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: $630 in Pekanbaru versus $644 in Bandung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $998 in Pekanbaru versus $939 in Bandung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,367 in Pekanbaru versus $1,234 in Bandung.

Living in Pekanbaru costs roughly 2% less than in Bandung, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pekanbaru 54% lower, Bandung 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.42 Rp 25.3K

$1.39 Rp 24.8K

2.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.31 Rp 147.7K

$14.39 Rp 255.6K

-42.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.23 Rp 39.7K

$3.31 Rp 58.8K

-32.63%

Cappuccino

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$1.57 Rp 27.8K

-19.11%

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

$0.42 Rp 7,533

$0.42 Rp 7,456

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 Rp 3,889

$0.25 Rp 4,472

-12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 Rp 34.9K

$3.15 Rp 56.0K

-37.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 Rp 23.5K

$1.12 Rp 19.9K

17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 Rp 20.6K

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

16.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.7K

$0.82 Rp 14.5K

1.22%

Eggs

$1.72 Rp 30.5K

$1.49 Rp 26.5K

15.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.24 Rp 128.7K

$7.31 Rp 129.9K

-0.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.50 Rp 44.4K

$3.00 Rp 53.3K

-16.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 Rp 119.9K

$8.16 Rp 144.9K

-17.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$2.27 Rp 40.4K

16.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 Rp 29.6K

$1.08 Rp 19.2K

53.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 Rp 42.3K

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

53.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.6K

$0.97 Rp 17.3K

30.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 Rp 23.2K

$1.09 Rp 19.5K

19.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 Rp 36.0K

$1.91 Rp 33.9K

6.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

7.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 Rp 6,512

$0.44 Rp 7,767

-15.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 Rp 38.7K

$2.66 Rp 47.3K

-18.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.35 Rp 361.6K

$22.71 Rp 403.5K

-10.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 Rp 32.6K

$1.84 Rp 32.7K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

-10.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,171

$0.29 Rp 5,221

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.60 Rp 152.8K

$9.46 Rp 168.0K

-9.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

9.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,493

$0.52 Rp 9,226

-28.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 Rp 52.5K

$2.29 Rp 40.6K

28.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

-5.13%

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

$22.8K Rp 405.3M

$21.2K Rp 376.3M

7.71%

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

$26.8K Rp 476.2M

$29.5K Rp 524.9M

-9.28%

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

$63.4 Rp 1.1M

$34.35 Rp 610.3K

84.66%

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

$6.32 Rp 112.3K

$4.29 Rp 76.2K

47.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.43 Rp 416.2K

$19.31 Rp 343.0K

21.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.64 Rp 508.8K

$18.65 Rp 331.4K

53.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.34 Rp 148.2K

$5.80 Rp 103.1K

43.79%

Cinema Ticket

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

$2.86 Rp 50.8K

5.59%

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

$94.8 Rp 1.7M

$97.1 Rp 1.7M

-2.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,876 Rp 139.9M

$8,509 Rp 151.2M

-7.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.56 Rp 489.6K

$38.89 Rp 690.9K

-29.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.07 Rp 534.2K

$33.08 Rp 587.6K

-9.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.5 Rp 1.0M

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

-26.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.5 Rp 1.4M

$70.4 Rp 1.3M

14.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$193 Rp 3.4M

$219 Rp 3.9M

-12.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 Rp 2.7M

$183 Rp 3.2M

-16.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$562 Rp 10.0M

$385 Rp 6.8M

45.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 Rp 6.6M

$268 Rp 4.8M

37.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,260 Rp 22.4M

$718 Rp 12.7M

75.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$668 Rp 11.9M

$310 Rp 5.5M

115.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 Rp 3.2M

$285 Rp 5.1M

-36.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

11.38

-16.87%

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

Last update for Pekanbaru: August 31, 2026

Last update for Bandung: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $193 in Pekanbaru and $219 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 58% 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: $8.00 in Pekanbaru vs $14.00 in Bandung. Groceries flip the comparison at $200 vs $197, 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

Pekanbaru wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Bandung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pekanbaru the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 58% 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: $193 in Pekanbaru versus $219 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bandung pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Pekanbaru – a meal for two runs $8.00 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 Pekanbaru 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 Pekanbaru delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $630 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Pekanbaru 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 Pekanbaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Bandung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.