Bandung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,182 in Karawang versus $1,210 in Bandung.

Living in Karawang costs roughly 28% less than in Bandung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karawang 67% lower, Bandung 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.42 Rp 25.3K

$1.43 Rp 25.4K

-0.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.29 Rp 200.6K

$11.35 Rp 201.8K

-0.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.45 Rp 61.4K

$3.44 Rp 61.1K

0.29%

Cappuccino

$1.51 Rp 26.9K

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

-1.95%

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

$0.40 Rp 7,183

$0.44 Rp 7,868

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 Rp 3,550

$0.23 Rp 4,082

-13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 Rp 53.5K

$3.00 Rp 53.3K

0.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 Rp 54.2K

$3.13 Rp 55.6K

-2.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Rp 20.2K

$1.13 Rp 20.1K

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 Rp 17.5K

$0.99 Rp 17.5K

-1.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

6.17%

Eggs

$1.43 Rp 25.4K

$1.46 Rp 26.0K

-2.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 48.7K

$7.35 Rp 130.7K

-62.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.82 Rp 50.1K

$2.86 Rp 50.8K

-1.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 Rp 137.9K

$8.09 Rp 143.7K

-4.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.2K

$2.24 Rp 39.9K

-19.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 Rp 19.5K

$1.06 Rp 18.9K

2.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 Rp 22.0K

$1.54 Rp 27.3K

-19.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 Rp 9,104

$0.94 Rp 16.7K

-45.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 Rp 16.0K

$1.07 Rp 19.0K

-15.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.3K

$1.94 Rp 34.6K

-20.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 Rp 11.6K

$0.64 Rp 11.3K

1.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 Rp 7,709

$0.40 Rp 7,149

7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.67 Rp 47.5K

$2.74 Rp 48.7K

-2.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.86 Rp 406.3K

$22.53 Rp 400.5K

1.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 Rp 32.4K

$1.85 Rp 32.9K

-1.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 56.4K

$3.32 Rp 59.1K

-4.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 Rp 10.5K

$0.29 Rp 5,185

103.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.26 Rp 164.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

6.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 Rp 9,819

$0.51 Rp 9,040

7.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

$2.27 Rp 40.4K

-49.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.1K

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

-8.14%

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

$21.4K Rp 381.2M

$21.2K Rp 376.9M

1.14%

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

$29.4K Rp 522.4M

$29.4K Rp 522.5M

-0.01%

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

$33.67 Rp 598.5K

$34.47 Rp 612.6K

-2.32%

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

$4.27 Rp 76.0K

$4.30 Rp 76.5K

-0.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.52 Rp 222.5K

$19.56 Rp 347.6K

-35.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.05 Rp 356.4K

$18.44 Rp 327.7K

8.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.54 Rp 151.8K

$5.74 Rp 102.0K

48.78%

Cinema Ticket

$2.83 Rp 50.3K

$2.75 Rp 48.9K

2.91%

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

$43.30 Rp 769.6K

$96.4 Rp 1.7M

-55.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,440 Rp 150.0M

$8,416 Rp 149.6M

0.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.60 Rp 295.0K

$39.70 Rp 705.6K

-58.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.01 Rp 497.8K

$32.88 Rp 584.5K

-14.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.61 Rp 881.7K

$76.1 Rp 1.4M

-34.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.89 Rp 869.0K

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

-31.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$139 Rp 2.5M

$215 Rp 3.8M

-35.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$69.9 Rp 1.2M

$180 Rp 3.2M

-61.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$551 Rp 9.8M

$385 Rp 6.8M

43.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 Rp 6.5M

$263 Rp 4.7M

39.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,171 Rp 20.8M

$737 Rp 13.1M

58.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$696 Rp 12.4M

$308 Rp 5.5M

126.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$404 Rp 7.2M

$282 Rp 5.0M

43.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

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

Last update for Karawang: August 17, 2026

Last update for Bandung: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $139 in Karawang and $215 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karawang pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $11.00 in Karawang vs $11.00 in Bandung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $195 per month, with Karawang 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

Karawang vs Bandung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karawang wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Bandung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Karawang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 43% higher in Karawang, 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: $139 in Karawang versus $215 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $43.30 in Karawang versus $96.4 in Bandung. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Karawang – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $11.00 in Bandung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Karawang gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Karawang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $448 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Karawang hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Karawang and Bandung 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 Karawang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Bandung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.