Cost of Living Comparison Between Pekanbaru and Bandung Cost of Living Comparison Between Pekanbaru and Bandung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $671 in Pekanbaru versus $647 in Bandung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $972 in Pekanbaru versus $949 in Bandung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,273 in Pekanbaru versus $1,251 in Bandung.

Living in Pekanbaru is roughly 4% more expensive than Bandung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pekanbaru 50% lower, Bandung 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

$1.28 Rp 22.8K

23.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.16 Rp 163.6K

$9.42 Rp 168.2K

-2.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.43 Rp 43.3K

$3.43 Rp 61.3K

-29.15%

Cappuccino

$1.35 Rp 24.2K

$1.44 Rp 25.7K

-6.25%

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

$0.50 Rp 8,881

$0.49 Rp 8,684

2.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 Rp 4,259

$0.25 Rp 4,435

-4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 Rp 39.5K

$3.28 Rp 58.6K

-32.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 Rp 59.1K

$3.57 Rp 63.7K

-7.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 Rp 24.2K

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

15.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

12.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 Rp 17.5K

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

4.26%

Eggs

$1.71 Rp 30.5K

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

8.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.17 Rp 306.6K

$9.33 Rp 166.6K

84.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.62 Rp 46.8K

$3.02 Rp 54.0K

-13.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.17 Rp 181.5K

$7.92 Rp 141.5K

28.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 Rp 51.4K

$2.37 Rp 42.2K

21.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 Rp 30.1K

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

26.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.8K

$1.69 Rp 30.2K

18.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

$1.52 Rp 27.1K

-36.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

-31.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 Rp 29.8K

$2.67 Rp 47.6K

-37.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

56.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,024

$0.46 Rp 8,203

-2.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.2K

$2.57 Rp 45.8K

-12.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.07 Rp 376.3K

$22.35 Rp 399.2K

-5.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 50.0K

$2.10 Rp 37.5K

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 Rp 72.8K

$3.49 Rp 62.3K

16.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,261

$0.30 Rp 5,342

-3.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.04 Rp 161.5K

$10.57 Rp 188.8K

-14.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 Rp 15.7K

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

15.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 Rp 7,814

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

-38.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 Rp 38.2K

$2.59 Rp 46.2K

-17.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

-4.94%

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

$22.7K Rp 405.1M

$24.4K Rp 435.3M

-6.94%

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

$25.7K Rp 459.7M

$26.4K Rp 471.5M

-2.50%

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

$69.3 Rp 1.2M

$43.12 Rp 770.0K

60.74%

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

$6.73 Rp 120.2K

$4.52 Rp 80.8K

48.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.30 Rp 505.4K

$22.94 Rp 409.7K

23.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.12 Rp 412.8K

$21.48 Rp 383.6K

7.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.25 Rp 218.7K

$6.62 Rp 118.3K

85.05%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 Rp 58.7K

$3.16 Rp 56.4K

4.11%

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

$175 Rp 3.1M

$94.4 Rp 1.7M

85.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,092 Rp 55.2M

$7,577 Rp 135.3M

-59.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.33 Rp 613.1K

$41.84 Rp 747.3K

-17.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.18 Rp 646.2K

$30.57 Rp 545.8K

18.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.1 Rp 1.2M

$59.2 Rp 1.1M

9.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.5 Rp 1.4M

$63.7 Rp 1.1M

20.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 Rp 4.6M

$234 Rp 4.2M

10.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 Rp 2.2M

$156 Rp 2.8M

-22.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 Rp 16.2M

$447 Rp 8.0M

103.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 Rp 2.7M

$247 Rp 4.4M

-37.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,026 Rp 18.3M

$723 Rp 12.9M

41.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$722 Rp 12.9M

$309 Rp 5.5M

133.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 Rp 3.4M

$284 Rp 5.1M

-32.95%

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 Pekanbaru: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bandung: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $258 in Pekanbaru and $234 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $9.00 in Pekanbaru vs $9.00 in Bandung. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $215, 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

Pekanbaru vs Bandung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Pekanbaru. 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 49% 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: $258 in Pekanbaru versus $234 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Pekanbaru. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandung – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $9.00 in Pekanbaru. 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, Pekanbaru 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 4% less than in Pekanbaru. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.