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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Medan is about 49% cheaper than Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.83 Rp 32.6K

$2.97 Rp 53.0K

-38.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.63 Rp 189.9K

$26.53 Rp 473.8K

-59.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.22 Rp 57.4K

$4.09 Rp 73.0K

-21.27%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

$2.25 Rp 40.2K

-20.00%

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

$0.40 Rp 7,122

$1.14 Rp 20.4K

-64.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,419

$0.62 Rp 11.1K

-59.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

$2.42 Rp 43.2K

-34.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 Rp 91.7K

$3.30 Rp 58.9K

55.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.0K

$1.73 Rp 30.8K

-31.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$2.42 Rp 43.2K

-51.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$1.15 Rp 20.5K

-24.35%

Eggs

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$2.31 Rp 41.2K

-31.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 Rp 174.6K

$13.70 Rp 244.6K

-28.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 Rp 69.3K

$4.13 Rp 73.8K

-6.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.86 Rp 122.5K

$11.33 Rp 202.3K

-39.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 41.0K

$3.45 Rp 61.7K

-33.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

$1.53 Rp 27.2K

-34.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

$2.70 Rp 48.2K

-45.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

$2.15 Rp 38.3K

-56.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

$1.83 Rp 32.6K

-59.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

$2.13 Rp 38.0K

-39.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$0.98 Rp 17.5K

-53.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,201

$0.67 Rp 12.0K

-31.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 44.2K

$3.16 Rp 56.5K

-21.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.75 Rp 281.3K

$22.80 Rp 407.1K

-30.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 Rp 24.1K

$2.65 Rp 47.3K

-49.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 56.6K

$2.72 Rp 48.6K

16.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,318

$0.27 Rp 4,782

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.86 Rp 176.1K

$8.46 Rp 151.1K

16.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,345

$0.46 Rp 8,160

13.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 Rp 3,931

$0.46 Rp 8,176

-52.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.27 Rp 111.9K

$6.00 Rp 107.2K

4.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$0.82 Rp 14.6K

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

$28.1K Rp 501.4M

$26.0K Rp 464.2M

8.00%

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

$33.8K Rp 604.3M

$31.9K Rp 569.1M

6.20%

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

$83.4 Rp 1.5M

$79.7 Rp 1.4M

4.63%

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

$3.64 Rp 65.1K

$3.92 Rp 70.0K

-7.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.53 Rp 598.8K

$24.36 Rp 434.9K

37.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.40 Rp 417.8K

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

-71.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 Rp 129.8K

$5.30 Rp 94.6K

37.17%

Cinema Ticket

$3.58 Rp 63.9K

$3.44 Rp 61.5K

4.07%

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

$126 Rp 2.3M

$267 Rp 4.8M

-52.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K Rp 188.8M

$5,920 Rp 105.7M

78.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 Rp 1.2M

$51.0 Rp 910.9K

29.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.49 Rp 758.9K

$36.67 Rp 654.8K

15.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 Rp 2.1M

$83.9 Rp 1.5M

37.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 Rp 1.2M

$74.8 Rp 1.3M

-12.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 Rp 3.4M

$854 Rp 15.3M

-77.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$574 Rp 10.2M

-82.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 Rp 9.7M

$2,981 Rp 53.2M

-81.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 Rp 4.1M

$1,784 Rp 31.9M

-87.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,176 Rp 21.0M

$2,374 Rp 42.4M

-50.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$567 Rp 10.1M

$1,973 Rp 35.2M

-71.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$215 Rp 3.8M

$223 Rp 4.0M

-3.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

13.28

-30.35%

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

Last update for Medan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bali: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Medan vs Bali: 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 $977 per month in Medan and $1,932 in Bali. 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 $11.00 in Medan and $27.00 in Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $651 in Medan and $1,288 in Bali. 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.