Cost of Living Comparison Between Palembang and Denpasar, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Palembang and Denpasar, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $637 in Palembang versus $904 in Denpasar, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $997 in Palembang versus $1,545 in Denpasar, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,357 in Palembang versus $2,186 in Denpasar, Bali.

Living in Palembang costs roughly 30% less than in Denpasar, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Palembang 54% lower, Denpasar, Bali 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

$2.33 Rp 41.2K

-51.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.40 Rp 290.6K

$25.80 Rp 457.2K

-36.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.88 Rp 51.0K

$3.76 Rp 66.7K

-23.40%

Cappuccino

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

$1.83 Rp 32.4K

-28.96%

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

$0.89 Rp 15.8K

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

-21.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 Rp 4,318

$0.54 Rp 9,638

-55.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 Rp 29.7K

$1.83 Rp 32.4K

-8.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 Rp 61.5K

$2.80 Rp 49.7K

23.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 Rp 19.4K

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

-15.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

$1.86 Rp 32.9K

-38.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

-8.42%

Eggs

$1.30 Rp 23.1K

$1.71 Rp 30.4K

-23.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.45 Rp 132.0K

$14.24 Rp 252.3K

-47.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

$3.16 Rp 55.9K

-7.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 Rp 140.7K

$10.16 Rp 180.1K

-21.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.2K

$2.91 Rp 51.6K

-21.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 Rp 24.8K

$1.30 Rp 23.1K

7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.0K

$1.87 Rp 33.1K

5.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 Rp 23.9K

$1.65 Rp 29.2K

-18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

$1.47 Rp 26.0K

-23.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

$1.98 Rp 35.1K

-14.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

-3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,779

$0.42 Rp 7,375

4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$1.83 Rp 32.3K

25.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.86 Rp 369.7K

$19.06 Rp 337.8K

9.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 Rp 32.9K

$1.86 Rp 33.0K

-0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 Rp 54.0K

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

32.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 Rp 7,096

$0.22 Rp 3,895

81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.39 Rp 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,221

$0.43 Rp 7,631

20.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 Rp 6,297

$0.43 Rp 7,577

-16.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 Rp 44.6K

$3.20 Rp 56.7K

-21.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

17.39%

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

$23.4K Rp 414.9M

$22.5K Rp 399.3M

3.89%

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

$31.5K Rp 558.1M

$28.5K Rp 505.4M

10.42%

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

$78.5 Rp 1.4M

$72.9 Rp 1.3M

7.63%

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

$4.33 Rp 76.8K

$5.79 Rp 102.6K

-25.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.35 Rp 343.0K

$16.73 Rp 296.4K

15.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.15 Rp 357.2K

$40.09 Rp 710.5K

-49.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.64 Rp 170.9K

$12.87 Rp 228.0K

-25.10%

Cinema Ticket

$2.91 Rp 51.5K

$3.19 Rp 56.5K

-8.78%

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

$95.2 Rp 1.7M

$382 Rp 6.8M

-75.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,599 Rp 134.7M

$4,414 Rp 78.2M

72.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.47 Rp 770.4K

$39.21 Rp 694.8K

10.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.49 Rp 540.3K

$30.71 Rp 544.2K

-0.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 Rp 1.3M

$69.1 Rp 1.2M

4.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.4 Rp 1.3M

$68.0 Rp 1.2M

6.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 Rp 4.0M

$602 Rp 10.7M

-62.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 Rp 2.8M

$358 Rp 6.3M

-55.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 Rp 9.6M

$1,879 Rp 33.3M

-71.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 Rp 7.4M

$893 Rp 15.8M

-53.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,274 Rp 22.6M

$1,433 Rp 25.4M

-11.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$656 Rp 11.6M

$1,191 Rp 21.1M

-44.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$313 Rp 5.5M

$285 Rp 5.1M

9.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

13.78

-31.35%

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

Last update for Palembang: August 30, 2026

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $225 in Palembang and $602 in Denpasar, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palembang pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $16.00 in Palembang vs $26.00 in Denpasar, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $238 per month, with Palembang 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

Palembang vs Denpasar, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Palembang and Denpasar, Bali differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($637 vs $904 including rent). Palembang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 10% 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: $225 in Palembang versus $602 in Denpasar, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Denpasar, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $637 per month in Palembang versus $904 in Denpasar, Bali – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $637 in Palembang versus $904 in Denpasar, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Palembang but tight or insufficient in Denpasar, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Palembang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Palembang and Denpasar, Bali 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 Palembang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.