Cost of Living Comparison Between Manado and Bandung Cost of Living Comparison Between Manado and Bandung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $603 in Manado versus $634 in Bandung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $929 in Manado versus $952 in Bandung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,255 in Manado versus $1,269 in Bandung.

Living in Manado costs roughly 5% less than in Bandung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manado 55% lower, Bandung 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.27 Rp 21.9K

$1.27 Rp 22.0K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.38 Rp 162.0K

$9.29 Rp 160.5K

0.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.14 Rp 54.3K

$3.30 Rp 57.0K

-4.85%

Cappuccino

$1.66 Rp 28.7K

$1.50 Rp 25.9K

10.67%

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

$0.32 Rp 5,542

$0.49 Rp 8,377

-34.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,513

$0.25 Rp 4,292

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.67 Rp 63.3K

$3.45 Rp 59.5K

6.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 Rp 101.4K

$3.61 Rp 62.3K

62.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Rp 21.1K

$1.17 Rp 20.2K

4.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 Rp 15.7K

$1.07 Rp 18.5K

-14.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 Rp 12.7K

$0.88 Rp 15.3K

-17.05%

Eggs

$1.82 Rp 31.4K

$1.57 Rp 27.1K

15.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 Rp 136.5K

$8.97 Rp 154.9K

-11.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 Rp 53.1K

$3.03 Rp 52.4K

1.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.74 Rp 133.6K

$7.81 Rp 134.9K

-0.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 Rp 48.6K

$2.35 Rp 40.6K

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 25.4K

$1.27 Rp 22.0K

15.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 32.2K

$1.71 Rp 29.5K

8.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 Rp 22.5K

$1.51 Rp 26.2K

-13.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 23.6K

$1.47 Rp 25.4K

-6.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.8K

$2.65 Rp 45.8K

-28.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 Rp 15.5K

$0.97 Rp 16.7K

-7.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 Rp 8,199

$0.42 Rp 7,282

11.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 Rp 40.1K

$2.60 Rp 44.9K

-10.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$28.87 Rp 498.4K

$23.38 Rp 403.7K

23.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 Rp 30.2K

$2.04 Rp 35.2K

-14.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 Rp 54.6K

$3.41 Rp 58.9K

-7.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,581

$0.30 Rp 5,140

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.60 Rp 165.8K

$10.52 Rp 181.7K

-8.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,288

$0.76 Rp 13.2K

-28.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,397

$0.76 Rp 13.1K

-51.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 Rp 51.1K

$2.55 Rp 44.0K

16.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 13.8K

$0.79 Rp 13.7K

1.27%

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

$24.7K Rp 426.1M

$25.0K Rp 431.0M

-1.13%

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

$27.2K Rp 469.0M

$26.2K Rp 452.8M

3.57%

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

$24.75 Rp 427.3K

$43.66 Rp 753.8K

-43.31%

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

$4.32 Rp 74.6K

$4.62 Rp 79.8K

-6.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.13 Rp 399.4K

$23.01 Rp 397.3K

0.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.53 Rp 319.9K

$21.48 Rp 370.8K

-13.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 Rp 105.6K

$6.32 Rp 109.1K

-3.16%

Cinema Ticket

$2.66 Rp 45.9K

$3.01 Rp 51.9K

-11.63%

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

$92.1 Rp 1.6M

$92.0 Rp 1.6M

0.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,155 Rp 89.0M

$7,439 Rp 128.4M

-30.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 Rp 1.1M

$42.16 Rp 727.9K

44.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.46 Rp 422.3K

$30.59 Rp 528.2K

-20.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 Rp 1.6M

$59.3 Rp 1.0M

57.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 Rp 1.3M

$64.6 Rp 1.1M

15.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$328 Rp 5.7M

$238 Rp 4.1M

37.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.7M

$153 Rp 2.6M

-35.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 Rp 5.6M

$455 Rp 7.9M

-28.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 Rp 3.2M

$249 Rp 4.3M

-25.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,203 Rp 20.8M

$755 Rp 13.0M

59.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$782 Rp 13.5M

$318 Rp 5.5M

146.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 Rp 3.8M

$287 Rp 5.0M

-22.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

9.29%

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

Last update for Manado: April 25, 2026

Last update for Bandung: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $328 in Manado and $238 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 30% 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: $9.00 in Manado vs $9.00 in Bandung. Groceries flip the comparison at $221 vs $214, with Bandung cheaper for home cooking.

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

Manado vs Bandung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manado wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Bandung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Manado the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Bandung earns 30% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $328 in Manado versus $238 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bandung pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Manado – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $9.00 in Bandung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Manado 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 Manado delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $603 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Manado hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Manado 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 Manado gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Bandung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.