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: $693 in Samarinda versus $940 in Denpasar, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,065 in Samarinda versus $1,630 in Denpasar, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,438 in Samarinda versus $2,320 in Denpasar, Bali.

Living in Samarinda costs roughly 26% less than in Denpasar, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Samarinda 48% lower, Denpasar, Bali 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.57 Rp 27.2K

$2.38 Rp 41.3K

-34.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.53 Rp 217.1K

$21.86 Rp 379.0K

-42.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 Rp 99.5K

$3.30 Rp 57.2K

73.94%

Cappuccino

$1.73 Rp 30.1K

$1.90 Rp 33.0K

-8.95%

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

$0.53 Rp 9,257

$0.89 Rp 15.4K

-40.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 Rp 6,593

$0.49 Rp 8,522

-22.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 Rp 43.2K

$1.95 Rp 33.8K

27.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 Rp 60.8K

$2.51 Rp 43.6K

39.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Rp 21.2K

$1.41 Rp 24.4K

-13.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 Rp 17.1K

$2.04 Rp 35.4K

-51.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 Rp 13.6K

$0.96 Rp 16.7K

-17.71%

Eggs

$1.53 Rp 26.5K

$2.00 Rp 34.7K

-23.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.04 Rp 139.4K

$11.70 Rp 202.8K

-31.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.98 Rp 69.0K

$3.43 Rp 59.4K

16.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 Rp 187.1K

$9.53 Rp 165.2K

13.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.64 Rp 97.8K

$3.10 Rp 53.8K

81.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 Rp 21.1K

$1.26 Rp 21.8K

-3.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 20.8K

$2.29 Rp 39.6K

-47.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 27.2K

$1.87 Rp 32.4K

-16.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 Rp 25.0K

$1.62 Rp 28.0K

-11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 34.3K

$1.78 Rp 30.9K

11.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 Rp 16.4K

$0.81 Rp 14.0K

17.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 Rp 10.5K

$0.58 Rp 9,999

5.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 Rp 37.7K

$2.64 Rp 45.8K

-17.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.90 Rp 379.6K

$19.10 Rp 331.1K

14.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 Rp 35.5K

$2.32 Rp 40.1K

-11.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 Rp 54.0K

$2.26 Rp 39.1K

38.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,575

$0.26 Rp 4,527

23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.65 Rp 167.2K

$7.43 Rp 128.7K

29.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 Rp 15.4K

$0.40 Rp 6,918

122.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 6,051

$0.41 Rp 7,189

-14.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 Rp 49.2K

$5.40 Rp 93.6K

-47.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 Rp 10.3K

$0.76 Rp 13.2K

-22.37%

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

$24.3K Rp 421.9M

$23.2K Rp 402.6M

4.78%

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

$27.5K Rp 476.0M

$28.4K Rp 492.9M

-3.43%

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

$69.3 Rp 1.2M

$73.2 Rp 1.3M

-5.38%

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

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$3.67 Rp 63.7K

13.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.79 Rp 395.0K

$21.40 Rp 370.9K

6.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.00 Rp 398.7K

$69.5 Rp 1.2M

-66.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.97 Rp 103.5K

$4.67 Rp 80.9K

27.84%

Cinema Ticket

$3.11 Rp 53.9K

$2.81 Rp 48.7K

10.68%

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

$92.0 Rp 1.6M

$234 Rp 4.1M

-60.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,437 Rp 128.9M

$5,114 Rp 88.6M

45.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.08 Rp 729.3K

$46.27 Rp 801.9K

-9.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.65 Rp 531.2K

$32.20 Rp 558.1K

-4.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 Rp 1.2M

$74.0 Rp 1.3M

-10.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.3 Rp 1.3M

$67.2 Rp 1.2M

10.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 Rp 4.5M

$512 Rp 8.9M

-48.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.7M

$344 Rp 6.0M

-54.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 Rp 10.1M

$1,804 Rp 31.3M

-67.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 Rp 5.7M

$1,064 Rp 18.4M

-69.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,140 Rp 19.8M

$1,591 Rp 27.6M

-28.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$877 Rp 15.2M

$1,226 Rp 21.2M

-28.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$343 Rp 5.9M

$293 Rp 5.1M

17.16%

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 Samarinda: April 27, 2026

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $262 in Samarinda and $512 in Denpasar, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samarinda pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $13.00 in Samarinda vs $22.00 in Denpasar, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $242 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 ($693 vs $940 including rent). Samarinda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Samarinda pays 17% more on average, 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: $262 in Samarinda versus $512 in Denpasar, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $693 per month in Samarinda versus $940 in Denpasar, Bali – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Samarinda runs roughly 30% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $693 in Samarinda versus $940 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.