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: $651 in Medan versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $982 in Medan versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,313 in Medan versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Medan costs roughly 54% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medan is 51% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.83 Rp 32.6K

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

-48.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.63 Rp 189.9K

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

-67.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.22 Rp 57.4K

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

-34.95%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

-33.58%

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

$0.40 Rp 7,122

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-70.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,419

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

-64.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

-45.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 Rp 91.7K

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

29.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.0K

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

-34.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

-53.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

-25.00%

Eggs

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

-35.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 Rp 174.6K

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-33.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 Rp 69.3K

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

-10.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.86 Rp 122.5K

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

-43.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 41.0K

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

-40.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

-35.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 Rp 26.3K

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

-48.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

-59.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 Rp 13.2K

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

-61.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 23.1K

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-41.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

-54.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 Rp 8,201

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

-41.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 44.2K

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

-25.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.75 Rp 281.3K

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

-33.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 Rp 24.1K

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

-51.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 56.6K

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

10.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,318

$0.27 Rp 4,800

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.86 Rp 176.1K

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

22.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 Rp 9,345

$0.46 Rp 8,150

13.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 Rp 3,931

$0.45 Rp 8,037

-51.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.27 Rp 111.9K

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

2.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

3.80%

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

$28.1K Rp 501.4M

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

7.36%

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

$33.8K Rp 604.3M

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

5.36%

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

$83.4 Rp 1.5M

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

4.33%

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

$3.64 Rp 65.1K

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

-10.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.53 Rp 598.8K

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

42.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.40 Rp 417.8K

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-76.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 Rp 129.8K

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

9.65%

Cinema Ticket

$3.58 Rp 63.9K

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

-13.73%

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

$126 Rp 2.3M

$304 Rp 5.4M

-58.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K Rp 188.8M

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

59.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 Rp 1.2M

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

19.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.49 Rp 758.9K

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

10.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 Rp 2.1M

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

30.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 Rp 1.2M

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-15.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 Rp 3.4M

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-80.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$675 Rp 12.1M

-85.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 Rp 9.7M

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-84.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 Rp 4.1M

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-88.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,176 Rp 21.0M

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

-58.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$567 Rp 10.1M

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

-74.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$215 Rp 3.8M

$165 Rp 3.0M

30.06%

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 Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $191 in Medan and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medan pays 30% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $302 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 118% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medan pays 30% more on average, 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: $191 in Medan versus $1,006 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 23% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $126 in Medan versus $304 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $651 in Medan versus $1,419 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 118% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.