Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibolga and Bandung Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibolga and Bandung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $600 in Sibolga versus $634 in Bandung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $943 in Sibolga versus $945 in Bandung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,285 in Sibolga versus $1,257 in Bandung.

Living in Sibolga costs roughly 5% less than in Bandung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sibolga 55% lower, Bandung 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

$1.26 Rp 22.6K

20.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.25 Rp 219.4K

$9.09 Rp 162.8K

34.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.34 Rp 59.8K

$3.30 Rp 59.2K

1.21%

Cappuccino

$1.70 Rp 30.5K

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

14.09%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,781

$0.49 Rp 8,831

12.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,610

$0.27 Rp 4,864

-3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 Rp 54.0K

$3.47 Rp 62.2K

-12.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 Rp 46.5K

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

-27.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$1.22 Rp 21.8K

-4.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 Rp 20.0K

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

5.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 Rp 16.5K

$0.95 Rp 17.0K

-3.16%

Eggs

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

$1.60 Rp 28.7K

-1.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 Rp 142.2K

$8.91 Rp 159.6K

-10.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.32 Rp 41.5K

$3.12 Rp 55.9K

-25.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.04 Rp 162.0K

$8.01 Rp 143.6K

12.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$2.27 Rp 40.7K

1.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

$1.29 Rp 23.2K

12.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 33.3K

$1.73 Rp 30.9K

7.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

$1.60 Rp 28.6K

-6.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 Rp 12.7K

$1.40 Rp 25.1K

-49.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

$2.68 Rp 48.1K

-42.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 Rp 16.3K

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

2.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 Rp 5,840

$0.45 Rp 8,114

-26.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

$2.48 Rp 44.5K

-27.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.67 Rp 334.5K

$22.04 Rp 394.9K

-15.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 Rp 40.7K

$2.09 Rp 37.4K

8.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

$3.42 Rp 61.4K

-34.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 Rp 8,016

$0.32 Rp 5,785

40.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.91 Rp 177.6K

$10.57 Rp 189.4K

-6.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

$0.71 Rp 12.7K

-19.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,764

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

-47.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$2.48 Rp 44.4K

15.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

30.77%

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

$24.5K Rp 439.2M

$24.3K Rp 435.6M

0.82%

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

$27.6K Rp 495.0M

$25.5K Rp 456.5M

8.45%

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

$26.42 Rp 473.3K

$44.19 Rp 791.6K

-40.21%

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

$4.27 Rp 76.4K

$4.66 Rp 83.6K

-8.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.51 Rp 403.2K

$22.53 Rp 403.7K

-0.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.14 Rp 414.5K

$22.16 Rp 397.0K

4.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.33 Rp 113.5K

$6.60 Rp 118.2K

-4.09%

Cinema Ticket

$3.14 Rp 56.2K

$3.05 Rp 54.6K

2.95%

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

$24.08 Rp 431.5K

$92.8 Rp 1.7M

-74.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,714 Rp 138.2M

$7,565 Rp 135.5M

1.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.47 Rp 277.2K

$41.23 Rp 738.6K

-62.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.47 Rp 330.9K

$31.03 Rp 555.9K

-40.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 Rp 1.2M

$59.1 Rp 1.1M

11.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.9 Rp 1.3M

$63.9 Rp 1.1M

15.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 Rp 4.7M

$242 Rp 4.3M

7.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

-0.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 Rp 10.6M

$449 Rp 8.1M

31.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 Rp 6.0M

$246 Rp 4.4M

36.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,315 Rp 23.6M

$704 Rp 12.6M

86.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$764 Rp 13.7M

$305 Rp 5.5M

150.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 Rp 5.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

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

Last update for Sibolga: June 9, 2026

Last update for Bandung: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $261 in Sibolga and $242 in Bandung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Sibolga vs $9.00 in Bandung. Groceries flip the comparison at $196 vs $213, with Sibolga 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

Sibolga vs Bandung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sibolga wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Bandung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sibolga the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $901 in Sibolga and $951 in Bandung to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $261 in Sibolga versus $242 in Bandung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Bandung. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Sibolga – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $9.00 in Bandung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Sibolga 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 Sibolga delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $600 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sibolga hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Sibolga 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 Sibolga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Bandung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.