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: $651 in Medan versus $647 in Bandung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $982 in Medan versus $949 in Bandung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,313 in Medan versus $1,251 in Bandung.

Living in Medan is roughly 1% more expensive than Bandung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medan 51% lower, Bandung 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.83 Rp 32.6K

$1.28 Rp 22.8K

42.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.63 Rp 189.9K

$9.42 Rp 168.2K

12.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.22 Rp 57.4K

$3.43 Rp 61.3K

-6.12%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

$1.44 Rp 25.7K

25.00%

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

$0.40 Rp 7,122

$0.49 Rp 8,684

-18.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,419

$0.25 Rp 4,435

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

$3.28 Rp 58.6K

-51.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 Rp 91.7K

$3.57 Rp 63.7K

43.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.0K

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

9.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

-7.45%

Eggs

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 Rp 174.6K

$9.33 Rp 166.6K

4.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 Rp 69.3K

$3.02 Rp 54.0K

28.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.86 Rp 122.5K

$7.92 Rp 141.5K

-13.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 41.0K

$2.37 Rp 42.2K

-3.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

-24.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

$1.69 Rp 30.2K

-13.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

$1.52 Rp 27.1K

-38.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

$2.67 Rp 47.6K

-51.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

-52.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,201

$0.46 Rp 8,203

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 44.2K

$2.57 Rp 45.8K

-3.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.75 Rp 281.3K

$22.35 Rp 399.2K

-29.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 Rp 24.1K

$2.10 Rp 37.5K

-35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 56.6K

$3.49 Rp 62.3K

-9.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,318

$0.30 Rp 5,342

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.86 Rp 176.1K

$10.57 Rp 188.8K

-6.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,345

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

-31.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 Rp 3,931

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

-69.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.27 Rp 111.9K

$2.59 Rp 46.2K

142.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

1.23%

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

$28.1K Rp 501.4M

$24.4K Rp 435.3M

15.18%

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

$33.8K Rp 604.3M

$26.4K Rp 471.5M

28.17%

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

$83.4 Rp 1.5M

$43.12 Rp 770.0K

93.41%

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

$3.64 Rp 65.1K

$4.52 Rp 80.8K

-19.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.53 Rp 598.8K

$22.94 Rp 409.7K

46.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.40 Rp 417.8K

$21.48 Rp 383.6K

8.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 Rp 129.8K

$6.62 Rp 118.3K

9.82%

Cinema Ticket

$3.58 Rp 63.9K

$3.16 Rp 56.4K

13.29%

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

$126 Rp 2.3M

$94.4 Rp 1.7M

33.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K Rp 188.8M

$7,577 Rp 135.3M

39.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 Rp 1.2M

$41.84 Rp 747.3K

58.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.49 Rp 758.9K

$30.57 Rp 545.8K

38.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 Rp 2.1M

$59.2 Rp 1.1M

95.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 Rp 1.2M

$63.7 Rp 1.1M

2.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 Rp 3.4M

$234 Rp 4.2M

-18.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$156 Rp 2.8M

-36.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 Rp 9.7M

$447 Rp 8.0M

21.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 Rp 4.1M

$247 Rp 4.4M

-6.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,176 Rp 21.0M

$723 Rp 12.9M

62.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$567 Rp 10.1M

$309 Rp 5.5M

83.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$215 Rp 3.8M

$284 Rp 5.1M

-24.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

9.15

1.09%

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

Last update for Medan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bandung: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $191 in Medan and $234 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 32% 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 Medan vs $9.00 in Bandung. Groceries flip the comparison at $187 vs $215, with Medan 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

Medan vs Bandung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Medan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bandung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Bandung earns 32% 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: $191 in Medan versus $234 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medan pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandung – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $11.00 in Medan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bandung 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 Bandung delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $647 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandung 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 Bandung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Medan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.