Cost of Living Comparison Between Samarinda and Bandung Cost of Living Comparison Between Samarinda and Bandung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $668 in Samarinda versus $645 in Bandung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,042 in Samarinda versus $942 in Bandung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,417 in Samarinda versus $1,239 in Bandung.

Living in Samarinda is roughly 4% more expensive than in Bandung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Samarinda 51% lower, Bandung 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$1.40 Rp 24.9K

19.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.45 Rp 255.8K

$14.00 Rp 247.9K

3.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.33 Rp 59.0K

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

-0.60%

Cappuccino

$1.51 Rp 26.7K

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

-2.58%

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

$0.45 Rp 8,041

$0.45 Rp 8,040

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,096

$0.23 Rp 4,043

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 Rp 42.8K

$3.21 Rp 56.8K

-24.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 Rp 62.8K

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

12.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

-1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

$1.04 Rp 18.4K

-17.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 Rp 11.7K

$0.88 Rp 15.6K

-25.00%

Eggs

$1.47 Rp 26.0K

$1.44 Rp 25.5K

2.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

$7.32 Rp 129.6K

4.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 Rp 63.4K

$2.85 Rp 50.5K

25.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.18 Rp 180.2K

$8.24 Rp 145.9K

23.54%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 Rp 91.1K

$2.29 Rp 40.6K

124.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

$1.12 Rp 19.7K

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

$1.49 Rp 26.4K

-24.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 Rp 25.5K

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

51.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.5K

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

19.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 33.5K

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

-0.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

$0.66 Rp 11.6K

10.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 9,912

$0.41 Rp 7,252

36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

$2.79 Rp 49.4K

-25.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.88 Rp 369.8K

$22.80 Rp 403.8K

-8.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

$1.93 Rp 34.1K

-10.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$3.35 Rp 59.3K

-11.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 Rp 5,563

$0.27 Rp 4,725

14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.57 Rp 169.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 Rp 8,867

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

-38.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,160

$0.55 Rp 9,759

-47.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 Rp 52.2K

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

26.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

3.85%

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

$26.2K Rp 464.2M

$21.2K Rp 375.9M

23.50%

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

$30.6K Rp 542.1M

$29.5K Rp 522.2M

3.81%

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

$69.6 Rp 1.2M

$33.79 Rp 598.3K

105.86%

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

$4.76 Rp 84.3K

$4.39 Rp 77.7K

8.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.69 Rp 348.7K

$19.60 Rp 347.0K

0.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.10 Rp 355.8K

$18.96 Rp 335.7K

6.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.41 Rp 131.2K

$5.92 Rp 104.9K

25.17%

Cinema Ticket

$2.77 Rp 49.1K

$2.88 Rp 51.1K

-3.82%

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

$98.8 Rp 1.7M

$93.8 Rp 1.7M

5.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,725 Rp 119.1M

$8,255 Rp 146.2M

-18.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.32 Rp 731.7K

$39.76 Rp 704.0K

3.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.85 Rp 528.5K

$33.16 Rp 587.1K

-9.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

-3.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

$70.5 Rp 1.2M

12.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 Rp 3.5M

$222 Rp 3.9M

-10.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 Rp 2.4M

$182 Rp 3.2M

-25.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 Rp 8.5M

$390 Rp 6.9M

23.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 Rp 6.3M

$269 Rp 4.8M

33.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,143 Rp 20.2M

$738 Rp 13.1M

54.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$687 Rp 12.2M

$311 Rp 5.5M

120.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 Rp 6.0M

$285 Rp 5.1M

19.02%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bandung: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $198 in Samarinda and $222 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samarinda pays 19% 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 Samarinda vs $14.00 in Bandung. Groceries flip the comparison at $217 vs $197, with Bandung cheaper for home cooking.

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

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.

Average pay runs 19% higher in Samarinda, 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: $198 in Samarinda versus $222 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $98.8 in Samarinda versus $93.8 in Bandung. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandung – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $14.00 in Samarinda. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bandung delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $645 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandung hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Samarinda 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 Bandung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Samarinda. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.