Cost of Living Comparison Between Semarang and Bandung Cost of Living Comparison Between Semarang and Bandung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $652 in Semarang versus $647 in Bandung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,022 in Semarang versus $949 in Bandung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,391 in Semarang versus $1,251 in Bandung.

Living in Semarang is roughly 1% more expensive than Bandung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Semarang 51% lower, Bandung 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

$1.28 Rp 22.9K

40.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.32 Rp 220.9K

$9.42 Rp 168.9K

30.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.69 Rp 66.1K

$3.43 Rp 61.5K

7.58%

Cappuccino

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

4.17%

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

$0.52 Rp 9,352

$0.49 Rp 8,717

6.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,833

$0.25 Rp 4,452

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 Rp 35.6K

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

-39.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 Rp 53.9K

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

-15.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 Rp 18.4K

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

-13.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 Rp 18.5K

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

-3.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

-14.89%

Eggs

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

-3.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 Rp 109.5K

$9.33 Rp 167.3K

-34.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.93 Rp 52.6K

$3.02 Rp 54.2K

-2.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.73 Rp 156.5K

$7.92 Rp 142.0K

10.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 Rp 46.4K

$2.37 Rp 42.4K

9.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

$1.33 Rp 23.9K

19.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

$1.69 Rp 30.3K

11.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

$1.52 Rp 27.2K

3.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 Rp 23.3K

$1.48 Rp 26.5K

-12.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.8K

$2.67 Rp 47.8K

-29.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 Rp 16.3K

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

-5.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,300

$0.46 Rp 8,234

-10.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

$2.57 Rp 46.0K

-12.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 Rp 252.7K

$22.35 Rp 400.7K

-36.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 Rp 46.3K

$2.10 Rp 37.6K

22.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 51.5K

$3.49 Rp 62.5K

-17.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,661

$0.30 Rp 5,362

-13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.11 Rp 234.9K

$10.57 Rp 189.5K

24.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

22.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,634

$0.71 Rp 12.7K

-56.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 Rp 51.6K

$2.59 Rp 46.4K

11.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

6.17%

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

$24.5K Rp 439.9M

$24.4K Rp 437.0M

0.67%

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

$31.2K Rp 558.6M

$26.4K Rp 473.3M

18.01%

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

$94.0 Rp 1.7M

$43.12 Rp 773.0K

117.95%

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

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

$4.52 Rp 81.1K

-39.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.89 Rp 428.2K

$22.94 Rp 411.3K

4.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.84 Rp 427.4K

$21.48 Rp 385.1K

10.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.06 Rp 90.6K

$6.62 Rp 118.7K

-23.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.05 Rp 54.6K

$3.16 Rp 56.6K

-3.48%

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

$44.50 Rp 797.7K

$94.4 Rp 1.7M

-52.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,399 Rp 43.0M

$7,577 Rp 135.8M

-68.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.42 Rp 670.8K

$41.84 Rp 750.1K

-10.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.67 Rp 585.6K

$30.57 Rp 547.9K

6.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.9 Rp 1.2M

$59.2 Rp 1.1M

12.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.76 Rp 784.5K

$63.7 Rp 1.1M

-31.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 Rp 4.6M

$234 Rp 4.2M

8.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 Rp 2.8M

$156 Rp 2.8M

-1.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 Rp 9.6M

$447 Rp 8.0M

19.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$413 Rp 7.4M

$247 Rp 4.4M

67.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,187 Rp 21.3M

$723 Rp 13.0M

64.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$564 Rp 10.1M

$309 Rp 5.5M

82.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 Rp 3.3M

$284 Rp 5.1M

-35.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.83

9.15

-14.43%

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

Last update for Semarang: May 30, 2026

Last update for Bandung: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $255 in Semarang and $234 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 54% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Semarang vs $9.00 in Bandung. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $215, with Semarang 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

Semarang vs Bandung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bandung wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Semarang. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bandung the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Bandung earns 54% less. 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: $255 in Semarang versus $234 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Semarang pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Bandung – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $12.00 in Semarang. 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 $647 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bandung hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Semarang 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 1% less than in Semarang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.