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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Bali vs $607 in Medan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,141 per month in Bali vs $933 in Medan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,016 per month in Bali vs $1,260 in Medan, rent included.

Bali costs about 109% more than Medan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bali and Medan are more affordable than the global median – Bali 8% lower, Medan 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.91 Rp 51.7K

$1.72 Rp 30.6K

69.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.94 Rp 567.5K

$8.73 Rp 155.1K

265.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.50 Rp 79.9K

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

52.03%

Cappuccino

$2.29 Rp 40.6K

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

47.74%

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

$1.39 Rp 24.6K

$0.34 Rp 6,114

308.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 Rp 10.6K

$0.25 Rp 4,458

140.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

27.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 Rp 64.0K

$3.58 Rp 63.6K

0.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.3K

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

42.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 Rp 38.8K

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

92.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

30.12%

Eggs

$2.01 Rp 35.7K

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

51.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 Rp 300.4K

$7.91 Rp 140.5K

113.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.76 Rp 66.7K

$3.53 Rp 62.7K

6.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 210.0K

$6.44 Rp 114.4K

83.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 Rp 60.3K

$2.43 Rp 43.2K

39.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Rp 38.5K

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

46.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.8K

$0.96 Rp 17.0K

91.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

103.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.1K

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

29.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.6K

$0.41 Rp 7,334

141.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,710

$0.44 Rp 7,756

11.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 Rp 37.9K

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

-29.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.73 Rp 403.7K

$16.41 Rp 291.5K

38.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 Rp 40.4K

$1.92 Rp 34.2K

18.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 Rp 47.5K

$3.04 Rp 54.0K

-12.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,405

$0.27 Rp 4,759

-7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.56 Rp 152.1K

$6.07 Rp 107.9K

41.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,706

$0.53 Rp 9,394

-7.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 Rp 8,481

$0.20 Rp 3,602

140.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 Rp 103.3K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

-1.30%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$24.9K Rp 443.1M

-1.44%

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

$32.1K Rp 570.7M

$31.6K Rp 561.0M

1.72%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

-4.41%

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

$6.47 Rp 115.0K

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

96.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.80 Rp 333.9K

$23.34 Rp 414.6K

-19.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.41 Rp 842.3K

$17.06 Rp 303.1K

177.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.42 Rp 273.9K

$8.69 Rp 154.3K

77.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.64 Rp 64.6K

$3.43 Rp 61.0K

6.12%

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

$443 Rp 7.9M

$114 Rp 2.0M

287.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,200 Rp 92.4M

$1,720 Rp 30.6M

202.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.91 Rp 780.0K

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

-22.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.14 Rp 606.5K

$39.16 Rp 695.6K

-12.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 Rp 1.3M

$105 Rp 1.9M

-28.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.4 Rp 1.4M

$115 Rp 2.0M

-32.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,004 Rp 17.8M

$177 Rp 3.1M

466.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$595 Rp 10.6M

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

569.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,169 Rp 56.3M

$497 Rp 8.8M

537.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,478 Rp 26.3M

$211 Rp 3.8M

599.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,472 Rp 43.9M

$1,148 Rp 20.4M

115.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,027 Rp 36.0M

$571 Rp 10.1M

254.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 Rp 3.9M

$214 Rp 3.8M

3.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

9.25

48.97%

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

Last update for Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medan: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,004 in Bali versus $177 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 3% 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 $32.00 in Bali versus $9.00 in Medan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $280 vs $182 – 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 109% 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 $1,899 per month in Bali and $911 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 $32.00 in Bali and $9.00 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 $1,266 in Bali and $607 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 $607, than in Bali at $1,266. 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 $607 versus $1,266 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.