Menurut saya, biaya itu terlalu mahal.

to be

Breakdown of Menurut saya, biaya itu terlalu mahal.

• itu: that
• saya: I
• terlalu: too

Questions & Answers about Menurut saya, biaya itu terlalu mahal.

What exactly does menurut saya mean, and how does it compare to saya pikir / saya rasa / saya kira / sepertinya / kayaknya?

• menurut saya = “in my opinion/according to me.” Neutral–polite, common in speech and writing, slightly distancing/softer.
• saya pikir = “I think (after reasoning).” A bit more assertive.
• saya rasa = “I feel/I think (subjective sense).” Very common and natural.
• saya kira = “I suppose/I presume.” Can sound tentative or like a prior assumption.
• sepertinya = “it seems/it looks like.” Impersonal hedge.
• kayaknya = Colloquial of sepertinya, casual. All of these can introduce the same opinion; choose based on tone and formality.

Is the comma after Menurut saya required?

It’s optional. A comma after an initial adverbial like Menurut saya is common and helps readability: Menurut saya, … Without the comma is also fine: Menurut saya biaya itu terlalu mahal.

Is biaya itu the most natural phrasing, or would biayanya or harganya sound better?

• biaya itu = “that cost/fee (previously mentioned).” Fine if you’re pointing to a specific, known fee.
• biayanya = “the/its cost.” Very common and often more natural in speech.
• harganya = “the price (of a product/service).” Use when talking about the sticker price rather than an ongoing/associated cost. In everyday talk, many would say: Menurut saya, biayanya terlalu mahal or, if it’s a product price,