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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $671 in Pontianak versus $932 in Denpasar, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,030 in Pontianak versus $1,641 in Denpasar, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,390 in Pontianak versus $2,350 in Denpasar, Bali.

Living in Pontianak costs roughly 28% less than in Denpasar, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pontianak 50% lower, Denpasar, Bali 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

$2.40 Rp 43.0K

-40.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.43 Rp 222.9K

$21.69 Rp 389.0K

-42.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.28 Rp 58.9K

$3.35 Rp 60.0K

-2.09%

Cappuccino

$1.71 Rp 30.7K

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

-6.04%

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

$0.52 Rp 9,269

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

-41.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,037

$0.50 Rp 9,038

-44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 Rp 54.2K

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

57.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$2.57 Rp 46.2K

-5.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.46 Rp 26.2K

-19.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 Rp 20.1K

$2.04 Rp 36.6K

-45.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 Rp 17.1K

$0.92 Rp 16.5K

3.26%

Eggs

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

$2.00 Rp 35.9K

-23.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.25 Rp 147.9K

$11.60 Rp 208.0K

-28.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 Rp 56.4K

$3.43 Rp 61.5K

-8.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.07 Rp 144.8K

$9.59 Rp 172.1K

-15.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 Rp 43.0K

$3.04 Rp 54.6K

-21.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 26.6K

$1.24 Rp 22.3K

19.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 33.4K

$2.26 Rp 40.6K

-17.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.1K

$1.86 Rp 33.4K

-15.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

-9.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.4K

$1.84 Rp 33.0K

7.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 Rp 16.1K

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

8.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 8,009

$0.62 Rp 11.2K

-27.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

$2.64 Rp 47.3K

-32.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.42 Rp 366.2K

$19.22 Rp 344.8K

6.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 Rp 38.0K

$2.22 Rp 39.9K

-4.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 Rp 56.2K

$2.32 Rp 41.7K

34.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,789

$0.24 Rp 4,266

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.92 Rp 177.8K

$7.29 Rp 130.8K

36.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 10.3K

$0.43 Rp 7,714

32.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 6,161

$0.39 Rp 6,981

-12.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 Rp 51.8K

$5.46 Rp 97.9K

-47.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

16.44%

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

$24.7K Rp 442.4M

$23.7K Rp 425.5M

3.98%

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

$27.3K Rp 488.9M

$28.9K Rp 518.8M

-5.77%

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

$68.7 Rp 1.2M

$71.3 Rp 1.3M

-3.71%

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

$4.28 Rp 76.7K

$3.56 Rp 63.8K

20.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.72 Rp 407.5K

$21.78 Rp 390.7K

4.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.19 Rp 415.9K

$69.7 Rp 1.2M

-66.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.30 Rp 112.9K

$4.73 Rp 84.8K

33.19%

Cinema Ticket

$3.11 Rp 55.8K

$2.92 Rp 52.5K

6.51%

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

$93.7 Rp 1.7M

$229 Rp 4.1M

-59.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,587 Rp 136.1M

$5,075 Rp 91.0M

49.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.20 Rp 738.9K

$46.37 Rp 831.7K

-11.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.11 Rp 540.1K

$32.71 Rp 586.7K

-7.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 Rp 1.2M

$76.1 Rp 1.4M

-12.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 Rp 1.3M

$66.1 Rp 1.2M

11.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 Rp 4.6M

$514 Rp 9.2M

-49.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 Rp 2.8M

$354 Rp 6.3M

-55.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$595 Rp 10.7M

$1,774 Rp 31.8M

-66.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 Rp 6.0M

$1,077 Rp 19.3M

-68.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,214 Rp 21.8M

$1,424 Rp 25.5M

-14.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$784 Rp 14.1M

$1,201 Rp 21.5M

-34.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$333 Rp 6.0M

$276 Rp 5.0M

20.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

13.28

-31.10%

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

Last update for Pontianak: July 20, 2026

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $257 in Pontianak and $514 in Denpasar, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pontianak pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Pontianak vs $22.00 in Denpasar, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $242 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 Denpasar, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pontianak and Denpasar, Bali differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($671 vs $932 including rent). Pontianak is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 20% 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: $257 in Pontianak versus $514 in Denpasar, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $671 per month in Pontianak versus $932 in Denpasar, Bali – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Pontianak runs roughly 36% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $671 in Pontianak versus $932 in Denpasar, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pontianak but tight or insufficient in Denpasar, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Pontianak 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, Pontianak 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 Pontianak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.