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: $640 in Medan versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $988 in Medan versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,336 in Medan versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Medan costs roughly 55% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medan is 52% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.88 Rp 33.6K

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

-45.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.72 Rp 191.8K

$32.34 Rp 578.5K

-66.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.28 Rp 58.7K

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

-32.23%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

-34.55%

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

$0.39 Rp 7,031

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

-71.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,855

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

-64.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

-48.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 Rp 93.8K

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

36.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-32.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

-52.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

-29.06%

Eggs

$1.53 Rp 27.3K

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

-37.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 Rp 168.1K

$14.50 Rp 259.5K

-35.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 66.4K

$4.35 Rp 77.8K

-14.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.83 Rp 122.2K

$11.98 Rp 214.3K

-42.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

$3.72 Rp 66.5K

-37.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

-38.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

-44.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

-60.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

-60.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

-44.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 Rp 8,138

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

-57.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,778

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-31.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 44.3K

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

-24.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 Rp 284.5K

$23.19 Rp 414.9K

-31.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 Rp 24.3K

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

-51.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 56.7K

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

16.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,810

$0.27 Rp 4,765

18.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.59 Rp 171.5K

$8.11 Rp 145.0K

18.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

$0.48 Rp 8,636

20.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 Rp 3,944

$0.42 Rp 7,511

-47.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 Rp 110.5K

$6.22 Rp 111.3K

-0.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

1.23%

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

$28.0K Rp 501.3M

$26.6K Rp 476.1M

5.29%

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

$33.9K Rp 606.5M

$32.2K Rp 575.9M

5.32%

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

$83.7 Rp 1.5M

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

6.76%

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

$3.67 Rp 65.7K

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

-9.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.25 Rp 612.7K

$24.33 Rp 435.2K

40.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 Rp 415.1K

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-76.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.12 Rp 127.4K

$6.34 Rp 113.3K

12.30%

Cinema Ticket

$3.49 Rp 62.5K

$3.99 Rp 71.3K

-12.53%

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

$123 Rp 2.2M

$305 Rp 5.5M

-59.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K Rp 189.5M

$6,642 Rp 118.8M

59.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 Rp 1.2M

$54.1 Rp 968.6K

22.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.18 Rp 754.5K

$37.81 Rp 676.3K

11.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 Rp 2.1M

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

32.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.5 Rp 1.2M

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

-14.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 Rp 3.5M

$992 Rp 17.7M

-80.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$100 Rp 1.8M

$673 Rp 12.0M

-85.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 Rp 9.5M

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

-84.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 Rp 4.2M

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

-88.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,110 Rp 19.8M

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

-60.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$550 Rp 9.8M

$2,227 Rp 39.8M

-75.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$213 Rp 3.8M

$167 Rp 3.0M

27.74%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $196 in Medan and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medan pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $11.00 in Medan vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $297 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. The 120% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 28% 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: $196 in Medan versus $992 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 18% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $123 in Medan versus $305 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $640 in Medan versus $1,408 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 120% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.