Cost of Living Comparison Between Medan and Bandung Cost of Living Comparison Between Medan and Bandung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $607 in Medan versus $644 in Bandung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $933 in Medan versus $939 in Bandung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,260 in Medan versus $1,234 in Bandung.

Living in Medan costs roughly 6% less than in Bandung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medan 56% lower, Bandung 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.72 Rp 30.6K

$1.39 Rp 24.8K

23.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.73 Rp 155.1K

$14.39 Rp 255.6K

-39.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

$3.31 Rp 58.8K

-10.57%

Cappuccino

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

$1.57 Rp 27.8K

-1.27%

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

$0.34 Rp 6,114

$0.42 Rp 7,456

-19.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,458

$0.25 Rp 4,472

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

$3.15 Rp 56.0K

-45.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 Rp 63.6K

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

18.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

$1.12 Rp 19.9K

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

14.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

$0.82 Rp 14.5K

1.22%

Eggs

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

$1.49 Rp 26.5K

-10.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 Rp 140.5K

$7.31 Rp 129.9K

8.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 Rp 62.7K

$3.00 Rp 53.3K

17.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.44 Rp 114.4K

$8.16 Rp 144.9K

-21.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 Rp 43.2K

$2.27 Rp 40.4K

7.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

$1.08 Rp 19.2K

-2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

-4.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 17.0K

$0.97 Rp 17.3K

-1.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$1.09 Rp 19.5K

-20.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

$1.91 Rp 33.9K

-8.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 Rp 7,334

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

-40.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,756

$0.44 Rp 7,767

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

$2.66 Rp 47.3K

13.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.41 Rp 291.5K

$22.71 Rp 403.5K

-27.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 Rp 34.2K

$1.84 Rp 32.7K

4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 Rp 54.0K

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

-8.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,759

$0.29 Rp 5,221

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.07 Rp 107.9K

$9.46 Rp 168.0K

-35.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,394

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

-39.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 Rp 3,602

$0.52 Rp 9,226

-61.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 Rp 40.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

-1.28%

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

$24.9K Rp 443.1M

$21.2K Rp 376.3M

17.75%

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

$31.6K Rp 561.0M

$29.5K Rp 524.9M

6.88%

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

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

$34.35 Rp 610.3K

151.70%

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

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

$4.29 Rp 76.2K

-23.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.34 Rp 414.6K

$19.31 Rp 343.0K

20.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.06 Rp 303.1K

$18.65 Rp 331.4K

-8.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.69 Rp 154.3K

$5.80 Rp 103.1K

49.83%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 Rp 61.0K

$2.86 Rp 50.8K

19.93%

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

$114 Rp 2.0M

$97.1 Rp 1.7M

17.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,720 Rp 30.6M

$8,509 Rp 151.2M

-79.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

$38.89 Rp 690.9K

45.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 Rp 695.6K

$33.08 Rp 587.6K

18.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 Rp 1.9M

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

37.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 Rp 2.0M

$70.4 Rp 1.3M

63.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 Rp 3.1M

$219 Rp 3.9M

-19.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

$183 Rp 3.2M

-51.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 Rp 8.8M

$385 Rp 6.8M

28.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 Rp 3.8M

$268 Rp 4.8M

-21.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,148 Rp 20.4M

$718 Rp 12.7M

59.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$571 Rp 10.1M

$310 Rp 5.5M

84.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$214 Rp 3.8M

$285 Rp 5.1M

-24.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

11.38

-18.72%

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

Last update for Medan: August 31, 2026

Last update for Bandung: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $177 in Medan and $219 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 33% 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 Medan vs $14.00 in Bandung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $197 per month, with Medan 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

Medan vs Bandung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medan wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Bandung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 33% lower in Bandung. 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: $177 in Medan versus $219 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Bandung. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Medan – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $14.00 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 Medan 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 Medan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $607 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medan hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medan 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 Medan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Bandung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.