Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pontianak and Bandung

For one person, living is cheaper in Pontianak: $478 a month against $628 in Bandung, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Pontianak
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Pontianak Living Index
30

Cost of Living Index in Bandung
Learn more

Bandung Living Index

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Pontianak

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$478

/mo nomad

Bandung

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$628

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pontianak and in Bandung

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Pontianak and in Bandung actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $478 in Pontianak versus $628 in Bandung.

Pontianak $478
Bandung $628

Estimated couple costs with rent: $593 in Pontianak versus $929 in Bandung.

Pontianak $593
Bandung $929

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $708 in Pontianak versus $1,230 in Bandung.

Pontianak $708
Bandung $1,230

Living in Pontianak costs roughly 24% less than in Bandung, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pontianak 65% lower, Bandung 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.70 Rp 30.7K

$1.42 Rp 25.6K

19.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.27 Rp 148.8K

$13.68 Rp 246.2K

-39.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.89 Rp 52.0K

$3.23 Rp 58.1K

-10.53%

Cappuccino

$1.16 Rp 21.0K

$1.48 Rp 26.6K

-21.62%

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

$0.47 Rp 8,402

$0.43 Rp 7,689

9.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 Rp 3,768

$0.24 Rp 4,341

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 Rp 48.7K

$3.10 Rp 55.9K

-12.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 Rp 66.0K

$3.06 Rp 55.2K

19.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 Rp 18.5K

$1.07 Rp 19.3K

-3.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

$0.99 Rp 17.7K

43.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

9.41%

Eggs

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

$1.45 Rp 26.2K

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.08 Rp 127.4K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 Rp 58.0K

$2.83 Rp 51.0K

13.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 Rp 139.8K

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 Rp 54.6K

$2.27 Rp 40.9K

33.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.9K

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

87.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 Rp 38.9K

$1.46 Rp 26.4K

47.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 Rp 19.5K

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,764

$0.42 Rp 7,573

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 Rp 50.2K

$2.61 Rp 47.0K

6.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.24 Rp 400.4K

$22.34 Rp 402.1K

-0.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 Rp 31.0K

$1.89 Rp 34.1K

-8.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 Rp 38.6K

$3.24 Rp 58.3K

-33.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,795

$0.29 Rp 5,256

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.57 Rp 172.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 Rp 9,203

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 Rp 40.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.9K

$0.85 Rp 15.3K

-9.41%

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

$20.7K Rp 373.4M

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

$31.6K Rp 569.6M

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

$69.1 Rp 1.2M

$33.38 Rp 600.8K

106.98%

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

$5.50 Rp 99.0K

$4.38 Rp 78.9K

25.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.22 Rp 399.9K

$19.09 Rp 343.7K

16.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.64 Rp 425.6K

$18.35 Rp 330.3K

28.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.66 Rp 209.9K

$5.99 Rp 107.9K

94.66%

Cinema Ticket

$3.55 Rp 63.9K

$2.73 Rp 49.2K

30.04%

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

$91.7 Rp 1.7M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,172 Rp 147.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.60 Rp 586.8K

$38.74 Rp 697.3K

-15.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.62 Rp 605.2K

$31.83 Rp 572.9K

5.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.4 Rp 1.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$216 Rp 3.9M

-23.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 Rp 2.0M

$180 Rp 3.2M

-38.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 Rp 6.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 Rp 4.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$726 Rp 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$301 Rp 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$266 Rp 4.8M

$279 Rp 5.0M

-4.85%

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: October 17, 2026

Last update for Bandung: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Pontianak

$149 * 31.2%

Bandung

$192 30.6% 28.8% $43

Accommodation & Living

Pontianak

$111 23.2%

Bandung

$180 28.6% 62.1% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pontianak

$97 20.2%

Bandung

$57 9.1% 41.3% $40

Eating Out

Pontianak

$60 12.5%

Bandung

$63 10.1% 5.5% $3.3

Sport & Entertainment

Pontianak

$31 6.4%

Bandung

$24 3.8% 22.5% $6.9

Clothing & Footwear

Pontianak

$30 * 6.2%

Bandung

$98 15.7% 230% $69

Getting Around

Pontianak

$1.1 * 0.2%

Bandung

$14 2.3% 1219% $13

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $165 in Pontianak and $216 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 5% 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 Pontianak vs $14.00 in Bandung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $149 vs $192 per month, with Pontianak cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Pontianak

🇮🇩 Bandung

🕒 Local time

18:41 6:41 PM

Same time as Pontianak

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

672,440

2,390,120

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Pontianak Bandung 790 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Pontianak
Bandung

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Pontianak wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Bandung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pontianak the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 5% 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: $165 in Pontianak versus $216 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $478 per month in Pontianak versus $628 in Bandung – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Bandung. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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 $478 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.

Expats usually find Pontianak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Bandung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.