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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $640 in Medan versus $1,759 in Uluwatu, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $988 in Medan versus $3,176 in Uluwatu, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,336 in Medan versus $4,593 in Uluwatu, Bali.

Living in Medan costs roughly 64% less than in Uluwatu, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medan is 52% below, Uluwatu, Bali is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.88 Rp 33.6K

$4.27 Rp 76.3K

-55.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.72 Rp 191.8K

$39.90 Rp 713.9K

-73.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.28 Rp 58.7K

$6.16 Rp 110.1K

-46.75%

Cappuccino

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

-45.29%

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

$0.39 Rp 7,031

$1.62 Rp 29.0K

-75.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,855

$0.89 Rp 15.8K

-69.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$3.53 Rp 63.2K

-56.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 Rp 93.8K

$4.76 Rp 85.1K

10.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$1.87 Rp 33.5K

-36.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

$2.63 Rp 47.1K

-55.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

-34.65%

Eggs

$1.53 Rp 27.3K

$2.57 Rp 45.9K

-40.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 Rp 168.1K

$15.13 Rp 270.6K

-37.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 66.4K

$4.37 Rp 78.2K

-15.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.83 Rp 122.2K

$12.43 Rp 222.3K

-45.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 Rp 41.6K

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

-41.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

-38.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

$2.90 Rp 51.9K

-47.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

$2.35 Rp 42.0K

-62.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$2.00 Rp 35.8K

-62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

$2.30 Rp 41.2K

-44.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 Rp 8,138

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

-58.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,778

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

-39.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 Rp 44.3K

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

-24.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 Rp 284.5K

$24.45 Rp 437.4K

-34.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 Rp 24.3K

$2.89 Rp 51.8K

-52.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 Rp 56.7K

$2.87 Rp 51.3K

10.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,810

$0.36 Rp 6,489

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.59 Rp 171.5K

$10.28 Rp 184.0K

-6.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

$0.57 Rp 10.1K

1.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 Rp 3,944

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

-61.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 Rp 110.5K

$7.63 Rp 136.4K

-19.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$1.06 Rp 18.9K

-22.64%

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

$28.0K Rp 501.3M

$32.2K Rp 575.4M

-12.88%

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

$33.9K Rp 606.5M

$40.3K Rp 720.3M

-15.81%

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

$83.7 Rp 1.5M

$88.2 Rp 1.6M

-5.20%

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

$3.67 Rp 65.7K

$4.47 Rp 80.0K

-17.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.25 Rp 612.7K

$26.05 Rp 466.1K

31.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 Rp 415.1K

$115 Rp 2.1M

-79.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.12 Rp 127.4K

$7.75 Rp 138.7K

-8.13%

Cinema Ticket

$3.49 Rp 62.5K

$4.70 Rp 84.1K

-25.74%

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

$123 Rp 2.2M

$339 Rp 6.1M

-63.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K Rp 189.5M

$7,595 Rp 135.9M

39.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 Rp 1.2M

$60.8 Rp 1.1M

9.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.18 Rp 754.5K

$42.63 Rp 762.7K

-1.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 Rp 2.1M

$97.9 Rp 1.8M

17.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.5 Rp 1.2M

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

-23.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 Rp 3.5M

$1,369 Rp 24.5M

-85.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$100 Rp 1.8M

$920 Rp 16.5M

-89.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 Rp 9.5M

$4,495 Rp 80.4M

-88.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 Rp 4.2M

$2,803 Rp 50.2M

-91.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,110 Rp 19.8M

$3,751 Rp 67.1M

-70.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$550 Rp 9.8M

$3,040 Rp 54.4M

-81.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$213 Rp 3.8M

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 Uluwatu, Bali: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $196 in Medan and $1,369 in Uluwatu, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $11.00 in Medan vs $40.00 in Uluwatu, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $312 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 Uluwatu, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 175% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $961 in Medan and $2,638 in Uluwatu, Bali to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $196 in Medan versus $1,369 in Uluwatu, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medan runs roughly 7% less than in Uluwatu, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $123 in Medan versus $339 in Uluwatu, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $640 in Medan versus $1,759 in Uluwatu, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medan but tight or insufficient in Uluwatu, 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 Uluwatu, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medan and Uluwatu, 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 175% less than in Uluwatu, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.