Cost of Living Comparison Between Palembang and Bandung Cost of Living Comparison Between Palembang and Bandung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $661 in Palembang versus $626 in Bandung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,043 in Palembang versus $941 in Bandung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,426 in Palembang versus $1,255 in Bandung.

Living in Palembang is roughly 6% more expensive than in Bandung, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Palembang 51% lower, Bandung 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

$1.32 Rp 23.6K

-9.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.90 Rp 321.1K

$9.48 Rp 170.1K

88.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.05 Rp 54.7K

$3.31 Rp 59.3K

-7.85%

Cappuccino

$1.40 Rp 25.2K

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

-6.04%

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

$0.90 Rp 16.2K

$0.52 Rp 9,356

73.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,653

$0.27 Rp 4,880

-3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 Rp 32.0K

$3.31 Rp 59.4K

-45.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 Rp 67.2K

$3.52 Rp 63.1K

6.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 Rp 23.5K

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

8.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

2.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

$0.95 Rp 17.1K

45.26%

Eggs

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

-20.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 Rp 142.9K

$8.96 Rp 160.7K

-11.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 Rp 56.3K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 Rp 152.2K

$8.08 Rp 144.9K

4.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 41.3K

$2.37 Rp 42.6K

-2.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 Rp 26.2K

$1.29 Rp 23.2K

13.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 33.3K

$1.73 Rp 31.0K

6.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.1K

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

-0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

-6.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.5K

$2.70 Rp 48.4K

-26.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.4K

$0.90 Rp 16.2K

7.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 Rp 9,028

$0.42 Rp 7,584

19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.42 Rp 43.5K

$2.53 Rp 45.3K

-4.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.22 Rp 362.7K

$21.74 Rp 390.1K

-6.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 Rp 36.8K

$2.12 Rp 38.0K

-3.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 Rp 57.9K

$3.54 Rp 63.5K

-8.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 Rp 8,661

$0.30 Rp 5,360

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.59 Rp 172.1K

$10.26 Rp 184.0K

-6.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

-18.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 6,143

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

-55.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 Rp 50.9K

$2.59 Rp 46.5K

9.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

-6.17%

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

$24.8K Rp 445.6M

$24.4K Rp 438.0M

1.73%

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

$28.1K Rp 503.8M

$25.8K Rp 461.9M

9.06%

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

$70.2 Rp 1.3M

$44.02 Rp 789.7K

59.40%

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

$4.18 Rp 74.9K

$4.47 Rp 80.3K

-6.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Rp 420.1K

$22.86 Rp 410.1K

2.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.79 Rp 408.7K

$21.68 Rp 388.9K

5.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 Rp 108.0K

$6.60 Rp 118.5K

-8.79%

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 Rp 53.5K

$3.13 Rp 56.2K

-4.79%

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

$94.2 Rp 1.7M

$93.0 Rp 1.7M

1.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,485 Rp 134.3M

$7,512 Rp 134.8M

-0.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.82 Rp 750.1K

$41.31 Rp 741.1K

1.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 Rp 549.1K

$30.79 Rp 552.3K

-0.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 Rp 1.2M

$58.6 Rp 1.1M

12.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 Rp 1.3M

$64.3 Rp 1.2M

13.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 Rp 4.7M

$235 Rp 4.2M

11.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 Rp 2.8M

$152 Rp 2.7M

4.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 Rp 10.6M

$464 Rp 8.3M

27.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 Rp 5.9M

$247 Rp 4.4M

32.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$976 Rp 17.5M

$705 Rp 12.6M

38.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$601 Rp 10.8M

$305 Rp 5.5M

97.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$300 Rp 5.4M

$277 Rp 5.0M

8.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

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

Last update for Palembang: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bandung: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Palembang and $235 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palembang pays 8% 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: $18.00 in Palembang vs $9.00 in Bandung. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $214, with Palembang 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

Palembang vs Bandung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Average pay runs 8% higher in Palembang, 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: $262 in Palembang versus $235 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Palembang pay roughly 2% 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 $18.00 in Palembang. 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 $626 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandung hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Palembang 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 6% less than in Palembang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.