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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $631 in Sibolga versus $937 in Denpasar, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $990 in Sibolga versus $1,548 in Denpasar, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,349 in Sibolga versus $2,159 in Denpasar, Bali.

Living in Sibolga costs roughly 33% less than in Denpasar, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sibolga 54% lower, Denpasar, Bali 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sibolga
Denpasar, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.67 Rp 29.3K
$2.32 Rp 40.9K
-28.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.83 Rp 243.5K
$24.34 Rp 428.6K
-43.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.25 Rp 57.3K
$3.78 Rp 66.5K
-14.02%
Cappuccino
$1.51 Rp 26.6K
$1.83 Rp 32.3K
-17.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.42 Rp 7,443
$1.16 Rp 20.4K
-63.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23 Rp 4,046
$0.51 Rp 8,928
-54.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.28 Rp 40.2K
$2.03 Rp 35.8K
12.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50 Rp 61.6K
$2.98 Rp 52.5K
17.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sibolga
Denpasar, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 Rp 20.0K
$1.25 Rp 22.0K
-8.80%
White Bread (500g)
$1.12 Rp 19.7K
$1.87 Rp 32.8K
-40.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.82 Rp 14.4K
$0.90 Rp 15.8K
-8.89%
Eggs
$1.45 Rp 25.5K
$1.69 Rp 29.7K
-14.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.20 Rp 126.7K
$14.72 Rp 259.1K
-51.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.05 Rp 53.6K
$3.29 Rp 58.0K
-7.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.78 Rp 136.9K
$9.82 Rp 172.9K
-20.77%
Apples (1kg)
$2.31 Rp 40.7K
$2.99 Rp 52.6K
-22.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.29 Rp 22.7K
$1.25 Rp 22.1K
3.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.76 Rp 31.0K
$1.86 Rp 32.7K
-5.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.24 Rp 21.8K
$1.65 Rp 29.0K
-24.85%
Potato (1kg)
$1.26 Rp 22.2K
$1.54 Rp 27.1K
-18.18%
Onion (1kg)
$1.93 Rp 34.0K
$1.98 Rp 34.9K
-2.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.74 Rp 12.9K
$0.84 Rp 14.8K
-11.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.44 Rp 7,688
$0.41 Rp 7,269
7.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.64 Rp 46.5K
$1.81 Rp 31.9K
45.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.25 Rp 356.5K
$18.84 Rp 331.7K
7.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 Rp 32.6K
$1.97 Rp 34.6K
-6.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94 Rp 51.8K
$2.38 Rp 41.9K
23.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Sibolga
Denpasar, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,721
$0.22 Rp 3,860
22.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$7.67 Rp 135.0K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.53 Rp 9,260
$0.43 Rp 7,626
23.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.33 Rp 5,732
$0.43 Rp 7,526
-23.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.84 Rp 50.0K
$3.04 Rp 53.5K
-6.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.76 Rp 13.4K
$0.68 Rp 11.9K
11.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.4K Rp 411.5M
$21.8K Rp 384.4M
7.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.3K Rp 551.8M
$28.5K Rp 502.6M
9.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sibolga
Denpasar, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$69.5 Rp 1.2M
$75.7 Rp 1.3M
-8.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.48 Rp 78.9K
$5.84 Rp 102.9K
-23.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.05 Rp 335.5K
$17.30 Rp 304.5K
10.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sibolga
Denpasar, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$20.58 Rp 362.4K
$39.41 Rp 693.9K
-47.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.69 Rp 153.0K
$12.91 Rp 227.4K
-32.69%
Cinema Ticket
$2.89 Rp 50.9K
$3.09 Rp 54.4K
-6.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sibolga
Denpasar, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$94.4 Rp 1.7M
$383 Rp 6.7M
-75.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,787 Rp 137.1M
$4,468 Rp 78.7M
74.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sibolga
Denpasar, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.61 Rp 767.8K
$39.69 Rp 698.7K
9.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.17 Rp 531.2K
$31.07 Rp 547.0K
-2.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.3 Rp 1.3M
$69.4 Rp 1.2M
5.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.5 Rp 1.3M
$68.1 Rp 1.2M
6.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sibolga
Denpasar, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$227 Rp 4.0M
$591 Rp 10.4M
-61.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$153 Rp 2.7M
$361 Rp 6.4M
-57.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$553 Rp 9.7M
$1,858 Rp 32.7M
-70.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$366 Rp 6.4M
$906 Rp 15.9M
-59.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,199 Rp 21.1M
$1,463 Rp 25.8M
-18.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$669 Rp 11.8M
$1,200 Rp 21.1M
-44.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sibolga
Denpasar, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$279 Rp 4.9M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.46
13.78
-31.35%

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

Last update for Sibolga: September 6, 2026

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $227 in Sibolga and $591 in Denpasar, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Sibolga vs $24.00 in Denpasar, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $239 per month, with Sibolga 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
Sibolga vs Denpasar, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Sibolga and in Denpasar, Bali?
Sibolga and Denpasar, Bali differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($631 vs $937 including rent). Sibolga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Sibolga compared to Denpasar, Bali?
You'd need roughly $947 in Sibolga and $1,405 in Denpasar, Bali 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Sibolga and in Denpasar, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $227 in Sibolga versus $591 in Denpasar, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Denpasar, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Sibolga or Denpasar, Bali?
All in, you'll spend $631 per month in Sibolga versus $937 in Denpasar, Bali – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $631 in Sibolga versus $937 in Denpasar, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sibolga but tight or insufficient in Denpasar, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Sibolga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Sibolga and Denpasar, Bali?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Sibolga or Denpasar, Bali safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Sibolga and Denpasar, Bali are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Sibolga or Denpasar, Bali?
Expats usually find Sibolga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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