Cost of Living Comparison Between Malang and Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Malang and Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $464 per month in Malang vs $1,265 in Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $746 per month in Malang vs $2,300 in Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,028 per month in Malang vs $3,334 in Bali, rent included.

Malang is about 63% cheaper than Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malang and Bali are more affordable than the global median – Malang 65% lower, Bali 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.19 Rp 21.6K

$2.88 Rp 52.0K

-58.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.32 Rp 222.8K

$26.92 Rp 486.7K

-54.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.11 Rp 56.3K

$4.08 Rp 73.7K

-23.77%

Cappuccino

$1.40 Rp 25.3K

$2.29 Rp 41.4K

-38.86%

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

$0.62 Rp 11.3K

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

-46.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 Rp 3,962

$0.62 Rp 11.2K

-64.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.39 Rp 43.2K

0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 Rp 56.2K

$3.33 Rp 60.2K

-6.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Rp 20.5K

$1.70 Rp 30.7K

-33.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

$2.38 Rp 43.1K

-36.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 Rp 15.2K

$1.14 Rp 20.6K

-26.32%

Eggs

$1.47 Rp 26.6K

$2.33 Rp 42.2K

-36.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.39 Rp 115.5K

$14.18 Rp 256.5K

-54.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 Rp 58.7K

$4.14 Rp 74.8K

-21.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 Rp 130.1K

$11.65 Rp 210.7K

-38.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 41.7K

$3.47 Rp 62.8K

-33.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.9K

$1.52 Rp 27.5K

-1.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 Rp 31.9K

$2.59 Rp 46.8K

-31.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 Rp 26.2K

$2.13 Rp 38.5K

-31.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 24.1K

$1.81 Rp 32.7K

-26.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.5K

$2.19 Rp 39.6K

-17.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 Rp 9,984

$0.95 Rp 17.3K

-42.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,999

$0.72 Rp 13.1K

-38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.56 Rp 46.2K

$3.02 Rp 54.5K

-15.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.53 Rp 226.6K

$21.76 Rp 393.4K

-42.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 Rp 32.5K

$2.67 Rp 48.2K

-32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 Rp 59.6K

$2.69 Rp 48.7K

22.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 Rp 11.4K

$0.27 Rp 4,838

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.97 Rp 108.0K

$8.22 Rp 148.6K

-27.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,083

$0.46 Rp 8,240

-2.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,212

$0.42 Rp 7,603

-30.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.7K

$6.23 Rp 112.6K

-2.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 14.1K

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

-1.27%

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

$21.2K Rp 383.8M

$26.2K Rp 473.8M

-18.99%

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

$27.3K Rp 493.7M

$32.6K Rp 589.6M

-16.26%

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

$33.52 Rp 606.1K

$80.2 Rp 1.4M

-58.19%

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

$2.55 Rp 46.2K

$3.93 Rp 71.0K

-35.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.55 Rp 353.4K

$23.58 Rp 426.3K

-17.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.71 Rp 266.0K

$80.3 Rp 1.5M

-81.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.95 Rp 89.4K

$5.51 Rp 99.6K

-10.16%

Cinema Ticket

$2.18 Rp 39.5K

$3.47 Rp 62.7K

-37.18%

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

$33.90 Rp 613.0K

$277 Rp 5.0M

-87.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,427 Rp 170.5M

$6,008 Rp 108.6M

56.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.41 Rp 766.9K

$51.4 Rp 928.8K

-17.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.26 Rp 565.2K

$36.41 Rp 658.4K

-14.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.1 Rp 1.1M

$82.5 Rp 1.5M

-27.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 Rp 1.5M

$74.8 Rp 1.4M

11.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$160 Rp 2.9M

$867 Rp 15.7M

-81.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$49.08 Rp 887.5K

$574 Rp 10.4M

-91.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 Rp 5.0M

$2,974 Rp 53.8M

-90.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$93.2 Rp 1.7M

$1,779 Rp 32.2M

-94.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 Rp 43.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,981 Rp 35.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$196 Rp 3.5M

$224 Rp 4.1M

-12.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-69.88%

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

Last update for Malang: July 26, 2026

Last update for Bali: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $160 in Malang versus $867 in Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 15% higher in Bali, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Malang versus $27.00 in Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $285 – making Malang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Malang vs Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 173% more than Malang, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $696 per month in Malang and $1,898 in Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Malang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Malang and $27.00 in Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $464 in Malang and $1,265 in Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Malang, where all-in costs run around $464, than in Bali at $1,265. In Malang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Malang costs $464 versus $1,265 in Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Malang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.