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: $627 in Pontianak versus $937 in Denpasar, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $986 in Pontianak versus $1,548 in Denpasar, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,346 in Pontianak versus $2,159 in Denpasar, Bali.

Living in Pontianak costs roughly 33% less than in Denpasar, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pontianak 55% lower, Denpasar, Bali 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.68 Rp 29.5K

$2.32 Rp 40.9K

-27.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.10 Rp 248.2K

$24.34 Rp 428.6K

-42.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.31 Rp 58.4K

$3.78 Rp 66.5K

-12.43%

Cappuccino

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

$1.83 Rp 32.3K

-37.16%

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

$0.51 Rp 9,010

$1.16 Rp 20.4K

-56.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,406

$0.51 Rp 8,928

-50.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 Rp 55.4K

$2.03 Rp 35.8K

55.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 Rp 51.3K

$2.98 Rp 52.5K

-2.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 20.8K

$1.25 Rp 22.0K

-5.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 Rp 18.7K

$1.87 Rp 32.8K

-43.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

$0.90 Rp 15.8K

-4.44%

Eggs

$1.43 Rp 25.1K

$1.69 Rp 29.7K

-15.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 Rp 139.7K

$14.72 Rp 259.1K

-46.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 48.3K

$3.29 Rp 58.0K

-16.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.61 Rp 116.4K

$9.82 Rp 172.9K

-32.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.0K

$2.99 Rp 52.6K

-26.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 Rp 23.2K

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

5.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 Rp 30.0K

$1.86 Rp 32.7K

-8.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.65 Rp 29.0K

-29.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

$1.54 Rp 27.1K

-19.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 Rp 36.9K

$1.98 Rp 34.9K

6.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 Rp 15.0K

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

1.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,241

$0.41 Rp 7,269

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 Rp 50.0K

$1.81 Rp 31.9K

56.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.36 Rp 358.4K

$18.84 Rp 331.7K

8.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 Rp 33.9K

$1.97 Rp 34.6K

-2.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 Rp 51.6K

$2.38 Rp 41.9K

23.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,174

$0.22 Rp 3,860

31.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.67 Rp 135.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,103

$0.43 Rp 7,626

6.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 Rp 5,605

$0.43 Rp 7,526

-25.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 Rp 51.7K

$3.04 Rp 53.5K

-3.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.68 Rp 11.9K

13.24%

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

$20.3K Rp 357.6M

$21.8K Rp 384.4M

-6.97%

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

$30.0K Rp 527.7M

$28.5K Rp 502.6M

5.00%

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

$67.7 Rp 1.2M

$75.7 Rp 1.3M

-10.67%

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

$5.67 Rp 99.9K

$5.84 Rp 102.9K

-2.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.67 Rp 399.1K

$17.30 Rp 304.5K

31.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.51 Rp 361.2K

$39.41 Rp 693.9K

-47.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.37 Rp 147.4K

$12.91 Rp 227.4K

-35.17%

Cinema Ticket

$2.76 Rp 48.5K

$3.09 Rp 54.4K

-10.68%

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

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$383 Rp 6.7M

-74.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,709 Rp 118.1M

$4,468 Rp 78.7M

50.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.49 Rp 765.7K

$39.69 Rp 698.7K

9.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.60 Rp 521.1K

$31.07 Rp 547.0K

-4.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

$69.4 Rp 1.2M

14.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 Rp 1.3M

$68.1 Rp 1.2M

12.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 Rp 4.2M

$591 Rp 10.4M

-59.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 Rp 2.8M

$361 Rp 6.4M

-56.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 Rp 9.5M

$1,858 Rp 32.7M

-70.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 Rp 6.5M

$906 Rp 15.9M

-59.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,189 Rp 20.9M

$1,463 Rp 25.8M

-18.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$719 Rp 12.7M

$1,200 Rp 21.1M

-40.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$274 Rp 4.8M

$279 Rp 4.9M

-2.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

-27.43%

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

Last update for Pontianak: September 7, 2026

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $237 in Pontianak and $591 in Denpasar, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Denpasar, Bali pays 2% 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: $14.00 in Pontianak vs $24.00 in Denpasar, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $239 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 50% in total monthly costs ($627 vs $937 including rent). Pontianak is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Denpasar, Bali. 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: $237 in Pontianak versus $591 in Denpasar, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Denpasar, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $627 per month in Pontianak versus $937 in Denpasar, Bali – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $627 in Pontianak versus $937 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 50% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.