Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibolga and Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibolga and Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $591 per month in Sibolga vs $1,265 in Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $944 per month in Sibolga vs $2,300 in Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,296 per month in Sibolga vs $3,334 in Bali, rent included.

Sibolga is about 53% cheaper than Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sibolga and Bali are more affordable than the global median – Sibolga 56% lower, Bali 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.55 Rp 28.1K

$2.88 Rp 52.0K

-46.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.22 Rp 221.0K

$26.92 Rp 486.7K

-54.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.48 Rp 62.8K

$4.08 Rp 73.7K

-14.71%

Cappuccino

$1.67 Rp 30.2K

$2.29 Rp 41.4K

-27.07%

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

$0.51 Rp 9,310

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

-56.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 5,116

$0.62 Rp 11.2K

-54.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.11 Rp 56.2K

$2.39 Rp 43.2K

30.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 Rp 48.0K

$3.33 Rp 60.2K

-20.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Rp 22.1K

$1.70 Rp 30.7K

-28.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.4K

$2.38 Rp 43.1K

-50.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

$1.14 Rp 20.6K

-18.42%

Eggs

$1.59 Rp 28.7K

$2.33 Rp 42.2K

-31.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.33 Rp 150.5K

$14.18 Rp 256.5K

-41.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 41.1K

$4.14 Rp 74.8K

-45.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.10 Rp 164.5K

$11.65 Rp 210.7K

-21.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 41.5K

$3.47 Rp 62.8K

-33.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.3K

$1.52 Rp 27.5K

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 34.2K

$2.59 Rp 46.8K

-27.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 27.0K

$2.13 Rp 38.5K

-30.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 Rp 12.9K

$1.81 Rp 32.7K

-60.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.6K

$2.19 Rp 39.6K

-30.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 Rp 16.4K

$0.95 Rp 17.3K

-4.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 Rp 6,344

$0.72 Rp 13.1K

-51.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 Rp 31.2K

$3.02 Rp 54.5K

-42.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 419.3K

$21.76 Rp 393.4K

6.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 41.8K

$2.67 Rp 48.2K

-13.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 Rp 42.1K

$2.69 Rp 48.7K

-13.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 Rp 7,393

$0.27 Rp 4,838

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.68 Rp 175.0K

$8.22 Rp 148.6K

17.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,606

$0.46 Rp 8,240

15.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,764

$0.42 Rp 7,603

-11.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 Rp 51.8K

$6.23 Rp 112.6K

-54.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 Rp 19.2K

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

34.18%

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

$24.7K Rp 446.1M

$26.2K Rp 473.8M

-5.85%

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

$27.3K Rp 492.8M

$32.6K Rp 589.6M

-16.42%

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

$26.79 Rp 484.5K

$80.2 Rp 1.4M

-66.58%

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

$4.22 Rp 76.3K

$3.93 Rp 71.0K

7.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.81 Rp 412.5K

$23.58 Rp 426.3K

-3.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.00 Rp 415.9K

$80.3 Rp 1.5M

-71.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.08 Rp 110.0K

$5.51 Rp 99.6K

10.34%

Cinema Ticket

$3.09 Rp 55.9K

$3.47 Rp 62.7K

-10.95%

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

$24.11 Rp 436.0K

$277 Rp 5.0M

-91.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,603 Rp 137.5M

$6,008 Rp 108.6M

26.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.45 Rp 279.3K

$51.4 Rp 928.8K

-69.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.19 Rp 328.8K

$36.41 Rp 658.4K

-50.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 Rp 1.2M

$82.5 Rp 1.5M

-19.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 Rp 1.4M

$74.8 Rp 1.4M

-0.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$260 Rp 4.7M

$867 Rp 15.7M

-69.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 Rp 2.9M

$574 Rp 10.4M

-72.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 Rp 10.5M

$2,974 Rp 53.8M

-80.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 Rp 6.0M

$1,779 Rp 32.2M

-81.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,293 Rp 23.4M

$2,411 Rp 43.6M

-46.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$622 Rp 11.2M

$1,981 Rp 35.8M

-68.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$224 Rp 4.1M

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 Sibolga: July 26, 2026

Last update for Bali: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $260 in Sibolga versus $867 in Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Sibolga versus $27.00 in Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $285 – making Sibolga the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Sibolga vs Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 114% more than Sibolga, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $887 per month in Sibolga and $1,898 in Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sibolga, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Sibolga and $27.00 in Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $591 in Sibolga and $1,265 in Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sibolga, where all-in costs run around $591, than in Bali at $1,265. In Sibolga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sibolga costs $591 versus $1,265 in Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sibolga. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.