Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Samarinda and Bandung

For one person, living is cheaper in Bandung: $623 a month against $652 in Samarinda, rent and utilities included – about $350 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Samarinda, Indonesia
Bandung, Indonesia
Samarinda
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$652
/mo nomad
Bandung
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$623
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Samarinda 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 Samarinda and in Bandung actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $652 in Samarinda versus $623 in Bandung.

  • Samarinda $652
  • Bandung $623

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,055 in Samarinda versus $925 in Bandung.

  • Samarinda $1,055
  • Bandung $925

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,457 in Samarinda versus $1,226 in Bandung.

  • Samarinda $1,457
  • Bandung $1,226

Living in Samarinda is roughly 5% more expensive than in Bandung, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Samarinda 52% lower, Bandung 54% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Samarinda
Bandung
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.63 Rp 29.6K
$1.40 Rp 25.4K
16.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.90 Rp 252.0K
$13.70 Rp 248.6K
1.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.33 Rp 60.4K
$3.22 Rp 58.4K
3.42%
Cappuccino
$1.45 Rp 26.3K
$1.48 Rp 26.8K
-2.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45 Rp 8,244
$0.43 Rp 7,764
4.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24 Rp 4,368
$0.22 Rp 3,986
9.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.17 Rp 39.4K
$3.10 Rp 56.3K
-30.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50 Rp 63.5K
$3.10 Rp 56.3K
12.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Samarinda
Bandung
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 Rp 19.2K
$1.11 Rp 20.1K
-4.50%
White Bread (500g)
$0.86 Rp 15.6K
$0.97 Rp 17.6K
-11.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.64 Rp 11.7K
$0.86 Rp 15.5K
-25.58%
Eggs
$1.37 Rp 24.8K
$1.41 Rp 25.6K
-2.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.12 Rp 129.1K
$6.94 Rp 125.9K
2.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.54 Rp 64.2K
$2.92 Rp 53.0K
21.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.03 Rp 181.9K
$7.93 Rp 143.8K
26.48%
Apples (1kg)
$4.99 Rp 90.5K
$2.22 Rp 40.3K
124.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.09 Rp 19.8K
$1.05 Rp 19.0K
3.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.07 Rp 19.5K
$1.46 Rp 26.4K
-26.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.41 Rp 25.6K
$0.89 Rp 16.1K
58.43%
Potato (1kg)
$1.29 Rp 23.4K
$1.09 Rp 19.7K
18.35%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 Rp 32.8K
$1.94 Rp 35.1K
-6.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.81 Rp 14.7K
$0.64 Rp 11.6K
26.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 Rp 9,225
$0.43 Rp 7,800
18.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.07 Rp 37.5K
$2.56 Rp 46.5K
-19.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.12 Rp 383.0K
$22.37 Rp 405.8K
-5.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.96 Rp 35.5K
$1.89 Rp 34.3K
3.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92 Rp 53.0K
$3.15 Rp 57.2K
-7.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Samarinda
Bandung
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.21 Rp 3,781
$0.27 Rp 4,853
-22.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.71 Rp 212.4K
$12.56 Rp 227.9K
-6.77%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.50 Rp 9,006
$0.84 Rp 15.3K
-40.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.33 Rp 6,003
$0.54 Rp 9,717
-38.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.80 Rp 50.9K
$2.32 Rp 42.1K
20.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.81 Rp 14.7K
$0.84 Rp 15.2K
-3.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3K Rp 404.4M
$20.8K Rp 376.5M
7.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.5K Rp 571.7M
$32.2K Rp 584.6M
-2.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Samarinda
Bandung
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.1 Rp 1.1M
$33.56 Rp 608.6K
87.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.84 Rp 69.7K
$4.22 Rp 76.6K
-9.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.56 Rp 336.6K
$19.17 Rp 347.7K
-3.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Samarinda
Bandung
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$18.49 Rp 335.4K
$16.35 Rp 296.6K
13.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.04 Rp 127.7K
$5.92 Rp 107.4K
18.92%
Cinema Ticket
$2.73 Rp 49.6K
$2.83 Rp 51.2K
-3.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Samarinda
Bandung
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$98.6 Rp 1.8M
$92.1 Rp 1.7M
6.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,897 Rp 161.4M
$8,239 Rp 149.4M
7.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Samarinda
Bandung
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.26 Rp 730.3K
$38.89 Rp 705.3K
3.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.22 Rp 493.8K
$31.30 Rp 567.6K
-13.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.8 Rp 1.3M
$74.7 Rp 1.4M
-5.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$64.6 Rp 1.2M
$69.3 Rp 1.3M
-6.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Samarinda
Bandung
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$210 Rp 3.8M
$208 Rp 3.8M
0.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$161 Rp 2.9M
$176 Rp 3.2M
-8.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$527 Rp 9.6M
$372 Rp 6.7M
41.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$420 Rp 7.6M
$264 Rp 4.8M
59.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,231 Rp 22.3M
$706 Rp 12.8M
74.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$819 Rp 14.9M
$298 Rp 5.4M
174.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Samarinda
Bandung
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$327 Rp 5.9M
$277 Rp 5.0M
18.05%
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 Samarinda: October 26, 2026

Last update for Bandung: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Samarinda
$214
Bandung
$192 10.2% $22
Accommodation & Living
Samarinda
$161
Bandung
$176 8.7% $14
Clothing & Footwear
Samarinda
$91
Bandung
$96 5.6% $5.1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Samarinda
$85
Bandung
$57 33.4% $29
Eating Out
Samarinda
$61
Bandung
$63 2.9% $1.8
Sport & Entertainment
Samarinda
$24
Bandung
$22 8.2% $2
Getting Around
Samarinda
$15
Bandung
$17 16.8% $2.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $210 in Samarinda and $208 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samarinda pays 18% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $14 in Samarinda vs $14 in Bandung. Groceries flip the comparison at $214 vs $192, with Bandung cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Samarinda
🇮🇩 Bandung
🕒 Local time
12:54 12:54 PM
11:54 11:54 AM
1 h behind Samarinda
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
726,223
2,390,120
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18,138 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,252 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Samarinda Bandung 1,280 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Samarinda
  • 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
Samarinda vs Bandung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Samarinda or Bandung?
Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Samarinda. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Bandung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Samarinda or in Bandung?
Average pay runs 18% higher in Samarinda, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Samarinda compared to Bandung?
Rent for a central apartment: $210 in Samarinda versus $208 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Samarinda and in Bandung?
Childcare runs $99 in Samarinda versus $92 in Bandung. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How expensive is transport in Samarinda compared to Bandung?
A monthly transit pass in Samarinda runs roughly 7% less than in Bandung. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Can you live on $800/month in Samarinda or in Bandung?
Either city works on $800 a month, though Bandung gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Samarinda or Bandung?
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.
Should I move to Samarinda or to Bandung?
It comes down to priorities – Bandung wins on affordability, Samarinda on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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