Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medan and Denpasar, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Medan: $613 a month against $901 in Denpasar, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

30

Cost of Living Index in Medan
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Medan Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Denpasar, Bali
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Denpasar, Bali Living Index

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Medan

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$613

/mo nomad

Denpasar, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$901

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medan and in Denpasar, Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medan and in Denpasar, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $613 in Medan versus $901 in Denpasar, Bali.

Medan $613
Denpasar, Bali $901

Estimated couple costs with rent: $940 in Medan versus $1,508 in Denpasar, Bali.

Medan $940
Denpasar, Bali $1,508

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,266 in Medan versus $2,114 in Denpasar, Bali.

Medan $1,266
Denpasar, Bali $2,114

Living in Medan costs roughly 32% less than in Denpasar, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medan 55% lower, Denpasar, Bali 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.71 Rp 30.8K

$2.18 Rp 39.2K

-21.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.30 Rp 149.4K

$23.40 Rp 421.2K

-64.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.95 Rp 53.0K

$3.76 Rp 67.7K

-21.54%

Cappuccino

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

$1.84 Rp 33.1K

-16.85%

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

$0.35 Rp 6,215

$1.08 Rp 19.4K

-67.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,534

$0.58 Rp 10.5K

-56.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 Rp 29.9K

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

-4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 Rp 64.6K

$2.86 Rp 51.5K

25.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 Rp 20.0K

$1.22 Rp 22.0K

-9.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

$1.87 Rp 33.6K

-36.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 Rp 14.7K

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

-13.83%

Eggs

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

$1.76 Rp 31.7K

-25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 Rp 146.2K

$13.93 Rp 250.7K

-41.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 Rp 64.6K

$3.21 Rp 57.8K

11.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.36 Rp 114.5K

$9.96 Rp 179.2K

-36.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 Rp 43.1K

$2.84 Rp 51.1K

-15.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 Rp 18.9K

$1.31 Rp 23.5K

-19.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

$1.82 Rp 32.8K

-21.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

$1.61 Rp 29.1K

-42.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

$1.48 Rp 26.6K

-43.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

$1.94 Rp 34.9K

-7.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 Rp 6,905

$0.77 Rp 13.9K

-50.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,872

$0.44 Rp 7,874

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 Rp 51.7K

$1.84 Rp 33.2K

55.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.72 Rp 282.9K

$18.51 Rp 333.2K

-15.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 Rp 32.9K

$1.92 Rp 34.6K

-4.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 Rp 54.1K

$2.38 Rp 42.8K

26.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,816

$0.22 Rp 3,947

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.93 Rp 106.7K

$7.14 Rp 128.5K

-16.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 Rp 9,186

$0.39 Rp 7,042

30.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.19 Rp 3,465

$0.42 Rp 7,509

-54.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 Rp 56.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$0.74 Rp 13.4K

8.11%

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

$24.7K Rp 444.1M

$22.1K Rp 397.2M

11.79%

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

$32.2K Rp 579.9M

$28.1K Rp 506.3M

14.53%

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

$84.8 Rp 1.5M

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

13.88%

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

$3.17 Rp 57.0K

$5.86 Rp 105.5K

-45.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.57 Rp 424.3K

$16.81 Rp 302.6K

40.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.95 Rp 305.0K

$39.47 Rp 710.5K

-57.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.41 Rp 151.5K

$13.07 Rp 235.3K

-35.65%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 Rp 59.3K

$3.16 Rp 56.9K

4.11%

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

$112 Rp 2.0M

$373 Rp 6.7M

-70.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,692 Rp 30.5M

$4,499 Rp 81.0M

-62.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 975.9K

$38.34 Rp 690.1K

41.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.53 Rp 693.6K

$30.00 Rp 540.1K

28.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 Rp 1.9M

$68.9 Rp 1.2M

56.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 Rp 2.0M

$67.1 Rp 1.2M

65.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$233 Rp 4.2M

$589 Rp 10.6M

-60.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.8 Rp 1.6M

$349 Rp 6.3M

-74.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 Rp 8.9M

$1,874 Rp 33.7M

-73.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 Rp 3.8M

$901 Rp 16.2M

-76.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,158 Rp 20.8M

$1,429 Rp 25.7M

-19.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$560 Rp 10.1M

$1,194 Rp 21.5M

-53.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$215 Rp 3.9M

$279 Rp 5.0M

-22.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

13.78

-32.87%

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

Last update for Medan: October 12, 2026

Last update for Denpasar, Bali: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Medan

$181 29.5%

Denpasar, Bali

$235 26.1% 29.8% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Medan

$140 22.9%

Denpasar, Bali

$92 10.2% 34.4% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medan

$112 18.2%

Denpasar, Bali

$97 10.8% 12.9% $14

Accommodation & Living

Medan

$90 14.6%

Denpasar, Bali

$349 38.8% 289% $259

Eating Out

Medan

$59 9.6%

Denpasar, Bali

$72 8% 22.2% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Medan

$24 3.8%

Denpasar, Bali

$46 5.1% 94.6% $22

Getting Around

Medan

$8.5 1.4%

Denpasar, Bali

$10 1.2% 23.8% $2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $233 in Medan and $589 in Denpasar, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Denpasar, Bali pays 30% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $8.00 in Medan vs $23.00 in Denpasar, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $235 per month, with Medan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Medan

🇮🇩 Denpasar, Bali

🕒 Local time

15:03 3:03 PM

16:03 4:03 PM

1 h ahead of Medan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,097,610

788,445

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Medan Denpasar, Bali 2,280 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Medan
Denpasar, Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Denpasar, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medan and Denpasar, Bali differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($613 vs $901 including rent). Medan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Denpasar, Bali. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $233 in Medan versus $589 in Denpasar, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $613 per month in Medan versus $901 in Denpasar, Bali – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medan runs roughly 20% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $613 in Medan versus $901 in Denpasar, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medan but tight or insufficient in Denpasar, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Medan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medan and Denpasar, Bali 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 Medan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Denpasar, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.