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: $581 in Semarang versus $651 in Bandung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $928 in Semarang versus $951 in Bandung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,274 in Semarang versus $1,250 in Bandung.

Living in Semarang costs roughly 11% less than in Bandung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Semarang 58% lower, Bandung 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.45 Rp 25.5K

$1.44 Rp 25.3K

0.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.54 Rp 185.6K

$13.87 Rp 244.1K

-24.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.14 Rp 55.3K

$3.35 Rp 59.0K

-6.27%

Cappuccino

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

$1.49 Rp 26.3K

-16.78%

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

$0.49 Rp 8,635

$0.46 Rp 8,134

6.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 Rp 3,148

$0.23 Rp 4,032

-21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$3.05 Rp 53.6K

-42.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 Rp 60.3K

$3.06 Rp 53.9K

12.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

-2.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 Rp 16.9K

$1.00 Rp 17.6K

-4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

$0.83 Rp 14.5K

-4.82%

Eggs

$1.38 Rp 24.3K

$1.50 Rp 26.3K

-8.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.66 Rp 99.6K

$7.37 Rp 129.8K

-23.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.36 Rp 41.6K

$2.87 Rp 50.6K

-17.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.16 Rp 143.6K

$7.81 Rp 137.5K

4.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 Rp 44.5K

$2.20 Rp 38.8K

14.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.0K

$1.06 Rp 18.7K

44.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 31.9K

$1.50 Rp 26.4K

20.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$0.94 Rp 16.6K

65.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 Rp 31.5K

$1.11 Rp 19.5K

61.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 39.3K

$1.89 Rp 33.3K

17.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

$0.71 Rp 12.4K

16.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,375

$0.44 Rp 7,660

-4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 Rp 39.8K

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

-14.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.17 Rp 249.5K

$22.98 Rp 404.6K

-38.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 Rp 41.4K

$1.94 Rp 34.2K

21.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 Rp 47.5K

$3.33 Rp 58.6K

-18.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,246

$0.29 Rp 5,159

-17.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.32 Rp 252.2K

$9.69 Rp 170.5K

47.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 Rp 15.6K

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

7.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,129

$0.53 Rp 9,244

-45.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 Rp 42.0K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

-4.76%

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

$23.0K Rp 405.1M

$21.9K Rp 385.2M

5.17%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.6M

$29.1K Rp 512.4M

6.86%

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

$68.1 Rp 1.2M

$34.81 Rp 612.8K

95.55%

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

$2.69 Rp 47.3K

$4.37 Rp 77.0K

-38.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.77 Rp 365.6K

$19.10 Rp 336.2K

8.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.00 Rp 369.8K

$18.97 Rp 334.1K

10.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.76 Rp 83.8K

$6.09 Rp 107.2K

-21.84%

Cinema Ticket

$2.22 Rp 39.1K

$2.79 Rp 49.1K

-20.43%

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

$40.97 Rp 721.3K

$94.5 Rp 1.7M

-56.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

$8,481 Rp 149.3M

-73.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.65 Rp 504.3K

$39.09 Rp 688.2K

-26.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.45 Rp 518.4K

$33.10 Rp 582.7K

-11.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.8 Rp 1.0M

$77.3 Rp 1.4M

-23.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.84 Rp 701.5K

$71.8 Rp 1.3M

-44.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 Rp 4.0M

$218 Rp 3.8M

5.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$143 Rp 2.5M

$186 Rp 3.3M

-23.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 Rp 8.7M

$384 Rp 6.8M

29.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 Rp 6.9M

$266 Rp 4.7M

48.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,178 Rp 20.7M

$723 Rp 12.7M

63.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$557 Rp 9.8M

$312 Rp 5.5M

78.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$196 Rp 3.5M

$288 Rp 5.1M

-31.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.83

11.38

-31.20%

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

Last update for Semarang: September 6, 2026

Last update for Bandung: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $229 in Semarang and $218 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bandung pays 47% 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: $11.00 in Semarang vs $14.00 in Bandung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $196 per month, with Semarang 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

Semarang vs Bandung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Semarang wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Bandung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Semarang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 47% lower in Bandung. 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: $229 in Semarang versus $218 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Bandung. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Semarang – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $14.00 in Bandung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Semarang 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 Semarang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $581 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Semarang 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 Semarang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Bandung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.