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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $668 in Samarinda versus $909 in Denpasar, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,042 in Samarinda versus $1,516 in Denpasar, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,417 in Samarinda versus $2,123 in Denpasar, Bali.

Living in Samarinda costs roughly 27% less than in Denpasar, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Samarinda 51% lower, Denpasar, Bali 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

-25.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.45 Rp 255.8K

$23.92 Rp 423.6K

-39.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.33 Rp 59.0K

$3.76 Rp 66.5K

-11.44%

Cappuccino

$1.51 Rp 26.7K

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

-14.69%

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

$0.45 Rp 8,041

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

-63.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,096

$0.52 Rp 9,131

-55.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 Rp 42.8K

$1.94 Rp 34.4K

24.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 Rp 62.8K

$2.93 Rp 51.9K

21.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

-16.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

$1.86 Rp 32.9K

-53.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 Rp 11.7K

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

-27.47%

Eggs

$1.47 Rp 26.0K

$1.76 Rp 31.2K

-16.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

$14.64 Rp 259.2K

-47.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 Rp 63.4K

$3.20 Rp 56.6K

11.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.18 Rp 180.2K

$9.81 Rp 173.7K

3.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 Rp 91.1K

$3.04 Rp 53.8K

69.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

$1.32 Rp 23.3K

-15.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

$1.87 Rp 33.0K

-40.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 Rp 25.5K

$1.60 Rp 28.4K

-10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.5K

$1.53 Rp 27.0K

-13.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 33.5K

$1.94 Rp 34.3K

-2.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

-6.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 9,912

$0.41 Rp 7,346

36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

$1.88 Rp 33.3K

11.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.88 Rp 369.8K

$18.97 Rp 335.9K

10.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

$1.87 Rp 33.1K

-7.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.50 Rp 44.3K

18.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 Rp 5,563

$0.24 Rp 4,267

29.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.36 Rp 130.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 Rp 8,867

$0.43 Rp 7,657

16.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,160

$0.39 Rp 6,963

-25.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 Rp 52.2K

$3.06 Rp 54.1K

-3.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

10.96%

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

$26.2K Rp 464.2M

$22.5K Rp 399.3M

16.27%

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

$30.6K Rp 542.1M

$28.3K Rp 500.7M

8.27%

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

$69.6 Rp 1.2M

$75.9 Rp 1.3M

-8.38%

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

$4.76 Rp 84.3K

$5.96 Rp 105.5K

-20.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.69 Rp 348.7K

$16.71 Rp 296.0K

17.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.10 Rp 355.8K

$39.78 Rp 704.5K

-49.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.41 Rp 131.2K

$13.21 Rp 233.9K

-43.91%

Cinema Ticket

$2.77 Rp 49.1K

$3.11 Rp 55.0K

-10.93%

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

$98.8 Rp 1.7M

$370 Rp 6.6M

-73.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,725 Rp 119.1M

$4,428 Rp 78.4M

51.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.32 Rp 731.7K

$40.11 Rp 710.2K

3.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.85 Rp 528.5K

$30.66 Rp 542.9K

-2.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

$70.8 Rp 1.3M

5.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

$67.9 Rp 1.2M

16.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 Rp 3.5M

$585 Rp 10.4M

-66.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 Rp 2.4M

$358 Rp 6.3M

-62.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 Rp 8.5M

$1,846 Rp 32.7M

-73.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 Rp 6.3M

$922 Rp 16.3M

-61.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,143 Rp 20.2M

$1,456 Rp 25.8M

-21.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$687 Rp 12.2M

$1,214 Rp 21.5M

-43.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 Rp 6.0M

$284 Rp 5.0M

19.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

13.78

-31.35%

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

Last update for Samarinda: September 14, 2026

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $198 in Samarinda and $585 in Denpasar, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samarinda pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14.00 in Samarinda vs $24.00 in Denpasar, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $239 per month, with Samarinda 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

Samarinda vs Denpasar, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Samarinda and Denpasar, Bali differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($668 vs $909 including rent). Samarinda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

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 $585 in Denpasar, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Denpasar, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $668 per month in Samarinda versus $909 in Denpasar, Bali – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $668 in Samarinda versus $909 in Denpasar, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Samarinda but tight or insufficient in Denpasar, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Samarinda 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, Samarinda 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 Samarinda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.