Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Medan Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Medan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,288 per month in Bali vs $651 in Medan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,328 per month in Bali vs $982 in Medan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,367 per month in Bali vs $1,313 in Medan, rent included.

Bali costs about 98% more than Medan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bali and Medan are more affordable than the global median – Bali 4% lower, Medan 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 Rp 53.0K

$1.83 Rp 32.6K

62.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.53 Rp 473.8K

$10.63 Rp 189.9K

149.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 Rp 73.0K

$3.22 Rp 57.4K

27.02%

Cappuccino

$2.25 Rp 40.2K

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

25.00%

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

$1.14 Rp 20.4K

$0.40 Rp 7,122

185.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 Rp 11.1K

$0.25 Rp 4,419

148.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 Rp 43.2K

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

53.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 Rp 58.9K

$5.13 Rp 91.7K

-35.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 Rp 30.8K

$1.18 Rp 21.0K

46.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 Rp 43.2K

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

106.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.5K

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

32.18%

Eggs

$2.31 Rp 41.2K

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

46.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.70 Rp 244.6K

$9.78 Rp 174.6K

40.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 Rp 73.8K

$3.88 Rp 69.3K

6.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 Rp 202.3K

$6.86 Rp 122.5K

65.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 Rp 61.7K

$2.29 Rp 41.0K

50.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.2K

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

53.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 48.2K

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

83.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 Rp 38.3K

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

128.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.6K

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

147.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 Rp 38.0K

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

65.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 Rp 17.5K

$0.46 Rp 8,163

113.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Rp 12.0K

$0.46 Rp 8,201

45.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 Rp 56.5K

$2.48 Rp 44.2K

27.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.80 Rp 407.1K

$15.75 Rp 281.3K

44.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 Rp 47.3K

$1.35 Rp 24.1K

96.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 48.6K

$3.17 Rp 56.6K

-14.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,782

$0.30 Rp 5,318

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.46 Rp 151.1K

$9.86 Rp 176.1K

-14.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,160

$0.52 Rp 9,345

-11.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,176

$0.22 Rp 3,931

109.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 Rp 107.2K

$6.27 Rp 111.9K

-4.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.6K

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

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

$26.0K Rp 464.2M

$28.1K Rp 501.4M

-7.40%

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

$31.9K Rp 569.1M

$33.8K Rp 604.3M

-5.83%

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

$79.7 Rp 1.4M

$83.4 Rp 1.5M

-4.42%

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

$3.92 Rp 70.0K

$3.64 Rp 65.1K

7.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 Rp 434.9K

$33.53 Rp 598.8K

-27.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$23.40 Rp 417.8K

251.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.30 Rp 94.6K

$7.27 Rp 129.8K

-27.10%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 Rp 61.5K

$3.58 Rp 63.9K

-3.91%

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

$267 Rp 4.8M

$126 Rp 2.3M

111.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,920 Rp 105.7M

$10.6K Rp 188.8M

-44.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 Rp 910.9K

$66.3 Rp 1.2M

-23.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.67 Rp 654.8K

$42.49 Rp 758.9K

-13.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 Rp 1.5M

$116 Rp 2.1M

-27.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 Rp 1.3M

$65.6 Rp 1.2M

14.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$854 Rp 15.3M

$191 Rp 3.4M

346.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$574 Rp 10.2M

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

481.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,981 Rp 53.2M

$544 Rp 9.7M

447.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,784 Rp 31.9M

$231 Rp 4.1M

673.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,374 Rp 42.4M

$1,176 Rp 21.0M

101.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,973 Rp 35.2M

$567 Rp 10.1M

247.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$223 Rp 4.0M

$215 Rp 3.8M

3.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.25

43.57%

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

Last update for Bali: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $854 in Bali versus $191 in Medan. 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 4% 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 $27.00 in Bali versus $11.00 in Medan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $187 – making Medan 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

Bali vs Medan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 98% more than Medan, 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 $1,932 per month in Bali and $977 in Medan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medan, 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 $27.00 in Bali and $11.00 in Medan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,288 in Bali and $651 in Medan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medan, where all-in costs run around $651, than in Bali at $1,288. In Medan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medan costs $651 versus $1,288 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 Medan. 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.