Cost of Living Comparison Between Uluwatu, Bali and Palembang Cost of Living Comparison Between Uluwatu, Bali and Palembang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,685 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $625 in Palembang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,928 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $1,007 in Palembang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,171 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $1,389 in Palembang.

Living in Uluwatu, Bali is roughly 170% more expensive than in Palembang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Uluwatu, Bali is 23% above, Palembang is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 Rp 72.8K

$1.16 Rp 20.5K

254.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.57 Rp 771.5K

$16.43 Rp 290.9K

165.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 Rp 117.6K

$2.75 Rp 48.6K

141.45%

Cappuccino

$3.38 Rp 59.8K

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

162.02%

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

$2.19 Rp 38.8K

$0.84 Rp 14.9K

160.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.25 Rp 4,340

304.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 Rp 63.1K

$1.73 Rp 30.6K

105.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.43 Rp 96.1K

$3.35 Rp 59.4K

62.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 Rp 29.4K

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

46.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.6K

$1.10 Rp 19.5K

123.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 21.5K

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

44.05%

Eggs

$2.29 Rp 40.6K

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

77.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.21 Rp 322.4K

$7.39 Rp 130.8K

146.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.21 Rp 74.5K

$2.92 Rp 51.7K

44.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.07 Rp 231.4K

$7.61 Rp 134.7K

71.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 Rp 69.3K

$2.19 Rp 38.8K

78.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 28.9K

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

39.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 Rp 43.8K

$1.97 Rp 34.9K

25.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$1.39 Rp 24.6K

48.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$1.40 Rp 24.9K

35.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 Rp 45.8K

$2.21 Rp 39.1K

17.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.8K

$0.75 Rp 13.3K

41.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 9,996

$0.41 Rp 7,239

36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 Rp 42.6K

$2.22 Rp 39.4K

8.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.21 Rp 428.6K

$20.38 Rp 360.9K

18.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 Rp 44.2K

$1.84 Rp 32.6K

35.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 Rp 55.0K

$3.02 Rp 53.5K

2.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 Rp 5,577

$0.45 Rp 7,968

-31.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.28 Rp 181.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 10.1K

$0.53 Rp 9,459

7.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 Rp 10.2K

$0.31 Rp 5,494

87.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 Rp 47.5K

$2.72 Rp 48.2K

-1.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

32.89%

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

$30.3K Rp 536.2M

$22.8K Rp 403.9M

32.73%

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

$39.3K Rp 696.4M

$30.4K Rp 538.9M

29.21%

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

$89.9 Rp 1.6M

$67.9 Rp 1.2M

32.40%

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

$7.40 Rp 131.0K

$4.52 Rp 80.1K

63.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 Rp 363.4K

$19.12 Rp 338.6K

7.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.8 Rp 1.2M

$19.87 Rp 351.9K

231.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.34 Rp 377.8K

$7.34 Rp 129.9K

190.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.21 Rp 92.3K

$2.76 Rp 48.9K

88.77%

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

$544 Rp 9.6M

$97.1 Rp 1.7M

460.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,707 Rp 118.8M

$6,938 Rp 122.8M

-3.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 Rp 904.7K

$43.91 Rp 777.4K

16.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.15 Rp 693.2K

$29.03 Rp 514.0K

34.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 Rp 1.6M

$73.1 Rp 1.3M

22.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 Rp 1.6M

$72.9 Rp 1.3M

20.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,556 Rp 27.6M

$234 Rp 4.2M

563.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$924 Rp 16.4M

$156 Rp 2.8M

491.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,848 Rp 85.8M

$539 Rp 9.5M

799.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,307 Rp 40.9M

$422 Rp 7.5M

446.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,720 Rp 65.9M

$1,249 Rp 22.1M

197.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,051 Rp 54.0M

$739 Rp 13.1M

312.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$312 Rp 5.5M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

9.46

45.67%

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

Last update for Uluwatu, Bali: September 15, 2026

Last update for Palembang: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,556 in Uluwatu, Bali and $234 in Palembang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Uluwatu, Bali vs $16.00 in Palembang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $309 vs $196 per month, with Palembang 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

Uluwatu, Bali vs Palembang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Palembang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 170% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,528 in Uluwatu, Bali and $938 in Palembang 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: $1,556 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $234 in Palembang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $544 in Uluwatu, Bali versus $97.1 in Palembang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Palembang – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $44.00 in Uluwatu, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $625 in Palembang versus $1,685 in Uluwatu, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Palembang but tight or insufficient in Uluwatu, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Palembang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Palembang is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Uluwatu, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Uluwatu, Bali and Palembang 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 Palembang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 170% less than in Uluwatu, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.