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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $616 per month in Sibolga vs $1,270 in Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $952 per month in Sibolga vs $2,308 in Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,288 per month in Sibolga vs $3,345 in Bali, rent included.

Sibolga is about 52% cheaper than Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sibolga and Bali are more affordable than the global median – Sibolga 54% lower, Bali 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.51 Rp 25.9K

$2.89 Rp 49.5K

-47.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.24 Rp 209.6K

$27.51 Rp 471.2K

-55.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.40 Rp 58.3K

$4.26 Rp 73.0K

-20.19%

Cappuccino

$1.74 Rp 29.7K

$2.28 Rp 39.0K

-23.68%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,427

$1.14 Rp 19.6K

-51.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 Rp 4,809

$0.59 Rp 10.1K

-52.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 Rp 52.3K

$2.49 Rp 42.7K

22.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 Rp 45.5K

$3.28 Rp 56.2K

-18.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Rp 20.8K

$1.73 Rp 29.6K

-29.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 Rp 20.0K

$2.41 Rp 41.3K

-51.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 14.9K

$1.15 Rp 19.7K

-24.35%

Eggs

$1.54 Rp 26.5K

$2.32 Rp 39.8K

-33.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 Rp 141.6K

$13.80 Rp 236.4K

-40.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 38.5K

$3.99 Rp 68.3K

-43.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.16 Rp 156.9K

$11.64 Rp 199.4K

-21.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 Rp 40.7K

$3.55 Rp 60.8K

-32.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 Rp 24.9K

$1.49 Rp 25.5K

-2.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 31.0K

$2.58 Rp 44.3K

-29.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 26.9K

$2.23 Rp 38.2K

-29.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 Rp 12.1K

$1.81 Rp 31.0K

-61.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 Rp 27.4K

$2.18 Rp 37.4K

-26.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 Rp 16.2K

$0.97 Rp 16.7K

-2.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 Rp 6,080

$0.68 Rp 11.6K

-47.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 Rp 30.5K

$3.10 Rp 53.0K

-42.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.99 Rp 342.3K

$22.57 Rp 386.5K

-11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 Rp 39.1K

$2.63 Rp 45.0K

-13.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 Rp 38.7K

$2.72 Rp 46.5K

-16.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 Rp 7,192

$0.27 Rp 4,564

55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.56 Rp 163.8K

$8.25 Rp 141.2K

15.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 9,800

$0.45 Rp 7,760

26.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 5,935

$0.46 Rp 7,797

-23.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 Rp 50.6K

$6.04 Rp 103.4K

-51.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 Rp 17.6K

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

21.18%

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

$24.2K Rp 414.5M

$25.7K Rp 440.9M

-5.99%

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

$27.9K Rp 477.4M

$32.2K Rp 551.4M

-13.42%

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

$26.84 Rp 459.6K

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

-66.39%

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

$4.23 Rp 72.5K

$3.98 Rp 68.2K

6.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.97 Rp 393.5K

$24.26 Rp 415.6K

-5.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.36 Rp 400.1K

$81.4 Rp 1.4M

-71.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 Rp 103.1K

$5.50 Rp 94.2K

9.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.05 Rp 52.2K

$3.37 Rp 57.7K

-9.50%

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

$24.23 Rp 415.0K

$273 Rp 4.7M

-91.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,734 Rp 132.5M

$6,007 Rp 102.9M

28.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.29 Rp 261.8K

$52.5 Rp 899.3K

-70.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.08 Rp 309.6K

$36.80 Rp 630.4K

-50.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 Rp 1.1M

$84.4 Rp 1.4M

-21.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.2 Rp 1.3M

$73.2 Rp 1.3M

1.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 Rp 4.5M

$880 Rp 15.1M

-70.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 Rp 2.7M

$589 Rp 10.1M

-72.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 Rp 9.9M

$3,010 Rp 51.6M

-80.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 Rp 5.7M

$1,834 Rp 31.4M

-81.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,229 Rp 21.1M

$2,575 Rp 44.1M

-52.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$767 Rp 13.1M

$2,080 Rp 35.6M

-63.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 2.9M

$223 Rp 3.8M

-24.72%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Bali: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $263 in Sibolga versus $880 in Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 33% higher in Bali, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12 in Sibolga versus $28 in Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 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 106% 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 $923 per month in Sibolga and $1,905 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 $28.00 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 $616 in Sibolga and $1,270 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 $616, than in Bali at $1,270. 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 $616 versus $1,270 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.