Cost of Living Comparison Between Pontianak and Bandung Cost of Living Comparison Between Pontianak and Bandung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $625 in Pontianak versus $626 in Bandung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $983 in Pontianak versus $918 in Bandung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,340 in Pontianak versus $1,210 in Bandung.

Monthly costs are close between Pontianak and Bandung; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$1.43 Rp 25.4K

16.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.10 Rp 197.2K

$11.35 Rp 201.8K

-2.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.39 Rp 60.3K

$3.44 Rp 61.1K

-1.45%

Cappuccino

$1.14 Rp 20.3K

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

-25.97%

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

$0.49 Rp 8,748

$0.44 Rp 7,868

11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,087

$0.23 Rp 4,082

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.11 Rp 55.3K

$3.00 Rp 53.3K

3.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.9K

$3.13 Rp 55.6K

-6.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 20.8K

$1.13 Rp 20.1K

3.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

$0.99 Rp 17.5K

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

Eggs

$1.44 Rp 25.6K

$1.46 Rp 26.0K

-1.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.76 Rp 120.1K

$7.35 Rp 130.7K

-8.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.91 Rp 51.7K

$2.86 Rp 50.8K

1.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 Rp 138.2K

$8.09 Rp 143.7K

-3.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$2.24 Rp 39.9K

4.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.5K

$1.06 Rp 18.9K

24.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.0K

$1.54 Rp 27.3K

16.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 21.1K

$0.94 Rp 16.7K

26.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 23.9K

$1.07 Rp 19.0K

25.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.2K

$1.94 Rp 34.6K

2.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.64 Rp 11.3K

14.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 Rp 7,727

$0.40 Rp 7,149

7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 Rp 51.2K

$2.74 Rp 48.7K

5.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.57 Rp 365.6K

$22.53 Rp 400.5K

-8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 Rp 32.3K

$1.85 Rp 32.9K

-1.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 Rp 52.6K

$3.32 Rp 59.1K

-10.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,618

$0.29 Rp 5,185

-10.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.26 Rp 164.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,778

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

-46.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 6,256

$0.51 Rp 9,040

-31.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 Rp 44.7K

$2.27 Rp 40.4K

11.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

-9.30%

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

$23.0K Rp 407.9M

$21.2K Rp 376.9M

8.24%

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

$30.4K Rp 540.6M

$29.4K Rp 522.5M

3.46%

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

$66.9 Rp 1.2M

$34.47 Rp 612.6K

94.14%

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

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$4.30 Rp 76.5K

32.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.24 Rp 395.3K

$19.56 Rp 347.6K

13.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.85 Rp 352.9K

$18.44 Rp 327.7K

7.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.25 Rp 146.6K

$5.74 Rp 102.0K

43.73%

Cinema Ticket

$2.74 Rp 48.6K

$2.75 Rp 48.9K

-0.36%

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

$93.7 Rp 1.7M

$96.4 Rp 1.7M

-2.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,984 Rp 124.1M

$8,416 Rp 149.6M

-17.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 Rp 904.8K

$39.70 Rp 705.6K

28.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.75 Rp 475.4K

$32.88 Rp 584.5K

-18.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 Rp 1.3M

$76.1 Rp 1.4M

-6.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

0.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 Rp 4.0M

$215 Rp 3.8M

4.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 Rp 2.7M

$180 Rp 3.2M

-15.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$550 Rp 9.8M

$385 Rp 6.8M

42.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 Rp 5.6M

$263 Rp 4.7M

18.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,335 Rp 23.7M

$737 Rp 13.1M

81.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$639 Rp 11.4M

$308 Rp 5.5M

107.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$332 Rp 5.9M

$282 Rp 5.0M

17.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

-12.13%

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

Last update for Pontianak: August 17, 2026

Last update for Bandung: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $224 in Pontianak and $215 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pontianak pays 17% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $11.00 in Pontianak vs $11.00 in Bandung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $195 per month, with Pontianak 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

Pontianak vs Bandung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 17% higher in Pontianak, 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: $224 in Pontianak versus $215 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bandung pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Pontianak – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $11.00 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 Pontianak 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 Pontianak delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $625 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Pontianak hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Pontianak 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.

It comes down to priorities – Pontianak wins on affordability, Bandung on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.