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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $607 in Medan versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $933 in Medan versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,260 in Medan versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Medan costs roughly 57% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medan is 56% below, Ubud, Bali is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.72 Rp 30.6K

$3.37 Rp 59.9K

-48.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.73 Rp 155.1K

$38.59 Rp 685.5K

-77.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

$5.52 Rp 98.1K

-46.38%

Cappuccino

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

$2.64 Rp 47.0K

-41.29%

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

$0.34 Rp 6,114

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

-79.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,458

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

-67.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

$2.63 Rp 46.8K

-34.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 Rp 63.6K

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

-16.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

-30.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

-48.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

-26.55%

Eggs

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

-36.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 Rp 140.5K

$17.39 Rp 309.0K

-54.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 Rp 62.7K

$3.87 Rp 68.7K

-8.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.44 Rp 114.4K

$12.55 Rp 222.9K

-48.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 Rp 43.2K

$3.62 Rp 64.2K

-32.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

-32.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

$2.35 Rp 41.8K

-37.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 17.0K

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

-53.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

-54.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

-25.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 Rp 7,334

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

-60.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,756

$0.55 Rp 9,854

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

$2.25 Rp 40.0K

34.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.41 Rp 291.5K

$23.81 Rp 422.9K

-31.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 Rp 34.2K

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

-16.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 Rp 54.0K

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

8.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,759

$0.27 Rp 4,839

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.07 Rp 107.9K

$8.66 Rp 153.9K

-29.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,394

$0.48 Rp 8,554

10.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 Rp 3,602

$0.45 Rp 7,924

-55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

1.32%

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

$24.9K Rp 443.1M

$24.5K Rp 434.9M

1.88%

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

$31.6K Rp 561.0M

$32.1K Rp 570.6M

-1.68%

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

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

3.48%

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

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

$6.46 Rp 114.7K

-49.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.34 Rp 414.6K

$18.99 Rp 337.4K

22.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.06 Rp 303.1K

$56.0 Rp 994.4K

-69.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.69 Rp 154.3K

$18.62 Rp 330.7K

-53.33%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 Rp 61.0K

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

-19.86%

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

$114 Rp 2.0M

$487 Rp 8.6M

-76.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,720 Rp 30.6M

$5,856 Rp 104.0M

-70.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

$45.56 Rp 809.3K

23.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 Rp 695.6K

$36.38 Rp 646.3K

7.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 Rp 1.9M

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

28.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 Rp 2.0M

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

43.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 Rp 3.1M

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

-84.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

$701 Rp 12.5M

-87.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 Rp 8.8M

$3,537 Rp 62.8M

-85.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 Rp 3.8M

$1,762 Rp 31.3M

-88.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,148 Rp 20.4M

$2,826 Rp 50.2M

-59.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$571 Rp 10.1M

$2,292 Rp 40.7M

-75.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$214 Rp 3.8M

$170 Rp 3.0M

26.11%

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $177 in Medan and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medan pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $9.00 in Medan vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $293 per month, with Medan cheaper across the board.

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 Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 130% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Medan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $177 in Medan versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medan runs roughly 43% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $114 in Medan versus $487 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $607 in Medan versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medan but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Medan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medan and Ubud, 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 130% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.